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Tag: MRF Tyres
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Lani Zena Fernandez win girls’ race; Rajiv Sethu disqualified
Chennai, 30 Sept. 2023: Bengaluru teenager Chiranth Vishwanath (Petronas TVS Racing) and Chennai veteran Prabhu Arunagiri (Pacer Yamaha) shared honours by winning a race apiece in the premier Pro-Stock 165cc Open category in the fourth round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.
Rajiv Sethu (RACR Castrol Power1) continued his unbeaten run in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open class and crossed the chequered flag first but was later disqualified from both his races in the 165cc class. Chiranth was promoted as winner in the Pro-stock 165cc Open Race 1 as Rajiv Sethu was disqualified due to technical infringement. In Race 2, Prabh Arunagiri made it double as Rajiv Sethu was once again disqualified in the post-race scrutiny of the 165cc Race 2.
Another Bengalurean, 22-year-old six-footer Manvith Reddy (RACR Castrol Power1), bided his time to win the Novice (Stock 165cc) race after a couple of front-runners, including pole-sitter Vignesh Goud, retired, while his team-mate Puducherry’s Lani Zena Fernandez made the best of pole position start to score a comfortable victory, her second win of the season, in the Girls (Stock 165cc) class of the National championship.
Chiranth, only 16, was impressive in winning Race-1 of the Pro-Stock 165cc Open category. He showed a big heart for a close fight to overcome championship leader Rajiv Sethu, who despite starting P12 after a disastrous qualifying session, led briefly. However, a loose footrest and then a broken gear lever saw Sethu pull out of his battle with Chiranth and was content to finish second. Earlier, pole-sitter Sarthak Chavan, the 16-year-old from Pune, retired after a high-side crash at Turn-1 in the very first lap, but walked away unhurt, clearing the way for Chiranth to hit the front.
In Race-2 of the same category in the evening, Prabhu Arunagiri fully capitalised on a set of new tyres to a run-away win, while behind him his Pacer Yamaha team-mate Mathana Kumar did well to hold up the traffic that included Sarthak Chavan, who eventually finished second ahead of KY Ahamed. Mathana, who had scored a double in the first round in June, came fourth.
Sarthak suffered yet another crash after coming together with his Petronas TVS Racing team-mate KY Ahamed in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open race, a little later. With the two out of contention, Sethu stormed into the lead and fought off Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty (KTM Gusto Racing) for his sixth consecutive win of the season.
Chiranth Vishwanath ended the day on a winning note by topping the Open (RR310) category of the Petronas TVS One-Make Championship.
Thailand’s Vorapong Malahuan clocked a blistering lap of one minute, 49.198secs for pole position in the inaugural TVS E-Invitation Race category, ahead of two Petronas TVS Racing factory riders KY Ahamed (01:50.666) and Jagan Kumar (01:50.681).
Provisional results (all 6 laps unless mentioned): (before scrutiny)
National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open: 1. Rajiv Sethu (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11mins, 21.000secs); 2. Rahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad, KTM Gusto Racing) (11:22.194); 3. Alwin Sundar (Chennai, KTM Gusto Racing) (11:27.023).
Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-1): 1. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, Petronas TVS Racing) (09:56.159); 2. Ahamed KY (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (10:03.002); 3. Race-2: 1. Prabhu Arunagiri (Chennai, Pacer Yamaha) (11:48.680); 2. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, Petronas TVS Racing) (11:52.473); 3. Ahamed KY (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (11:52.859).
Novice (Stock 165cc): 1. Manvith Reddy K (Bengaluru, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (13:16.375); 2. Abdul Basim (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (13:16.375); 3. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Pacer Yamaha 1) (13:16.869).
Girls (Stock 165cc, 5 laps): 1. Lani Zena Fernandes (Puducherry, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11:10.327); 2. Jagathishree (Chennai, One Racing) (11:12.974); 3. Ryhana Bee (Chennai, Axor Sparks Racing) (11:17.529). Qualifying (top 3, best lap): 1. Lani Zena Fernandez (02:12.592); 2. Ann Jennifer (Chennai, Alpha Racing) (02:13.274); 3. Ryhana Bee (02:16.213).
