ERC
Mabellini mighty in the metropolis to head Poland’s ERC round
Andrea Mabellini is the King of Katowice tonight after he won the opening stage of 82nd Rally Poland – round three of the 2026 FIA European Rally Championship – on the streets of the host city.
The Pirelli-equipped Lancia driver, who claimed a maiden ERC event victory in the Silesia region in 2024, was 0.1sec faster than Michelin’s defending European champion Miko Marczyk, from Poland, through the 2.20-kilometre GZM Katowice powered by ORLEN OIL super special stage.
LOTTO ORLEN Rally Team’s Jakub Matulka was on course to top his home event at the Friday night halt after he outpaced Qualifying Stage winner Dominik Stříteský by 0.1sec, until Mabellini and Marczyk demoted the Polish champion.
Marco Bulacia was fifth quickest behind Stříteský with ERC points leader Teemu Suninen sixth followed by British champion William Creighton and Polish title leader Jarosław Szeja.
After illness forced him to miss Free Practice and the Qualifying Stage this morning, Jarosław Kołtun was the surprise package on his ERC return in ninth, one place ahead of Kajetan Kajetanowicz.
ERC champion Marczyk is 0.1sec off the lead
© ERC
The only driver in history to win the ERC title three years running, Kajetanowicz damaged the front bumper of his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 hitting a line of plastic barriers during the stage. But the Polish legend managed to minimise the time lost to Mabellini to 4.2sec on his ERC comeback.
Erik Cais was 11th for Team MRF Tyres, Philip Allen went 12th quickest as Simone Tempestini joined Roberto Blach and Gábor Német in completing the top 15.
Craig Rahill set the FIA ERC3 pace in his Ford Fiesta Rally3, a performance that halted Michał Chorbiński’s run of stage wins in 2026. The 2024 Polish 2WD champion had been unbeaten in 32 stages in in his national championship this season driving a Renault Clio Rally3, but missed out on a 33rd triumph by 1.3sec.
Lucas Zielinski was third fastest despite rushing to change a damaged tyre before the stage got under way. Crucially, however, Zielinski outpaced his title rival Ville Vatanen, who was fourth quickest with ex-karter Petr Kačírek fifth fastest.
Casey Jay Coleman described damaging the left-rear suspension as “a disaster” after he dropped 44.3sec. The Irishman started 82nd Rally Poland one point behind Vatanen in the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy.
Francesco Dei Ceci headed the Hankook-supplied FIA Junior ERC runners in his factory Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF with championship leader Timo Schulz second quickest for the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team. Sebastian Dallapiccola was third fastest in another Lancia followed by Rally di Roma Capitale winner Davide Pesavento.
Kyle McBride and Reis Suliman both lost time on the opening super special having to reverse, with Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver McBride reporting a loss of turbo boost pressure in his Peugeot 208 Rally4.
Aatu Hakalehto said his Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF had been slowed by a lack of throttle response while there was more early-rally heartache for Karl Peder Nordstrand, who failed to complete the stage after he struck a kerb within metres of the finish and damaged his Opel Corsa’s front-right suspension and driveshaft. The Norwegian failed to start BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia when he crashed during shakedown for the Swedish event.
The 17.05-kilometre Jastrzębie Zdrój stage gets Saturday’s action under way at 09:01 local time.
