Junior ERC
Schulz secures Junior ERC title as Nordstrand wins
Timo Schulz became the 13th FIA Junior ERC champion with a measured run to second place on Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal as Karl Peder Nordstrand secured his maiden category win.
Schulz set out this morning for Sunday’s eight stages knowing that he’d take the title – and the accompanying FIA Junior WRC prize drive in 2027 – providing he made it to the finish.
While Nordstrand sprinted to victory in his Hankook-supplied Opel Corsa Rally4, Schulz reckoned he was driving at “30 per cent” in his efforts to complete the demanding gravel-based route with his ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team-entered Corsa unscathed.
“I feel incredible,” said Schulz, who finished 5min 47.2sec adrift of Nordstrand and also clinched the FIA ERC4 title to go with his ERC Junior award. “I have to say massive thanks to Opel Motorsport, which made it possible to be here, and they bring me a perfect car. The whole season the car worked perfect, and year, I’m super-happy."
“We had a good morning and everything runs to plan. We were trying to save the car, not taking any stupid risks to bring the car back. Maybe our driving was 30 per cent this morning because the conditions were a bit better than yesterday.”
Schulz arrived in Portugal in a two-way fight for the Junior ERC glory with team-mate Tom Heindrichs. But when Heindrichs stopped 11.1 kilometres into SS3 with a damaged oil cooler, Schulz was essentially in the clear to triumph alongside co-driver Maresa Lade.
Karl Peder Nordstrand claimed his breakthrough Junior ERC victory
© At World
“We have a different approach today,” said Heindrichs, who was able to restart after his mechanics worked into the night to repair his Corsa’s damaged engine. “We’re happy to be able to drive today and thanks to the team for repairing the engine. We have done what we could, we were unlucky yesterday, today is just about enjoying and arriving to the finish, not even pushing, just learning, learning, learning.”
Tom Heindrichs had a forgettable finish to his maiden Junior ERC season
© At World
For IKSport Racing-run Nordstrand, his victory alongside new co-driver Jonas Andersson made up for a frustrating season opener in Sweden when he was unable to start following a crash in shakedown.
“The stages today allowed us to drive and take a little more risk,” said the Norwegian. “But with a lead of four and a half minutes we could actually walk through the last stages. Yesterday was really good and we could take big chunks [out of our rivals]. I felt comfortable, I was in the rhythm and had the flow.”
Francesco Dei Ceci secured third in the final championship order by completing the Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal podium ahead of Reis Suliman, who belied his limited experience at international level to secure a career-best fourth.
Francesco dei Ceci completed the 2026 Junior ERC season with another podium
© At World
Sebastian Dallapiccola and Claire Schönborn joined Tom Heindrichs in restarting this morning after radiator and poweersteering failure put them out on the opening leg respectively. They finished fifth and sixth respectively with Schönborn driving through the pain barrier after she dislocated her left shoulder during a heavy impact during Saturday morning.
Heindrichs, who needed to finish in the top six and for Schulz to retire in order to snatch the title, took seventh place and the runner-up spot in the final standings behind Schulz.
Davide Pesavento was a non-starter today following his retirement with radiator damage on Saturday.