Support Race (301-400cc, Novice): 1. Rohit Lad (Bengaluru, Pvt) (12:50.702); 2. Aldrin Babu (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1) (12:53.293); 3. Vivek M (Bengaluru, Eminence Racing) (12:53.336).
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R) – Qualifying (top 3, best lap): 1. Kavin Quintal (Chennai) (01:51.512); 2. Shyam Sundar (Chennai) (01:54.039); 3. AS James (Bengaluru) (01:55.017).
Petronas TVS One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR 310): 1. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) (11:34.135); 2. Senthil Kumar C (Coimbatore) (11:38.154); 3. G Balaji (Chennai) (11:42.214).
Girls (Apache RTR 200, 5 laps): 1. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune) (11:19.600); 2. Nadine Faith Balaji (Chennai) (11:20.014); 3. Aisvariya V (Coimbatore) (11:34.185).
TVS E-Invitation Race – Qualifying / Practice (top 3, best lap): 1. Vorapong Malahuan (Thailand) (01:49.198); 2. KY Ahamed (Chennai) (01:50.666); 3. Jagan Kumar (Chennai) (01:50.681).
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Team MRF Tyres crowned European champions again
Chennai, August 19, 2023 Team MRF Tyres are the new 2023 FIA European Rally Champions. Team MRF Tyres scored a historic double as they secured this year’s title with two rounds to spare of the eight round 2023 FIA ERC Championship.
Team MRF Tyres is the winner of the FIA European Rally Championship for Teams for a second year after it reached the penultimate event of the season with an unassailable advantage*.
Team scores enough points before the start of Barum Czech Rally, to get their 2nd Team Championship title.
Points scored by Simone Campedelli, Efrén Llarena and Mārtiṇš Sesks during the first six events of the 2023 ERC season were enough for Team MRF Tyres to celebrate another momentous achievement on the international motorsport stage.
Vivek Ponnusamy, Team Representative who heads up MRF Tyres ERC participation, said: “History is not made, it is repeated and I’m incredibly happy and proud for the entire team right from the MRF Tyres management, the engineers, the tyre technicians, drivers and co-drivers, it’s a great achievement.
“Coming to Europe as an underdog and performing at this level of competition and to win the FIA European Rally Championship for Teams back-to-back is phenomenal and I’m over the moon. Even if this weekend’s rally has not started, we are already drenched in champagne so it’s a very good feeling.”
Team MRF successfully defended its 2022 team’s crown in what has been a hard-fought season with MRF Tyres taking on, and winning, against the established Global MNC rally tyre manufacturers. Having dominated in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championships for 9 wins, MRF Tyres set its sights on rallying in the top levels of European competition and joined the FIA ERC in 2020. With an intensive product development strategy, MRF Tyres soon started winning stages, rallies, and championships. This second championship win in the ERC is proof of the quality, performance and resilience of MRF Tyres.
Team MRF Tyres entered the 2023 FIA ERC season with high hopes after a championship winning performance in 2022 and it was immediately clear that any result would have to be earned, as the field was one toughest in years.
The season started well with a podium for Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernandez in the Rally Islas Canarias. After the podium success in Spain, the season moved to the fast gravel stages of Rally Liepaja and Rally Poland and Martins Sesks with Renars Francis would dominate these two fast rallies. Both rallies demanded absolute precision and confidence from the driver and the tyre, with the MRF product performing faultlessly throughout the events.
The back-to-back wins put Team MRF Tyres in the prime position for the Team’s Championship, which was further solidified with another podium in the first Royal Rally of Scandinavia. With solid points, including vital Powerstage points for Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton at the Rally di Roma Capitale, the goal of a second Team’s Championship was achieved. To underline MRF Tyres’ success, the second team, the MRF Tyres Dealer Team sits third in the standings, having taken podiums with Mads Ostberg and Patrik Barth, along with stage wins for Andrea Mabellini and Virigina Lenzi.
With two wins and two podiums in six rallies for Team MRF Tyres, it has undoubtedly been a year of sheer dominance.
