Junior ERC
Rahill ahead in Junior ERC after rare Carlberg DNF
The battle for FIA Junior ERC glory was turned on its head during a dramatic afternoon on Barum Czech Rally Zlín.
Calle Carlberg had been 40.5sec in front and seemingly on course for his fourth consecutive victory when he stopped on the day’s penultimate stage after his Opel Corsa Rally4 suffered driveshaft failure.
With AKK Flying Finn Academy member Leevi Lassila dropping out of a career-best second when he stopped to change a damaged tyre on the same stage, Craig Rahill inherited top spot on his first outing since switching from Peugeot to Lancia power ahead of this event.
After a half-spin, stall and overshoot on SS4, the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver reached midday service in fourth place and conceding that adapting to his new wasn’t as easy as he’d expected. But he dug deep during the afternoon and claimed the lead of the Hankook-supplied category at the completion of the incident-filled SS6.
With SS7 cancelled for the Junior ERC crews due to the worsening state of the gravel section, Rahill leads by 11.7sec.
“Definitely coming out of service I did not expect to be leading tonight,” said Rahill. “I’m absolutely gutted for Calle, he was ahead of us all and deserves to be sitting here as leader tonight but that’s rallying. We kept our noses clean and made a few changes after service and the feeling is a bit more comfortable in the car. I definitely won’t be sleeping tonight because the stages are a lot more difficult than they were today. They’re bumpy, even more narrow with loose gravel so the rally is definitely not over yet.”
Ioan Lloyd took a surprising podium spot heading into Sunday action
© At World
Despite damaging his Peugeot “bouncing off a tree” and overshooting a junction during the morning loop, Ioan Lloyd is second overnight followed by Junior ERC newcomer Karl Peder Nordstrand. The Norwegian was a fine third only to drop time with a left-rear puncture on SS4 and slip to sixth before moving back up the order.
He’s one place and 4.7sec ahead of Francesco Di Ceci, who is competing for the Italian Vieffecorse team for the first time.
Making his Junior ERC debut and contesting his ninth rally, former alpine skier Maximilan Lichtenegger is fifth followed by compatriot Luca Pröglhöf, who drove for approximately six kilometres with a damaged front-right tyre on SS4.
The Austrian has also been trying to restore his confidence following his event-ending crash on Rally di Roma Capitale last month.
Karl Peder Nordstrand is on track for a debut Junior ERC podium
© At World
Behind the delayed Lassila, Keelan Grogan was third after four stages but slipped down to 10th place when he stopped to change a damaged front-right tyre on SS5. He completes day one in eighth followed by Tomasso Sandrin, who lost time with brake issues, a damaged tyre and right-rear damper.
With father Torbjörn deputising for regular wingman Jørgen Eriksen, Carlberg demoted Jaspar Vaher for first place in on SS3 and pulled clear when Jaspar Vaher crashed heavily on SS4. Leading by 33.0sec at the midday service halt in Otrokovice, Carlberg extended his advantage during the afternoon loop before driveshaft failure struck.
It’s the first time the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team driver has failed to complete a leg of a Junior ERC event since his championship debut in Hungary in 2024, although a restart is expected on Sunday when six stages over a competitive distance of 100.90 kilometres await.
“Basically the driveshaft just broke four kilometres into the stage and there was nothing really we could do,” said Carlberg. “We were leading with 40 seconds, which hurts a bit, but the game is on tomorrow, the championship is still up for grabs. If we do a good job maybe we can bring it home.”
Vaher, meanwhile, was uninjured following his high-speed crash although damage to his Lancia is too extensive to allow him to continue on day two.
