For 24 hours from today (Monday), fans can vote for either Kajetan Kajetanowicz or Luca Rossetti to become the first ERC star to secure a semi-final place next week.
Pole Kajetanowicz, who made history in 2017 when he became the first competitor to clinch three ERC titles in succession, is on a high after winning the FIA WRC2 Challenger Championship* on last weekend’s Forum8 Rally Japan. His maiden ERC event win on Rally Poland in 2013, meanwhile, was the first in the European championship by a driver competing in an R5 (now Rally2) car.
Rossetti, a podium regular in this season’s Italian Tarmac championship, recently revealed he’s not done with adding more ERC success to his career CV as he contemplates further appearances in the future. The Italian, 47, who is three years older than Kajetanowicz, first lifted the European crown in 2008 before adding back-to-back titles between 2010 and 2011.
Kajetanowicz and Rossetti reached the ERC Greatest Driver quarter-final week by defeating Rauno Aaltonen and Jan Kopecký in the round of 16 respectively.
Sobiesław Zasada will take on Patrick Snijers during Tuesday’s vote before Dario Cerrato and Giandomenico Basso go for a place in the semi-finals on Wednesday. Thursday’s contest, the second all-Italian battle of the week, is between Fabrizio Tabaton and Renato Travaglia.
Sixteen drivers were originally selected for the ERC Greatest Driver vote with FIAERC.com taking a data-based approach to pick out 12 drivers who have won the coveted European Rally Championship at least two times. Four wildcards, based on their impact during a certain ERC era, were also selected. The ERC Greatest Driver, according to your votes, will be revealed on 1 December.
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