The team, however, will not back off in its pursuit of success in top line rallying in Europe. There are two rounds of the FIA ERC remaining, and the commitment to competition has never been stronger. The 2023 Team’s Championship sits alongside 2022 FIA ERC driver’s and team’s championship, along with championships from the Italian gravel and tarmac championship from 2021 and 2022 and the 2021 Finnish Rally Championship.
Quotes
Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, MRF Ltd.
“I am extremely proud of the success achieved by MRF Tyres in the 2023 FIA European Rally Championship. As India’s leading tyre manufacturer we looked to take India to the world stage and compete in the toughest rally competitions in the world. We knew it would take dedication and determination to succeed and to do it once was a challenge, to back up that success in 2023 proves the talent and skill of the entire team at MRF Tyres. I would like to extend my congratulations to the team and I look forward to our future challenges.”
Martins Sesks, driver, Team MRF Tyres
“We came into this year knowing that it would be a challenge. In the FIA European Rally Championship, you have to earn every result, as the quality of the teams and the drivers is very high. I have been proud to represent MRF Tyres in the Championship and being able to stand on the top step of the podium after winning at home in Latvia and in Poland, has made me extremely proud. I would like to thank and I would also congratulate everyone at MRF Tyres for this Championship success.”
Efrén Llarena, driver, Team MRF Tyres
“I am proud to have been a part of Team MRF Tyres for the last couple of seasons and to be a part of their championship title success. As a team, we have put in so much hard work and we are always trying to improve, trying new ideas and looking for the extra tenths of seconds. You just have to look at the dedication of everyone at MRF Tyres, and you understand that this Championship didn’t come by chance, but by hard work. I would like to thank and congratulate the entire MRF Tyres team.”
Simone Campedelli, driver, Team MRF Tyres
“It has been a tough and rewarding season with MRF Tyres and it has been great to be a part of the Championship success. The testing and effort that has gone into the success from the entire team is clear. The success we have achieved across Europe makes it clear that MRF Tyres will play an important role in the future of European rallying. Congratulations to everyone in the team.”
*Subject to confirmation of the results by FIA
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Team MRF Tyres takes a dominant win on Rally Liepaja
Liepaja (Latvia), 19 June 2023: Team MRF Tyres has dominated the The Rally Liepaja, the fourth round of the 2023 FIA European Rally Championship with a double podium for MRF Tyres here on Sunday.
Team MRF Tyres drivers Martins Sesks and Renars Francis won the rally by over 41 seconds, taking seven stage wins from the nine stages completed.
They took maximum points, winning an incredibly tight Powerstage by 0.005 seconds to end the weekend on a high.
The Lativan duo, in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, had the rally in control from the outset. They also set the fastest time in qualifying and then made it look easy on the stages.
However, the Latvian roads demanded total confidence and precision from the team, car and from MRF Tyres, and they delivered with aplomb.
With top speeds on the stages topping 120kmph on the loose gravel roads MRF Tyres and Sesks were in absolute control.
The success for MRF Tyres continued with Mads Ostberg and Patrik Barth as they finished third for the MRF Tyres Dealer Team in their Citroen C3 Rally2.
The Norwegian team set competitive times throughout the rally to take their second podium of the season.Team MRF Tyres saw an additional two cars inside the top 10 with Spanish duo of Efren Llarena and Sara Fernandez coming home in ninth ahead of Italians Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton.
With two wins in a row, Sesks and Renars close in on the title lead and sit in second in the Driver’s standings.
Furthermore, Team MRF Tyres has extended its lead at the top of the Team’s Championship.
The next round of the FIA European Rally Championship is the Rally Sweden, taking the crews to a new gravel round in the Scandanvian summer.
Martin Sesks, Winner, said: “What in incredible rally! I must thank my team and MRF Tyres for giving me such a fantastic car. The tyres were amazing throughout the weekend and really allowed me to push. To win at home once again was amazing. There were so many fans lining the stages! I am looking forward to the next round in Sweden.”
