Junior ERC round-up: Delight and despair as young stars shine again

Schulz wins, Daprà/Nore set up title decider
While Opel Corsa Rally4-driving Timo Schulz scored his first Junior ERC victory in dominant style, the race to become the 10th Junior ERC champion will go down to the Rally Hungary finale from 6- 8 October. Norbert Maior, who finished fourth in Zlín, now tops the title table by a mere four points ahead of third-place finisher and fellow Peugeot 208 Rally4 driver Roberto Daprà.

Close but McRae’s podium wait goes on
Max McRae was second with two stages remaining during a strong Zlín. Then it all went wrong for the Scottish promise with two stages to go. “A slippery hairpin caused us to understeer into a ditch. This is my fault and I am sorry to the whole team and everyone else. Our time will come.”

Johansson and Škulj out of luck
The same ditch that ended McRae’s hopes also wrecked Mille Johansson’s bid for a top-five finish in his Ford Fiesta Rally4. And having made his Junior ERC debut on last month’s Rally di Roma Capitale, Slovenian Mark Škulj was on course for the top seven in Zlín until a broken driveshaft put him out after eight stages.

Raftery the first lady of Zlín
As well as finishing seventh among the Junior contenders, Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy’s Aoife Raftery was the top female RC4 competitor on Barum Czech Rally Zlín.

Visit FIAERC.com soon to find out how Fabian Zeiringer’s special Semetin preparations helped him to second place, why it wasn’t the Zlín comeback Victor Hansen had hoped for and how Mattia Zanin kept going when stopping would have been the easier option.