ERC
Daprà charges to ERC Roma Qualifying Stage triumph
Roberto Daprà has won the Qualifying Stage for Rally di Roma Capitale, a first in the FIA European Rally Championship for the former ERC4 champion.
Driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 on Pirelli tyres, Daprà took 3min 37.6sec to complete the 6.00-kilometre Tuscolo test.
The ACI Team Italia driver edged out Teemu Suninen by 0.5sec after the Finn had occupied the Qualifying Stage Hot Zone until Daprà’s later effort with Michelin-supplied Pablo Sarrazin impressing in third despite doing “a little bit of a mistake”. The Frenchman was followed by two-time Rally di Roma Capitale winner Andrea Crugnola and defending ERC champion Miko Marczyk.
Daprà, who will start Rally di Roma Capitale’s opening leg from first on the road, said: “For the starting position it was not so clear what is better and what is not and for sure being the seventh or eighth car can be very dirty. I’m happy because we won our first Qualifying Stage and now we need to go flat out in the stages.”
I’m happy because we won our first Qualifying Stage and now we need to go flat out in the stages.”
Boštjan Avbelj was sixth quickest with ERC3 graduate Tristan Charpentier starring with the seventh fastest time ahead of double ERC champion Giandomenico Basso, the Rally di Roma Capitale winner in 2025. Andrea Mabellini and Hankook-equipped FIA WRC2 contender Yohan Rossel rounded out the top 10 in their Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrales.
Dominik Stříteský, Jakub Matulka, Arthur Pelamourgues, Marco Bulacia and Nikolay Gryazin round out the top 15 ahead of Yoann Bonato, William Creighton, Pierre Ragues, Mille Johansson and Erik Cais, the leading MRF-shod contender.
Simone Tempestini finished the Qualifying Stage with the 21st quickest time, one place in front of Simone Campedelli. “In one corner I went wide and we are lucky to be here as we went over the ditch. It was a big one,” the Toyota driver said.
The 1.30-kilometre Colosseo ACI Roma super special stage is next from 20:05 local time. Go to the ERC Live Centre for more updates and results.
