Bonato’s breakthrough win
Yoann Bonato claimed his maiden ERC rally victory on the sweeping asphalt roads in the Costa Daurada hills - getting the better of recently-crowned champion Efrén Llarena to secure the spoils.
The Frenchman – already an ERC podium-finisher this year in Gran Canaria and Rome – posted the fastest time on seven of the event’s 12 speed tests, with two cancelled due to red flag stoppages further up the order.
Not only that, but the Citröen ace’s breakthrough triumph and hefty points haul was sufficient to vault him from ninth in the championship standings up to third – an impressive performance, having only entered half of the season’s events.
Palomo seals ERC4 title at home
Arriving in Salou holding a 14-point advantage at the summit of the standings, Óscar Palomo knew that a solid finish would be sufficient to secure the ERC4 Drivers’ crown.
The Peugeot driver - who hails from Spanish capital Madrid - did exactly that, safely steering his Peugeot 208 to fourth in the category and wrapping up the title in the process.
Emotional Vinyes goes top in ERC Open
Joan Vinyes faced the arduous task of getting his Suzuki Swift R4LLY S to the end of the two-day fixture in order to win the ERC Open championship. That was easier said than done, however, with the heavily-polluted roads ready to catch out the unwary.
The 53-year-old kept his cool in challenging conditions to finish eighth overall and second in his category behind Suzuki Motor Ibérica team-mate Alberto Monarri.
That was sufficient to seal the deal, spurring emotional scenes at the Power Stage stop line as Vinyes celebrated his first major title at this level.
Battistolli and Llarena return to action
Efrén Llarena and Alberto Battistolli both endured heavy crashes at the previous round in the Czech Republic. It was great to see the Fabia stars back in action and rebuilding their confidence just weeks later.
Llarena capped off his championship-winning season by finishing second overall on home soil, while Battistolli upped his pace throughout the event to take ninth.
Pardo secures second in the championship
Javier Pardo’s result of third overall was enough to ensure a Team MRF Tyres 1-2 in the drivers’ championship. It was the Spaniard’s first-ever ERC podium and marked a successful end to his debut year with the Indian tyre team.
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