ERC
Mabellini sets the pace in ERC Rali Ceredigion qualifying
Andrea Mabellini stormed to the fastest time on the Qualifying Stage for JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, the penultimate round of the 2025 FIA European Rally Championship.
The Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver set the pace on the challenging 6.34km Pendam test that featured plenty of grip changes.
Mabellini was 2.3sec faster than nearest rival and fellow Pirelli runner, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Jon Armstrong, as the Italian secured the leading road position for this weekend’s rally. The effort came after Mabellini received news of a two-minute penalty for a breach of recce regulations. Members of Mabellini’s team – without his knowledge – were identified as being on stages 10 and 12 of JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigon at a time when rules state they should not have been.
“When you play the [computer] games you have difficulties easy, medium, and now it is extreme. We will do our best," said a determined Mabellini reflecting on the two-minute penalty.
Armstrong was pleased with his effort after initially being unhappy with his earlier passes of the stage in free practice.
“Obviously it is a lot closer to home this round of the championship so we can know what to expect from the surface and conditions. We will just try to have a rally and get the rhythm it was much better than free practice,” said Armstrong.
Armstrong is gunning for his first ERC win in Wales
© ERC
FIA Rally Star driver and reigning Junior WRC champion Romet Jürgenson was third fastest, driving his M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta Rally2. The Estonian was 3.0sec adrift of Mabellini's pacesetting time.
Two-time Rali Ceredigion winner Osain Pryce (Hyundai i20 N Rally2 Step2) was fourth fastest with the Welshman 0.1sec quicker than Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 driver William Creighton, while Jakub Matulka was sixth.
Championship leader Miko Marczyk seventh fastest, 5.6sec shy of title rival Mabellini.
FIA Rally Star Jürgenson impressed with the third fastest time
© ERC
“It was a clean run but it is a demanding one. Already after the recce this one is the hardest part of the race," said Marczyk, who subsequently posted a faster time on Shakedown.
The top 10 was rounded out by Meirion Evans, Callum Devine, a new recruit for Team MRF Tyres, and Garry Pearson.
The stage was interrupted by an off for Martin Vlček which hampered those running behind the Czech Master ERC title contender on the road. Max McRae was first on the scene and was forced to stop as per regulations. This was reflected in McRae's initially time that was 45.9sec adrift before it was subsequently adjusted.
JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion begins in earnest for the ERC crews with a 1.25km blast through super special stage on the Aberystwyth streets from 17:10 local time.
