Just like that, the second round of the European Rally Championship season is upon us, and although still in Portugal, this time the drivers will be tackling Rally Azores.
There are a lot of changes to the entry list this weekend, most notably at the head of the ERC class, but with 46 crews ready to tackle the stages, we can still expect there to be plenty of action.
Here’s all the key information you need this week.
Entry breakdown:
Total 46 crews
30 ERC crews
3 ERC3 crews
13 ERC4 crews
ERC
The biggest headline for this weekend is that the championship leader, Nil Solans, will not be competing. Budget issues have ruled him out for the season’s second round, and Armindo Araújo will be looking to capitalize on the situation.
Efrén Llarena will be hoping to bounce back after a difficult 10th place finish last time out, but he has done well on Azores in the past, finishing third last year behind Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo.
Last year’s Austrian Rally champion Simon Wagner returns to the ERC for the first time since 2019, driving a Skoda Fabia Rally2, while Ricardo Moura will make his first ERC start of the season.
ERC3
Just like ERC, ERC3’s championship leader also won’t be present, with Kaspar Kasari missing Azores, meaning Igor Widlak is the only driver returning for the second rally of the season.
Junior WRC driver Jon Armstrong will make his first appearance of the season, and he will be looking to build upon his WRC3 Junior win on Rally Sweden earlier this year.
ERC4
Rally Azores won’t count towards the ERC4 Junior championship, but despite that, 13 cars have entered the event with Andrea Mabellini footing the bill.
Mabellini had a solid result on Rally Serras de Fafe, finishing second in class, and he will be seeing if he can go one better this weekend.
Itinerary
Saturday March 26
SS1 Coroa Da Mata 1 (7.08 miles) 0818
SS2 Graminhais 1 (14.93 miles) 0906
SS3 Tronqueira 1 (13.66 miles) 1003
SS4 Coroa Da Mata 2 (7.08 miles) 13.41
SS5 Graminhais 2 (14.93 miles) 1429
SS6 Tronqueira 2 (13.66 miles) 1526
SS7 Grupo Marques 1 (2.54 miles) 1706
Sunday March 27
SS8 Ribeira Grande 1 (5.94 miles) 0908
SS9 Feteiras 1 (4.63 miles) 1001
SS10 Sete Cidades 1 (14.91 miles) 1028
SS11 Grup Marques 2 (2.54 miles) 1123
SS12 Feteiras 2 (4.63 miles) 1336
SS13 Sete Cidades 2 (14.91 miles) 1403
SS14 Ribeira Grande 2 (5.94 miles) 1608 [powerstage]
Total competitive distance: 362.52 miles
