At last! Mabellini’s first ERC podium just for starters

With Virginia Lenzi co-driving his Team MRF Tyres-entered Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, Italian Mabellini finished a career-high second on JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion earlier this month following a charging performance on the rain-hit leg two.  

From sixth overnight, the 25-year-old was third at the completion of the second day’s opening stage, slipped to fourth after the penultimate test before snatching second on the Power Stage.  

Speaking at the finish in Aberystwyth on 1 September, Mabellini said: “It’s incredible, I’m really happy about the podium. It was a very difficult day and a very difficult rally, but we enjoyed it and we deserve it all, me, Virgi, the team, MRF Tyres, we did an incredible job and we are very happy with the result we achieved. Thank you to everybody for everything.”  

Mabellini was one of a number of ERC stars new to the all-asphalt event, the first UK round of the championship since 2016. He explained how he joined the European podium pack.

“The second day was difficult, very difficult, especially the second loop,” Mabellini said. “Some rain comes so we made quite an aggressive tyre strategy and it worked. We bring two soft, two medium, to rain tyres and we were crossing for the first one (SS13) and it was quite slippery. We managed it without losing so much, so in the last stage we put two medium in the front, two soft in the back and we went for it, we make it happen and we are happy for it.”  

He continued: “The result is incredible. All year long we are struggling with the budget. It’s race by race and it’s not easy when you don’t have the full budget covered. I hope it will help for the rest of the season and for next year also.”   

Simone Tempestini joined Mabellini at Team MRF Tyres for the first time in Wales and impressed by running in the top three until suspension damage forced him to retire on day one. The multiple Romanian champion returned for the deciding leg but was ultimately unable to finish after he picked up further damage to his Volkswagen Golf GTI R5.