ERC
Francesca Maior returns to ERC action with ‘rival’ Tempestini
After coming within 0.5sec of beating FIA European Rally Championship event winner Simone Tempestini, Francesca Maior will join forces with her fellow Romanian.
Maior and older brother Norbert were on course to win the Romanian championship-counting Raliul Argeșului last weekend, only for Tempestini to overtake on the final stage of the rain-hit event and deny the siblings victory by the narrowest of margins in his spectacular Porsche 997 GT3 RGT.
Tempestini switches from Porsche to Škoda power for Sweden's ERC counter
© Marco Tempestini
But as the ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ saying goes, Maior will take up co-driving duties alongside Tempestini on his week’s BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia with the pair starting among the contenders for a top result with Team MRF Tyres.
Maior (left) and Tempestini (third from right) celebrate in Romania
© Marco Tempestini
“It’s a really big thing to race again in the European championship,” said the 25-year-old, who co-drove Norbert Maior to the Junior ERC title in 2023. “At the beginning of this year together with Norbert we hoped to have a nice programme in this championship, but in rallying and life sometimes things don’t go the way you plan, so we had to rethink our programme and adapt it to our budget. Luckily for me I will have the chance to race this weekend with Simone, which is so important for me and my career.”
It’s a really big thing to race again in the European championship
Maior and Tempestini have worked together in the ERC previously, partnering up for the 2024 season-deciding Rally Silesia in Poland with Team MRF Tyres. They will represent the Indian manufacturer in Sweden, sharing a Keane Motorsport-run Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Tempestini and Maior completed testing duties yesterday
© Greg Roslon Photography
“Like every rally I’m starting, I don't think about the results, I’m just enjoying every moment,” Maior said. “Honestly, I can’t wait to be in the rally car, on this amazing and fast stages of Sweden, and I’m sure that together with Simone we will have a great time.”
It's friends reunited time for Maior and Tempestini
© Greg Roslon Photography