Co-driver Efren Llarena said: “We are finding the speed we need this year. The MRF Tyres have been brilliant and we are looking forward to getting back out and really proving our pace. I would like to congratulate Martins, Renars on their victory and also to Mads and Patrik for their podium on MRF Tyres!”
Simone Campedelli of Team MRF Tyres said: “This is a challenging rally! The roads are so fast and challenging and you earn every point in this Championship. I am really happy to have a clean rally and the MRF Tyres car has been great. Let’s look forward to Sweden and congratulations to Team MRF Tyres and Martins, Renars for their win!”
Overall results for MRF Tyres drivers1. Sesks/Francis (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)
3. Ostberg/Barth (Citroen C3 Rally 2) +1:04.0
9. Llarena/Fernandez (Skoda Fabia2 Rally evo) +2:18.3
10. Capedelli/Canton (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo) +2:27.4
13. Mabellini/Lenzi (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo) 3:01.0
16. Radstrom/Johansson (Ford Fiesta Rally2) +4:00.7 -
Solid podium for MRF Tyres at Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria, 6 May 2023: Efren Llarena and co-driver Sara Fernandez won a solid podium for MRF Tyres in the 47th edition of the Rally Islas Canarias which concluded here on Satureday.
It helped the Indian tyre giant’s rally team to continue on their improvement curve on the tarmac surface.
Yoann Bonato is a two-time winner in the FIA European Rally Championship after a sublime drive to victory on Rally Islas Canarias today.
With fellow Frenchman Benjamin Boulloud co-driving, Bonato started leg two 11.0s in front of European championship leader Hayden Paddon. He eventually triumphed by 36.9s following a day dominated by the changeable weather conditions – and some seriously close competition throughout the field.
Paddon takes crucial second
Paddon extended his title advantage in second place with defending European champion Efrén Llarena coming home third. Jon Armstrong claimed FIA ERC3 honours, Bendegúz Hangodi inherited the FIA ERC4 victory after long-term leader Roberto Daprà retired, while Michelin was the Winning Tyre.
Efren Llarena & Sara Fernandez excel for MRF Tyres
Between the team MRF Tyres crews, Efren Llarena together with Sara Fernandez finished in 3rd position: working on car setup throughout the day paid off as the two closed the event with a solid podium.
In the top ten also Martins Sesks and Renars Francis who reached the finish in 8th position: the Latvian driver managed to gain some positions by finding a better feeling with car setup stage after stage, together with a better physical shape after some health issues in the previous days.
Sadly, Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton had to retire during the last road section due to a technical issue: Simone was gaining some positions with a consistent run during the whole day.
Fastest Crew
What a day for Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi! they have been the fastest crew among the Dealer Team drivers, claiming their maiden ERC stage win in SS11. An unfortunate weather change in the morning meant he lost almost all the time gained yesterday but the young Italians managed to climb up as much as possible in the remaining stages with an aggressive driving style and they completed their crescendo with the second stage win on the power stage and a final 12th place. They are followed by Mads Ostberg paired with Patrik Barth in 18th position: the Norwegian kept working on the car’s setup and times on the boards showed that the direction taken was the right one.
Italian duo, Andrea Nucita – Rudy Pollet positioned their car in 6th position in the final classification: satisfaction for his improved driving style setting the target to keep his pace as much higher as possible. For Bogdan Cuzma – Ilka Minor a solid event: positively impressed with the Medium compound behavior within the wet and damp and some good mileage for the next tarmac events to tackle. Unfortunately, Javier Pardo and Adrian Perez, has been forced to retire due to a double puncture in SS9.
About the Rally Islas Canarias
With the stages climbing and descending at a frequent rate, drivers pay close attention to corner speed and lines to ensure optimal momentum is maintained, while precise car set-up and pacenote accuracy are vital. One of the notable features of the sealed stages is the abrasive surface, constructed partly from volcanic lava. It means grip levels are high and remain constant if it rains, although tyre wear can increase in dry conditions. However, with the opportunity to take ‘cuts’ through corners limited, the roads remain relatively debris-free. The rally’s 47´th edition marks a return to a more traditional May date.
