The Indian company will field six cars across two separate teams during the 2023 season, which kicks off in Portugal next week at Rally Serras de Fafe, Felgueiras, Boticas, Vieira do Minho e Cabeceiras de Basto (10 - 12 March).
Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández, championship winners in 2022, return to Team MRF Tyres with a brand-new Škoda Fabia RS, while Tet Rally Liepāja victor Mārtiņš Sesks and co-driver Renars Francis step up to a similar steed.
Providing a reliable pair of hands in the other car are experienced duo Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton, who drive a Fabia Rally2 Evo.
“2022 was a momentous year for us at MRF Tyres as we won our first European Rally Championship title after entering the championship only in 2020,” Mammen enthused. “The amount we have learned has brought us a long way, and we are looking forward to a great and exciting 2023 season.
“As part of our team, we have 2022 ERC Champion Efrén Llarena, supported by Simone Campedelli - who starts his third year with the team and who has proven to be a champion for us in the 2022 Italian Tarmac Championship.
“Finally, we have Mārtiņš Sesks, who really made an impact on all of us with his incredible performance at Tet Rally Liepāja last year by winning every single stage of the rally.”
The all-new MRF Tyres Dealer Team line-up looks equally as strong and includes two drivers who have previously competed in the top level of the sport.
Norway’s Mads Østberg - a WRC rally winner - pilots a Citroën C3 alongside Patrik Barth, with Pontus Tidemand and Julia Thulin fielding a Ford Fiesta. Young Italians Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi will steer a Fabia on their debut season in four-wheel drive.
Mammen added: “We at MRF Tyres cherish the high level of performance which our drivers bring to the table as it pushes us to keep continuously developing our products. This year, it is quite pleasing to note that we also have a number of customers participating in the ERC. Good luck to all.”
Other drivers using MRF Tyres on their cars this season include Italian star Andrea Nucita in a Hyundai i20 N and Romania’s Bogdan Cuzma in a Škoda.
Finland
Italy
Hungary