Hayden Paddon took his first European Rally Championship victory since becoming champion, winning Rali Ceredigion by over a minute in his Hyundai i20 N Rally2.
All the hard work was done on the first full day, with seven out of eight stage wins earning Paddon a huge advantage as he proved to be in a class of his own.
Sunday was therefore about protecting his advantage rather than extending it, but Paddon still found the speed to win the powerstage and therefore leave Wales with a 27-point lead in the championship over Mathieu Franceschi, who recovered from a disappointing start to finish third – earned through a combination of improved pace and an accident for Chris Ingram.
Ingram had been second overall, but was caught out on the very first stage of the final leg as he lost the rear of his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 on a bump and whacked a bridge.
British Rally Championship rival Keith Cronin also came a cropper on the same stage, rolling his Ford Fiesta Rally2 out of fifth place.
That opened the door for Andrea Mabellini who moved up three places in one stage, overhauling Mikołaj Marczyk with a strong run. But a mega effort on the penultimate test moved Marczyk ahead of Mabellini, as well as Franceschi, to vault into second place.
However it all changed again on the powerstage as Marczyk slipped back behind them both to fourth, allowing an emotional Mabellini to seal a maiden ERC podium, 3.5s ahead of third-placed Franceschi.
Paddon’s winning margin stood at 1m47.3s, and his powerstage margin over Jon Armstrong in excess of four seconds,
“[It’s] a relief,” Paddon surmised.
“It’s been a very, very tough season, not for a lack of trying, but to put it right this weekend, and to do it reasonably comfortably, is a huge credit to the team.
“The job’s not done yet but it makes it a lot easier for the last one.”
Armstrong strung together an impressive fightback from a Saturday puncture to propel himself up to fifth place overall ahead of fellow Irishman Callum Devine who was left to rue selecting a medium compound tire for the wet penultimate stage.
Armstrong was poised to collect maximum British championship points for its Sunday-only round, boosting M-Sport’s teams’ championship hopes in that particular series, but checked into the final podium time control late to ensure his team-mate, William Creighton, of full BRC points as Creighton is chasing the championship.
A stage win on Sunday afternoon had looked to have secured Matt Edwards the title of highest placed local in seventh, but he finished it feeling incredibly frustrated as his Fiesta Rally2 cut out three times on the powerstage.
That allowed Osian Pryce to overtake him into seventh, but understeer struggles prevented him from challenging for more on an event he’s won twice before.
Junior ERC was won by Max McRae whose strong pace on the second half of the event was good enough to depose erstwhile leader Mille Johansson. But second was more than enough for Johansson to win this year’s title and earn the Junior WRC prize drive that comes with it.
“It’s such a relief – perfect season,” Johansson said. “The team has done a very good job and I want to thank all the people behind me. I’m lost for words.”
