Why Zlín ERC finish suited ambitious Tempestini just fine

Tempestini has undertaken an ad hoc schedule of ERC events in recent seasons but hopes to be a more frequent starter in 2024.

With Barum Czech Rally Zlín in line to host the ERC for the long term, Tempestini was keen to maximise his learning on an event he’d tackled only once previously as he looks to the future.

“We just make three rounds of the ERC championship this season so we decided to come here because, [although] it’s not possible to say 100 per cent for sure, next year we will be in the championship,” said the 29-year-old. “But we don’t know this rally at all because we didn’t participate before, just one try in an Abarth 124 and that was a different [rear-wheel-drive] car, another story so we were trying to make some experience.

“With these difficult conditions and characteristic of road, if you don’t want to really push 120 per cent then it’s easy to see on the time. When you do the recce you think the road is quite narrow and you have to brake everywhere but when you pass with the rally car it looks that you can do it flat out everywhere. But for sure you have to do it one or two times and then you can push for real.”

A stage winner in this year’s ERC, Tempestini, who is co-driven by his fellow Romanian Sergiu Itu, has scored FIA European Rally Championship points on all four appearances he’s made so far in 2023.