Junior ERC
Why Lancia switch is an “honour” for Junior ERC star Rahill
FIA Junior ERC Championship podium finisher Craig Rahill says switching to Lancia power ahead of his Barum Czech Rally Zlín debut is “a real honour”.
The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver starts the penultimate round of the Junior ERC season sixth in the standings having claimed a breakthrough podium on Rally di Roma Capitale last month driving a Peugeot 208 Rally4.
But the 21-year-old’s switch to a Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF, alongside co-driver Conor Smith, is particularly significant for the winner of the 2024 Billy Coleman Award, which recognises and supports young and talented Irish rally drivers.
Lancia switch is significiant for Irish talent Rahill
© Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy
“One of the last times an Irish driver has been behind the wheel of a Lancia in the European Rally Championship was Billy Coleman in 1978,” Rahill, 21, said. “As the current Billy Coleman Award winner it’s pretty special to be driving a Lancia in the European Rally Championship like Billy once did. It’s a real honour, it feels like I’m following a bit of a legacy of a driver that I really look up to.”
Rahill, who began competing three years ago in a Ford Escort Mk2, explained the change of Hankook-equipped Rally4 cars for the remainder of the Junior ERC season.
“We are delighted to be continuing to work with MS Munaretto and they have provided us the opportunity to switch to a Lancia,” Rahill said. “It was an offer I couldn’t turn down when it was presented to me to drive such an iconic brand for the remaining rounds of the Junior ERC Championship on Hankook tyres.”
Irish pair Rahill and Smith have formed a strong partnership
© Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy
Rahill continued: “I’m really looking forward to driving a Lancia full attack in Zlín, the stages look very similar to what we have at home [in Ireland] so hopefully it’s a bit more of what we are used to.
“We were delighted to pick up our very first podium by finishing third in Rome at the last round. The bar is set now so we are looking to try and do the same again or go for a place higher, but it won’t be easy and we are looking forward to another tight battle.”
Young talents up for Junior ERC action
Craig Rahill is one of 11 young talents chasing Junior ERC success on Barum Czech Rally Zlín from 15 -17 August.
With three successive wins under his belt, Opel Corsa Rally4-driving Calle Carlberg is the top seed ahead of Peugeot 208 Rally4-powered Welshman Ioan Lloyd and Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally4 runner Jaspar Vaher from Estonia.
Rahill’s fellow Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Keelan Grogan, Finn Leevi Lassila, Italian Francesco Dei Ceci and Austrian Luca Pröglhöf will also chase Junior ERC points, as will Italy’s Tomasso Sandrin, who is back in action after missing Rally di Roma Capitale.
Dei Ceci is contesting his first Junior ERC season
© ERC
Maximilian Lichtenegger from Austria and Norwegian Karl Peder Nordstrand are preparing to compete in the Hankook-supplied category for the first time.
How to watch?
Fans across the globe can experience the excitement and drama of the ERC with every stage of every rally broadcast Rally.tv platform. In addition, the ERC is broadcast in a number of countries around the world and fans are advised to check local listings for details.
Barum Czech Rally Zlín: the key numbers
Stages: 13
Stage distance: 207.49 kilometres
Total distance: 754.15 kilometres
