ERC
Crugnola reclaims lead in thrilling ERC Rally di Roma Capitale battle
Andrea Crugnola reclaimed the Rally di Roma Capitale lead heading into Sunday afternoon, as an enthralling battle for victory at round five of the FIA European Rally Championship continues.
Crugnola’s plan to record a hat-trick of wins at the asphalt rally was boosted after the Pirelli-shod Citroën C3 Rally2 driver issued a timely response to double ERC champion Giandomenico Basso, to take a 2.5sec lead into the final three stages.
Crugnola started the day with a 3.3sec margin but his lead was whittled away after the morning’s first stage SS8 (Guarcino - Altipiani 1 - 11.58 km). The Italian could only set the sixth fastest time as Basso reduced the deficit to 2.7sec.
Two-time European champion Basso continued to charge in SS9, a 30.59km run through Canterano - Subiaco. The Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver set a stunning stage winning time, 2.9sec faster than Crugnola, which was enough to snatch the rally lead away from the Citroën driver by 0.2sec.
However, Crugnola bounced back in SS10 Jenne - Monastero to win the stage, posting a time 2.7sec faster than Basso.
“I think this fight is going to last until the last stage. Since yesterday morning we have been so close through the rally. We just need to keep going and that’s it," said Crugnola.
Basso briefly held the lead on Sunday morning
© ERC
Basso added: “There is no margin for error, you have to be precise but I made some little mistakes with my pacenotes.”
Meanwhile, FIA ERC points leader Miko Marczyk managed to hold onto third, although his Michelin-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 is only 1.1sec ahead of title rival Andrea Mabellini after the latter took 2.2sec from Marczyk in SS10.
“This one was tough for us. It was a typical Italian road, I think we made big progress from last year where we were losing one second per kilometre, but for such a short stage it is too big a loss. We will fight until the end,” said Marczyk.
Mabellini’s impressive time arrived despite a moment at the first corner but the Italian managed to recover, and is now setting his sights on the podium
"We had a big moment in the very first corner. It is not so bad just 0.7s off the fastest time, but it is incredible that we are playing with tenths all of the time," said Mabellini.
“I need to prepare really well for the stages this afternoon because it is going to be crucial. There is still a battle on with many competitors split by a few tenths, so every centimetre counts now.”
Marczyk managed to hold onto third from a charging Mabellini
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WRC2 Sardegna winner Roberto Dapra was fortunate to survive clipping a wall in SS9 to hold onto fifth, before posting the second fastest time on SS10 to sit 21.3sec from the lead.
Further down the order, the leaderboard underwent a shake up. Simone Campedelli slotted into sixth, helped by an impressive fastest time on SS8, a stage he claimed last year.
Another driver on the move was 2022 ERC champion Efrén Llarena who enjoyed a strong morning too rise from ninth to as high as sixth, before slipping to seventh. The Spaniard set the fourth fastest times on SS8 and SS9 as he continued to gel with his new Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
For Mads Østberg, it was a difficult morning as the Norwegian former WRC star dropped to ninth behind Friday night’s leader Boštjan Avbelj, while Dominik Stříteský, rounded out the top 10.
“I'm just struggling a bit to find the rhythm. We tried now to reset and change everything and we did some changes, so it feels better but it is very different. We are mainly working on the suspension to find the correct balance,” said Østberg.
Simone Tempestini’s rally ended prematurely when the Romanian was forced to retire from 11th position after his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 suffered radiator damage from an impact in SS8.
Marco Signor inherited the position ahead of Norbert Herczig. M-Sport-Ford World Rally Team’s Jon Armstrong continued to struggle with the balance of his Ford Fiesta. Armstrong was forced to reverse in SS9 after a half spin at a tight hairpin, but ended up the morning with an impressive run to third fastest on SS10.
Armstrong was fighting for balance in his Fiesta for much of the morning
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“I just can’t push at all. I’m a long way from where I need to be that is for sure. I will just try to get through the rest of the day. I don’t know if we can improve too much now we have tried a lot of things,” said Armstrong after SS9.
The top 15 was completed by Italy’s Fabio Andolfi (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and ERC Staff House Rally Hungary winner Roope Korhonen making his first asphalt start for Team MRF Tyres.
Max McRae and Simon Wagner were non-starters following their retirements on leg one. McRae, who was driving his Citroën C3 Rally2 on Tarmac in the ERC for the first time, rolled on SS6, while Wagner stopped on SS3 with a connector issue having gone equal eighth quickest through Saturday’s opening test.
In the Master ERC battle, Basso is in command by 3minutes 42.1sec from Antonio Rusce. Tymek Abramowski inherited the FIA ERC3 lead after Tristan Charpentier hit trouble in SS9. Hubert Kowalczyk is second, 1minute 56.3sec behind, with Casey Jay Coleman in third. Opel Corsa-driving Calle Carlberg heads Jaspar Vaher (Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF) in FIA ERC4 and FIA Junior ERC, while Ireland's Craig Rahill is 0.2sec behind in third (Peugeot 208 Rally4).
The crews will repeat the loop of stage this afternoon, with the final Jenne - Monastero Power Stage due to begin at 1705 local time.
