ERC
Coleman on top as drivers return to ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy action
Casey Jay Coleman is the driver to beat in the 2026 ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, which returns to asphalt for round three of the season.
Starting this week’s Rally di Roma Capitale, the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy-backed Coleman is two points ahead of Ville Vatanen in the race to become the third ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy title winner and the recipient of a Ford Fiesta Rally2 prize drive on JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion in September.
Round one winner Coleman revved up for Rally di Roma Capitale by contesting Rally Internazionale del Casentino in Italy last weekend, where he finished one place behind Vatanen in an identical Pirelli-shod Ford Fiesta Rally3.
Following the event, KMS Racing-run Vatanen, the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy on the last round in Sweden, said: “We achieved good stage kilometres last weekend, and it feels nice to be back on Tarmac. There is room for some improvement after Spain, and we’ve been able to progress with the driving. The level of competition is high this weekend, so the margins won’t be like in Sweden. This rally demands our best, but that’s what we are going to give. The goal is of course to win the event.”
This rally demands our best, but that’s what we are going to give
Ville Vatanen
© ERC
Czech ex-karter Petr Kačírek is third in the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy order, nine points behind Coleman with Irish trio Kalum Graffin, Craig Rahill and Cian Caldwell next up.
British teenager Charlie Tuthill, who has recruited 2019 ERC champion co-driver Ross Whittock for Rally di Roma Capitale, is next up in the title standings followed by Igor Widłak who, like Alexandra Teslovan, is back on ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy duty after skipping BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia.
Although ERC newcomers Matteo Fontana and Nicolas Otto compete in Fiesta Rally3s, the HMI Motorsport team-mates are not eligible for ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy points in Italy.
Kalum Graffin
© ERC
What is ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy?
Launched in 2024 by M-Sport Poland through an agreement with WRC Promoter GmbH, the promoter of the FIA European Rally Championship, the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy has developed into a hugely successful and popular feature of the ERC platform.
With support from Pirelli and Warter Fuels, the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy will be contested over five rounds once again in 2026, one on gravel and four on asphalt.
The winner gets a fully-funded drive in a Ford Fiesta Rally2 on JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigon, the penultimate round of the ERC season from 4 - 6 September. Serving as an incredible opportunity to step up to Rally2 level, the car will be run by the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, an overall winner of two ERC rounds in 2025.
As in previous seasons, Pirelli tyres and fuel from Warter Fuels will be available to ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy competitors at discounted rates, while the top three finishers on each round earn free tyres and fuel.
Kicking off with 43rd Andalusia Rally - Sierra Morena - Córdoba World Heritage Site (17 - 19 April), BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia is next on the schedule from 22 -24 May and returns to the calendar after missing out in 2025. Rally di Roma Capitale (3 - 5 July) and the new-look 82nd Rally Poland (24 - 26 July) follow before Barum Czech Rally Zlín brings the curtain down on the 2026 ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy from 14 - 16 August.
Igor Widłak
© ERC
ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy: how it works
To be eligible for the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, competitors must register with M-Sport Poland and then notify M-Sport Poland which rounds they have entered to qualify for ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy points and the various incentives on offer. It is also a requirement to register for the FIA ERC3 Championship with the FIA and pay the appropriate fee. The entry fee for each ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy round is €1500 but there is no Fiesta Rally3 Trophy registration fee payable.
There is no maximum age for drivers, who can use their own cars prepared by themselves or by a team. To ensure competitors get access to the best technical assistance available, M-Sport Poland will attend all events with a fully stocked spares vehicle, while its engineers will be available to provide technical support.
All drivers use the same specification Pirelli tyres and fuel from Warter Fuels, which will be available on site at every ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy event at a discounted price.
Highlights of all ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy rounds are available via the ERC’s social media channels with selected live coverage also on Rally.TV. Event previews, reviews and news articles are published at FIAERC.com.
The 10 drivers chasing ERC3 Fiesta Rally3 Trophy success on Rally di Roma Capitale are:
Cian Caldwell (Ireland)/Paul McPhillips (Ireland)
Casey Jay Coleman (Ireland)/Killian McArdle (Ireland)
Kalum Graffin (Ireland)/Rhodri Evans (Great Britain)
Petr Kačírek Jr (Czech Republic)/Ladislav Kučera (Czech Republic)
Robert Proudlock (Great Britain)/Harry Marchbank (Great Britain)
Craig Rahill (Ireland)/Conor Smith (Ireland)
Alexandra Teslovan (Romania)/Mihai Supuran (Romania)
Charlie Tuthill (Great Britain)/Ross Whittock (Great Britain)
Ville Vatanen (Finland)/Joonas Ojala (Finland)
Igor Widłak (Poland)/Kamil Heller (Poland)
Charlie Tuthill
© ERC
How to watch?
Fans across the globe can experience the excitement and drama of the ERC with every stage of every rally broadcast Rally.TV platform. In addition, the ERC is broadcast in a number of countries around the world and fans are advised to check local listings for details.
Rally di Roma Capitale 2026: the key numbers
Stages: 11
Competitive distance: 197.02 kilometres
Total distance: 1084.76 kilometres