Final provisional classification:
3. Llarena Efrén – Fernández Sara +53.4
6. Nucita Andrea – Pollet Rudy +1:15.0
8. Sesks Mārtiņš – Francis Renārs +1:33.8
12. Mabellini Andrea – Lenzi Virginia +1:47.5
16. Østberg Mads – Barth Patrik +2:36.9
21. Cuzma Bogdan – Minor Ilka +11:04.6DNF.Pardo Siota J. – Pérez Fernández A.
DNF. Campedelli Simone – Canton Tania -
Tidemand back with MRF Tyres in a bid to defend ERC title
Pontus Tidemand will return to the red and white colours of MRF Tyres as he embarks upon an FIA European Rally Championship assault in 2023.
Bengaluru, 24 Feb 2023: Tidemand’s collaboration with the Indian brand, MRF Tyres, has a successful history, dating back to 2015 when the Swede campaigned a Škoda Fabia S2000 in the Asia Pacific Rally Cup. He dominated the championship, winning five of the six rounds to claim the title.
Since then, Tidemand has continued to make a name for himself, claiming the 2017 WRC2 crown before going on to steer a Fiesta World Rally Car for M-Sport Ford on several WRC events in 2019. He has been less active during recent seasons, with his efforts focused on national rallies in his home country, reported FIAERC on Thursday in its news bulletin.
But now, the 32-year-old is hoping to recapture that success as he prepares for his first assault on the ERC with the MRF Dealer Team, piloting a GN Motorsport prepared Ford Fiesta Rally2. In the co-driver’s seat will be Julia Thulin, who guided Robert Virves to last year’s FIA Junior WRC title.
“It’s exciting to be back with MRF Tyres,” Tidemand told FIAERC.com. “We have some really great memories together from 2015 and I can’t wait to get going.
“The dream is still there. When you have been out [from this level of competition] for a little bit, it gives you a chance to re-evaluate everything you’ve been doing and look at what is right and what is not right. I’m really looking forward to coming back to the bigger events again.”
Fierce competition is expected at the season-opening Rally Serras de Fafe next month (10 – 12 March), with the likes of Erik Cais, Craig Breen and Georg Linnamäe all confirmed – plus Tidemand’s rally-winning colleagues Efrén Llarena and Mārtiņš Sesks.
“I’ve been reading all about it,” Tidemand laughed, referencing the ultra-competitive field he’s about to face. “We are going straight into the heat! I mean, the competition is going to be as good as WRC2, or maybe even better than WRC2.
“For Fafe, we will go there and try to do a good result. It’s the first rally of the season, so I think it’s important that we have a nice clean rally and secure some good points. That’s the main target, I think.”
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ERC awards for Team MRF Tyres at FIA gala 2022
Bologna (Italy) 11 Dec 2022: Team MRF Tyres received the European Rally Championship 2022 Awards here at the prestigious FIA Gala where all the Champions and Championship winning Teams have been awarded their Titles. The presentation was held in Bologna and marked the culmination of a successful and victorious season for Team MRF Tyres strengthening their place as one of the best in the sport.
Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director – MRF Ltd., received the Winning Team award, while Efren Llarena received the Winning Driver Title and Sara Fernandez received the Winning Co-Driver Titles for the European Rally Championship. Javier Pardo of Team MRF Tyres was the Runner-up in the European Rally Championships 2022.
Speaking after collecting the award, Arun Mammen said, “It is indeed a proud and landmark moment in our journey as a Tyre company to be able to achieve this success in such a short period of time. We entered the ERC in 2020 and have been able to bring our technical and development skills to be able to fight against the top Tyre brands and win this Championship. This win means a lot to the team of MRF men and women back in the factories and India and is a stupendous achievement and is a realization of their hard work. We hope that this is the first of many to come.”
Photo caption: Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director MRF Limited poses with the Team award along with, with Efren Llaren, right, and Sara Fernandez, who won the awards for ERC Driver championship and Co-Driver’s championship for the year 2022 at FIA gala Awards Giving on Saturday.
