ERC
The ERC’s first round winners and what happened next
In the last 10 years only three first-round winners have claimed FIA European Rally Championship title joy and the end of the season. Here’s a reminder of who and when.
Winners then champions
2023, Hayden Paddon: After his last-gasp victory on Rally Serras de Fafe, Felgueiras, Boticas, Vieira do Minho e Cabeceiras de Basto Hayden in Portugal Haydon Paddon never looked back for this first of two consecutive European titles.
Lukyanuk began 2020 with victory and ended the year as champion
© ERC
2020, Alexey Lukyanuk: The COVID-delayed 2020 season began in July with a victory for Alexey Lukyanuk on Rally di Roma Capitale. And it was Lukyanuk who would finish the year as champion.
2018, Alexey Lukyanuk: Alexey Lukyanuk never looked backed after he got the 2018 season off to a flying start with victory on the Azores Airlines Rallye. Wins on the next round in Gran Canaria and on Rally di Roma Capitale in the summer proved decisive after a crash in Poland and a non-start on the Rally Liepāja decider.
Lukyanuk scored in the Azores before winning the 2018 ERC crown
© ERC
Winners but not champions
2025: Nikolay Gryazin claimed a dominant victory on Rally Sierra Morena - Córdoba Patrimonio de la Humanidad, but after making no further appearances – despite initial plans for a multi-round campaign – Gryazin finished 11th in the final standings.
2024: Simone Tempestini began the 2024 season with a maiden ERC victory on V-Híd Rally Hungary. Despite his best efforts, the Romanian slipped to sixth in the end-of-year ranking.
2022: Victory on Rally Serras de Fafe - Felgueiras - Cabreira e Boticas was the first of two scored by Nil Solans in 2022. But funding issues counted against a full campaign leaving second-round winner Efrén Llarena to claim the title.
2021: Alexey Lukyanuk started the 2021 ERC season as he finished it with victory. But back-to-back wins for Andreas Mikkelsen in the Azores and Fafe meant it was the Norwegian who claimed the big prize.
2019: After winning the opening round in the Azores, Łukasz Habaj started the Rally Hungary finale as one of the three drivers in the championship mix. However, the Pole’s challenge unravelled early on, leaving Chris Ingram to beat Alexey Lukyanuk to the crown during a thrilling final-stage decider.
2017: Despite only starting the Azores season opener as a one-off, first-round winner Bruno Magalhães kept his budget and title dream alive until the Rally Liepāja shootout, which ended in a third championship for Kajetan Kajetanowicz.
2016: After a lack of snow forced Rally Liepāja to be postponed until the autumn, Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés took over as the first of event of the 2016 season. Alexey Lukynuk triumphed but title went to Kajetan Kajetanowicz for the second time in a row.
The 43rd Andalusia Rally - Sierra Morena - Córdoba World Heritage Site opens the 74th ERC season from 17 - 19 April.
