ERC
ERC Fiesta Rally3 champions impress on ERC1 graduation
Tymek Abramowski and Ville Vatanen took up their prize drives for winning the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy in 2025 and 2026 respectively on Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal – and impressed.
Abramowski, from Poland, ran as high as 13th out of 30 Rally2 contenders before an unfortunate roll led to his enforced retirement on SS7 alongside co-driver Jakub Wróbel.
Having gone fifth quickest on the opening stage, Vatanen was in 11th place when a heavy landing led to him stopping nearing the finish of the final stage of leg one. He restarted on the second leg and posted two top 10 stage times, with the fifth quickest time on SS15 a highlight for the Finn.
Finn Vatanen posted two top five stage times on ERC1 step up
© ERC
“We had a good and really insightful rally,” said 20-year-old Vatanen, who was partnered by regular co-driver Joonas Ojala. “Of course, it’s a shame we lost the fight for positions on Saturday evening as we landed with the front first after a jump and had to retire. We managed to complete the demanding route except for a single kilometre. Our pace was good, considering especially that we drove with a Rally2 car for the first time on gravel [the Tuesday before the rally]. I’m also happy for the upwards trajectory of the weekend, we really learned a lot.
We had a good and really insightful rally,
“On Saturday, our pace was improving as the rally progressed. I started to discover the style how to push a Rally2 car in rougher and more rutted conditions – you just have to be brave about it. Sunday was easier since some of the things learned on Saturday were already in mind and I could focus on less new things at once. For sure, we were behind the top drivers, but with these kilometres, that’s what you’re supposed to do.
“A big thanks for the M-Sport team and mechanics for the car and putting it together on Saturday night for us. Big thanks to the KMS Racing team for the ERC season up to Portugal that netted us the ERC3 championship, as well as all my cooperation partners and everyone who’s been with us this season. It’s been a fantastic year, and it’s a good building block for the future.”
Abramowski was in contention for ERC poitns when he retired
© ERC
Abramowski added: “The situation that happened is very strange and so far, no one in the team can find out why it happened. The road was flat, and the turn was one of the fastest on this section. We didn’t crash, we didn’t fall into a ditch that would turn the car over. I did everything exactly the same as with every other turn in much worse conditions – but in this case it instantly turned us over on the roof. Unfortunately, we could not continue on Sunday.”
The prize drives awarded to Abramowski and Vatanen for their ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy triumphs were supported by M-Sport, Pirelli and Warter Fuels with the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team running the duo’s Ford Fiesta Rally2s on the FIA European Rally Championship season finale.
