ERC
Reiersen’s ERC season up and running with “hardcore” podium
Isak Reiersen made it back-to-back podiums on his home round of the FIA European Rally Championship last month with third place on BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia.
Reiersen, 22, was 11th overall after the opening stage in his home city of Karlstad before he began his ultimately successful push for a podium aboard his Hankook-supplied Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Local hero battled back to finish third in Sweden
© ERC
“Big thanks to everyone around us, proper hardcore rallying for 16 stages and three days against some of the fastest drivers in the world, not a scratch on the car and bringing it home P3,” JC Raceteknik-run Reiersen said.
How big hit gave Sesks a helping hand
Isak Reiersen had the beating of Mārtiṇš Sesks on BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia. After overtaking the FIA World Rally Championship stage winner on the opening stage of leg two, Reiersen was 2.3sec ahead of his more experienced rival when a heavy impact on stage 12 allowed Sesks to get back ahead.
Swedish star receives his third-place trophy
© ERC
“I hit a big stone and got a bit unsure,” Reiersen said. “It was the corner before Jaspar Vaher [crashed] but the Hankook tyre is good, no puncture so it’s really strong. But when you hit that hard and you’re going flat through a left hander, once you get a little bit unsure the seconds just run away. But I gave it all for the podium, absolutely.”
I gave it all for the podium, absolutely
Grahn takes positives from opening the road at home
Isak Reiersen’s 20-year-old team-mate Adam Grahn was hamstrung by having to open the road on day one in Sweden, his home ERC counter. But the pain would last until stage six, the first run through Colins, when fuel pump failure led to his early exit.
“It was really difficult, especially on stage two,” Grahn said. “It was just slippery, wheelspin everywhere. There was no traction and no lines and really complicated to judge where you brake. Sometimes it’s good but sometimes it’s just sliding, it was quite a lot of time I was losing, and you can’t do much when it’s so loose. But it’s the first time for me, it’s quite new but a good experience.”