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MRF Tyres are the 2022 European Rally Champions
Chennai, 24 August 2022: Team MRF Tyres with Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández are the new 2022 FIA European Rally Champions. Team MRF Tyres secures the championship with two rounds to spare of the eight round 2022 FIA ERC Championship, demonstrating the high performance and success the team has demonstrated throughout the ERC. The team will take part in the Barum Czech Rally this week-end.
It is the first FIA ERC title for MRF Tyres, having only come to the Championship in 2020, to take on, compete and then beat the world’s best.
This victory comes close on heels of the success that Team MRF Tyres has enjoyed with victories in the Finnish Rally Championship and Italian Rally Championship in 2021. The FIA ERC title is the result of the immense effort the team has put in over the last three years.
The year 2022 has been equally rewarding for Team MRF Tyres with wins in the Azores Rallye, and podiums in Rally Islas Canarias and Liepaja Rally for Llarena and Fernández. A further win for Mārtiņš Sesks and Renars Francis followed in Latvia, winning every stage of the event. Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton took second place at Rally di Roma Capitale.
Mr. Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, MRF Tyres said, ““It is a very happy and momentous occasion to capture this first European Rally Championship for us at MRF Tyres. It is a testament to the work put in by our entire team to come up with Championship winning tyres which have performed at the top most level in European rallying thereby showcasing our superior technical capabilities. I would like to congratulate Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández for achieving this feat, and our other drivers who have supported our Team in achieving this historic effort. It is indeed a very prestigious and proud moment for us to be crowned European Rally Champions 2022.”
The outstanding and consistent performance with the team, allowed them to take the Championship with two rounds remaining. The team of Llarena and Fernández has been a successful one for the team. They have proven equal to the challenge of competing with the world’s best and have been strong and consistent throughout the championship.
Efrén Llarena, FIA European Rally Championship, Driver’s Champion, Team MRF Tyres said, ““I can’t stop smiling! I would like to thank everyone at Team MRF Tyres. The commitment and work from the entire team over the last seasons has made this possible. We have worked hard this year and I am very proud to take the title with MRF Tyres. This is the result over the year of work. For us, and for MRF Tyres to be able to win a Championship at European level is a great achievement. To win it with the two rounds to spare demonstrates what a great product MRF Tyres has given us.
I am now looking forward to the rest of the season and we will continue to push for more great results!”
Sara Fernández, FIA European Rally Championship, Co-Driver’s Champion, Team MRF Tyres said, “I am really happy. This is my second co-driver’s title but this one is better because I can share it with Efrén and the entire team at MRF Tyres. “I would like to thank everyone at MRF Tyres. They gave us the most important opportunity of our life and they gave us an amazing tyre to rally on. We would not be in this position without the hard work and dedication from the team. “From our win in the Azores and our podiums this year, we have a great year, and I am looking forward to more success with MRF Tyres.”
Mr. Iain Campbell, FIA European Rally Championship Manager said, “On behalf of WRC Promoter and the FIA ERC, I’d like to pass on my congratulations to Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández on becoming our 2022 champions. They have performed exceptionally all season. Furthermore, I also want to congratulate Team MRF Tyres on making history with this breakthrough win.”
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Llarena-Fernández of MRF Tyres win Spanish Rally Round 1
Madrid, 6 March 2022: It was a successful start to the year for Team MRF Tyres in the Spanish Rally Championship with Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández winning the Rally Tierras Altas de Lorca.
The opening round of the ‘Supercampeonato de España de Rallyes’ saw a star studded field and many crews competed on MRF Tyres.
The rally took place on gravel over eight stages and 105.84 competitive kilometres and Llarena/Fernández were immediately competitive in their Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo.
The moved into the lead by the halfway point in the rally and then controlled the event with two stage wins to win the event by 23.6 seconds.
The outright win is a valuable boost as MRF Tyres prepares for the opening round of the FIA European Rally Championship next weekend.
Competitors on MRF Tyres also won in other categories.
Delbin García and Diago Cruz Ares won the Beca Júnior R2 RFEdA class in their Peugeot 208 Rally4, taking the class win by over a minute from their nearest competitor.
It was a double success in the N5 category with Oriol Gómez Marco and José Murado González winning the category in their Nissan Micra N5.
