ERC
Górny fired up for a first Fiesta in ERC
Marcin Górny is fired up for his ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy debut on 82nd Rally Poland this week – in more ways than one.
Górny, the reigning Polish 2WD champion, is a professional firefighter for the Polish State Fire Service, while co-driver Mateusz Martynek is a volunteer firefighter for the same organisation.
They compete in their spare time and hold second position in the current Polish Rally3 standings ahead of their home FIA European Rally Championship round this week.
Co-driver Martynek and Górny in celebration mode
© Maciej Niechwiadow
As well as being eligible for ERC3 points, 47-year-old Górny, who has also worked as a mechanic for three-time ERC champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz in the past, is one of 10 drivers chasing ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy points and incentives on 82nd Rally Poland. He can’t wait for action to begin in host city Katowice tomorrow evening (Friday).
“Our priority is to fight for points in the Polish Rally Championship,” Górny said. “At the same time, I’m really happy that we have the opportunity to compete in a round of the FIA European Rally Championship and measure ourselves against some of the best crews in Europe. I haven’t set a specific target for the ERC classification because it’s difficult to say exactly where we stand at the moment. Above all, we want to see how our pace compares with Europe’s top crews and let the special stages show us where we are.
I’m really happy that we have the opportunity to compete in the ERC and measure ourselves against some of the best crews in Europe
Polish crew have the support of their fellow firefighters
© Maciej Niechwiadow
“I believe the level of competition in the FIA ERC is extremely high. Over the last few seasons, the competition has become even tougher, and there are plenty of very strong crews to compete against. If you want to be competitive here, you simply have to be very, very fast.”
Of his firefighting heroics, Górny explained: “In my everyday life, I’m a professional firefighter and have been serving in the State Fire Service for almost 18 years. I’ve also been a volunteer firefighter for more than 35 years. When I’m not competing or on duty, I work as a mechanic with Rallylab-Technology, the team that also prepares and runs our Ford Fiesta Rally3. My life is all about balancing firefighting, rallying and the work that helps me get to the start of the next rally.”
Coleman is one point behind Vatanen in the title chase
© ERC
One point in it with two rounds left
A single point splits ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy leading pair with two rounds remaining. After three events, Ville Vatanen tops the order, just one point ahead of Casey Jay Coleman. Whoever comes out on top on next month’s Barum Czech Rally Zlín title decider will win a Ford Fiesta Rally2 prize drive on JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion from 4 - 6 September.
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), the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy has taken in BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia (22 -24 May) and Rally di Roma Capitale (3 - 5 July). Following 82nd Rally Poland (24 - 26 July), the 2026 title chase concludes on Barum Czech Rally Zlín from 14 - 16 August.
Home ace Widłak will be a contender for ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy points
© 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.
Bieńko made his ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy debut in 2025
© ERC
The 10 drivers chasing ERC3 Fiesta Rally3 Trophy success on 82nd Rally Poland are:
Tadeusz Bieńko (Poland)/Michał Poradzisz (Poland)
Cian Caldwell (Ireland)/Paul McPhillips (Ireland)
Casey Jay Coleman (Ireland)/Killian McArdle (Ireland)
Marcin Górny (Poland)/Mateusz Martynek (Poland)
Kalum Graffin (Ireland)/Rhodri Evans (Great Britain)
Petr Kačírek Jr (Czech Republic)/Ladislav Kučera (Czech Republic)
Craig Rahill (Ireland)/Conor Smith (Ireland)
Alexandra Teslovan (Romania)/Mihai Supuran (Romania)
Ville Vatanen (Finland)/Joonas Ojala (Finland)
Igor Widłak (Poland)/Kamil Heller (Poland)
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.
82nd Rally Poland: the key numbers
Stages: 15
Competitive distance: 187.60 kilometres
Total distance: 918.32 kilometres
