ERC
Mabellini will “never give up” on ERC title dream
Andrea Mabellini has vowed never to give up on winning the FIA European Rally Championship ahead of the penultimate event of the season getting under way today (Friday).
Lancia Corse HF driver Mabellini will start JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion 25 points behind provisional leader Teemu Suninen. With 70 points still up for grabs, the Italian, who placed third in last year’s standings, remains firmly in title contention.
“One person told me never give up until the end and there’s still a long to go,” Mabellini said. “We say everything can happen in racing, especially here it’s a really demanding race, very difficult with a lot of jumps. It’s going to be a tough event, it’s never easy, but we will try to fight to the end.”
One person told me never give up until the end and there’s still a long to go
Mabellini makes his third start in Wales on the back of finishing third overall and winning the Power Stage on Barum Czech Rally Zlín last month, the first ERC podium for the all-new Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.
“It was such a wonderful moment because we were not expecting this result,” Pirelli-equipped Mabellini said. “In Czech Republic we were fast in the past but with the new package it seems like it would be testing or finding out new solutions. But, at the end, it was also working quite well so we hope it will also work here.”
Of the night stages Mabellini will tackle with co-driver Virginia Lenzi this evening, the 27-year-old said: “We do what the rally has prepared for us, we go and we do these two stages in the dark. One will be the reverse of the Free Practice and Qualifying Stage and it seems like there are going to be some cuts that are full of mud. Let’s see, it’s going to be tough for sure.”