Their MRF Tyres counterparts of Marcos Canedo López and Miguel Ángel Vilas Martínez took third in their Peugeot 208 N5.
In total there were 11 entrants running on MRF Tyres in the opening round of Spanish Rally Championship and with the outstanding results, it demonstrates the pace of the tyre and proves the development work achieved over the past two years.
Team MRF Tyres now turns its attention to the first round of the FIA European Rally Championship with the Rally Serras de Fafe – Felgueiras – Cabreira e Botica or the Fafe Rally.
Three drivers will compete for the win on MRF Tyres with Llarena/Fernández looking for another win. Norbert Herczig and Igor Bacigál join the team with Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton returning for another campaign.
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Santa comes to the rally stages with Team #MRFTyres!
A little Christmas cheer for the fans in Italy as the Italian Rally Championship – Gravel champioin Andreucci Paolo and co-driver M Bimbi takes to the stages in this cool special Christmas livery!
Team MRF Racing took to social media with these beautiful images as the team gets ready to rally in Italy,.
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New Hyundai i20 N Rally2 for Team MRF Tyres in Rally Hungary
Close collaboration between Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing and MRF Tyres continues
Nyíregyháza (Hungary), 20 October 2021: Rally Hungary ran as the Nyíregyháza Rally in 2018 when András Hadik took victory on what served as the country’s FIA European Rally Championship candidate event.
Now firmly established as a round of the ERC, the rally doubles as the deciding round of the Hungarian championship with Hadik holding a nine-point advantage over Miklós Csomós in his bid to defend his crown alongside co-driver Krisztián Kertész.
MRF Tyres & Spanish aces, Nil Solans/Marc Marti
MRF Tyres and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing have reaffirmed their close relationship as Team MRF Tyres will rally the new Hyundai i20 N Rally2 car in Rally Hungary next weekend.
The Hyundai i20 N Rally2 has enjoyed success in its initial rallies, taking victories in the World Rally Championship WRC2 category and Team MRF Tyres is looking forward to rallying it in the FIA European Rally Championship.
By taking delivery of the new car, Team MRF Tyres continues its aggressive tyre development strategy that has seen the Indian tyre company take two podiums this year in the FIA ERC with Hyundai.
It represents another firm step in the close relationship between MRF Tyres and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing. It is a relationship that has seen MRF Tyres utilise the top-line driving expertise from Hyundai.
To date, Craig Breen, Dani Sordo and Jari Huttunen have driven in the Team MRF Tyres Hyundai in an effort to develop the next generation of MRF Tyres.
Spanish aces, Nil Solans/Marc Marti will join the team for Rally Hungary.
Solans’ ambitions are clear and Team MRF Tyres represents a great opportunity the up-and-coming driver.
In addition, MRF Tyres has taken the Driver’s Championship Finnish Rally Championship, proving the value of the development campaign in what is MRF Tyres’ second year in top-line European competition.
Rally Hungary is the seventh round of the 2021 FIA European Rally Championship and takes place on the gravel roads in the east of the country near Nyíregyháza.
You can follow Team MRF Tyres throughout the rally on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Five facts:
1:Several Hungarian drivers contest the FIA European Rally Championship each season with Tibor Érdi Jr winning the ERC2 title for a second year running in 2018 and four-time national champion Norbert Herczig going on to established himself as a frontrunner. Dávid Botka has been a stage winner in the past, while Kristóf Klausz scored points in ERC3 Junior.
2: Best known as a rallycross venue, the Rabócsiring circuit south of Nyíregyháza traditionally hosts the opening stage of Rally Hungary with drivers going head-to-head on a short course.
3: As well as hosting a round of the FIA European Rally Championship, Nyíregyháza is famous for its zoo, which is home to 500 species and 5000 animals on a 30-hectare site.
4: ERC promoter Eurosport Events has a long association with Hungary through the FIA World Touring Car Championship and now the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup.
5:When Rally Hungary joined the European championship schedule for the first time in 2019 it became the first sealed-surface event to host the ERC finale since Rallye International du Valais in 2015.
