ERC
Heindrichs edging narrow chase for Junior ERC success
Tom Heindrichs faces a final-day victory tussle with Aatu Hakalehto as both drivers vie to win in the FIA Junior ERC Championship for the first time.
ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team ace Heindrichs took the lead on stage four in his Corsa Rally4 and reached the overnight halt at the Silesian Stadium 5.3sec in front of Hakalehto, who drives a Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF for MS Munaretto.
Davide Pesavento, the Rally di Roma Capitale winner, is third for Lancia Corse HF, but points pacesetter Timo Schulz starts Sunday’s final leg in catch-up mode after he was delayed replacing a damaged tyre on SS2.
Hakalehto will start the final leg 5.3sec off the lead
© ERC
However, the thoughts of the Junior ERC family remain with Marcel Neulinger and co-driver Jürgen Heigl after the Austrian pair were taken to hospital following a crash on SS2 where they are expected to make full recoveries.
“We didn’t have the best feeling [this morning] but the stage times were good and now we are leading, so that’s positive,” Belgian Heindrichs said. “Of course, it’s a shame for Neulinger and I wish him a good recovery. Unfortunately, it’s also part of this sport. From our side we just try to keep the pace, don’t stress and see where we end up. We’re going to try to put some pressure on the guys in front of us in the championship. For the moment it’s looking good.”
Having failed to finish the opening two Junior ERC rounds, Hakalehto is determined to get to the end on Sunday afternoon. “Everything is okay [with the car after] the throttle didn’t work properly after the donuts [on the super special on Friday],” he said. “We approach it a bit easier, try to be as clean and smooth as we can. The feeling is okay and we continue like this.”
Rome winner Pesavento is third in the Junior ERC fight
© ERC
Behind Pesavento, Colin Dünker closed to within 4.4sec of Pesavento by winning Saturday’s super special finale in his Ford Fiesta Rally4, while Francesco Dei Ceci holds fifth overnight after winning SSS1 on Friday, his maiden Junior ERC stage best.
Kyle McBride is sixth ahead of Tommaso Sandrin and Sebastian Dallapiccola and newcomer Anthony Rott. Filip Šipoš, the 2025 FIA European Rally Trophy winner, is 10th followed by Claire Schönborn, Francesco Paccagnella, Reis Suliman and Schulz.
After retiring on the Friday super special with front-right suspension and driveshaft damage, Karl Peder Nordstrand underlined his potential by going third fastest on the SS4, the first stage that the Hankook-supplied Junior ERC drivers tackled. However, the Norwegian teenager was delayed completing SS5 before he retired on SS6.
