ERC
Ten future ERC graduates
While four drivers vie for a place in Friday’s ERC Greatest Graduate finale, FIAERC.com has picked out 10 talents from a long list with the potential to emulate their achievements in the future.
Tymek Abramowski: Polish teenager Abramowski claimed an ERC3/Fiesta Rally3 Trophy title double at his first attempt. A Ford Fiesta Rally2 prize drive awaits on the 2025 ERC season opener and more besides.
Calle Carlberg: The world awaits this Swedish prospect with a Junior WRC prize drive his reward for claiming the Junior ERC crown in 2025. Carlberg also became ERC4 champion for good measure.
Tuukka Kauppinen: Started his Junior ERC adventure having won the Arctic Lapland Rally outright earlier in the year. Showed pace and promise during his maiden European bid.
Kauppinen banked a 2025 Junior ERC podium
© ERC
Ioan Lloyd: Junior ERC and ERC4 runner-up despite 2025 marking the Welsh youngster’s maiden campaign at international level.
Sergi Pérez: Won the Junior ERC season opener in Spain and followed that up with impressive displays on the next three events he contested.
Karl Peder Nordstrand: The Norwegian, 18, finished second in Junior ERC two times out of two, despite lack of Tarmac experience.
Craig Rahill: Scored the first international-level victory for Lancia’s new-for-2025 Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF when he took ERC4/Junior ERC honours on Barum Czech Rally Zlín.
Isak Reiersen: A stage winner and victory contender on his second ERC outing at Rally2 level, the 21-year-old car mechanic finished in the top four three times in three tries in 2025.
Reiersen flew to fourth place in Hungary
© ERC
Jaspar Vaher: Having starred in Junior ERC (one win and three podiums from eight starts), the 18-year-old Estonian will join the TGR WRC Challenge Program in 2026 after coming out on top of a five-drive shootout.
Ville Vatanen: A distant relative of 1981 WRC champion Ari Vatanen, 19-year-old Ville Vatanen banked two ERC3 podiums in 2025.
The 10 drivers selected above are just some of the standout rising talents competing regularly in the ERC. Others include Jon Armstrong, Márton Bertalan, Tristan Charpentier, Casey Jay Coleman, Francesco Dei Ceci, Adam Grahn, Keelan Grogan, Hubert Kowalczyk, Leevi Lassila, Andrea Mabellini, Norbert Maior, Miko Marczyk, Jakub Matulka, Luca Pröglhöf, Adrian Rzeźnik, Tomasso Sandrin and Mark-Egert Tiits.
Disagree with our selection? Don't forget to comment on the ERC's social media channels.
What’s next in the ERC Greatest Graduate contest
Voting for semi-final two begins tomorrow (Wednesday) when Adrien Fourmaux and Kajetan Kajetanowicz go to the public poll.
Who is the ERC Greatest Graduate?
© ERC
ERC Greatest Graduate explained
Since the ERC was restructured in 2004 into the hugely successful format recognisable today, an endless stream of drivers have built experience competing at European level either at the start of or during their rise to the sport’s highest echelon, the FIA World Rally Championship.
Throughout November, FIAERC.com is highlighting 16 drivers – selected by the ERC’s media team – who have done just that. And it’s calling on fans of the championship to help decide the best of the best graduates through an online that closes with the grand finale on Friday 28 November.
Employing bracketology, voting is available through the ERC’s social media channels with a minimum 24-hour window to vote for each pairing. The winner will be announced on Saturday 29 November.
