ERC
Armstrong ahead of Jürgenson in thrilling ERC Ceredigion clash
Jon Armstrong leads the penultimate round of the 2025 FIA European Rally Championship with Romet Jürgenson just 1.4sec behind after three stages of JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion.
But in the race to win the coveted ERC title, Michelin-supplied Miko Marczyk has the upper hand over Pirelli-supported Andrea Mabellini, who started the event with a two-minute penalty and was 4.3sec slower than his points rival. With nine stages of the Welsh Tarmac event to run, Marczyk is fourth overall with Mabellini in 11th position.
Armstrong began Saturday’s action by beating Romet Jürgenson through the 14.30 kilometres of Cwm Elan. The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver outpaced his fellow Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally2 runner by 0.6sec to move 0.3sec in front of overnight leader Marczyk in the overall classification, the first time he’s led an ERC event.
Jürgenson responded through SS3, Y Diafol, the FIA Rally Star programme member heading Armstrong by 1.7sec for his maiden ERC stage win to snatch second place overall, 1.4sec down on top spot, despite a high-speed moment.
Armstrong could have made it back-to-back stage wins had he not suffered a half-spin into a gate post after getting out of shape through an increasingly muddy right-hand turn. He’d earlier picked up cosmetic damage to the front of his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally Team entry.
“It was a good stage,” Armstrong said following SS3. “At the end I knew one corner was slippy and I tried to go early to not understeer but I still understeered and then it pushed us wide and I touched the grass with the rear left and that spun the car quite quickly. The water temperature looks okay so I think we got away with it.”
Jürgenson bagged his maiden ERC stage win on SS3
© ERC
Jürgenson said: “There were a few surprises with the bumps and it is quite crazy and I think I had the moment of my life. I was flat out and I almost crashed it but that is the level.”
Probite British Rally Championship leader William Creighton holds third position after three stages with Callum Devine fifth for Team MRF Tyres behind Marczyk. Osian Pryce is sixth with Jakub Matulka seventh, Philip Allen eighth
Max McRae was in 11th place when he understeered off the road on the mud-coated right-hand corner 31.9 kilometres into the 33.86 Y Diafol run and got stuck in a ditch.
Meirion Evans and co-driver spun at high speed 0.5 kilometres from the start of SS3 but were able to continue, albeit with brake and suspension damage following contact.
Garry Pearson completed SS3 with significant damage to the rear of his Fiesta.
Eamonn Kelly heads the ERC3 order ahead of Hubert Kowalczyk. However, there was drama when championship leader Tymek Abramowski stopped 24.2 kilometres into SS3. Rising Welsh star Ioan Lloyd holds first place in ERC4.
The first of two runs through the 13.74-kilometre Mydroilyn stage is up next from 11:00 followed by the 30-minute midday service halt in Aberystwyth.
