2020 European Rally Championship (ERC)

TG4 to show European Rally Championship (ERC)

Posted: October 9, 2020 2:31 PM

Eurosport Events, promoter of the FIA European Rally Championship, has released details of its initial international broadcaster line-up for the 2020 season.

Fourteen broadcasters from five continents have so far signed up to show the dramatic action from the ERC. They include networks in Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and South America.

These broadcasters will show the ERC Rally Review programme, which features the main highlights from each round of the ERC, plus an overview of the various category winners.

The spectacular coverage is in addition to the extensive programming on Eurosport in more than 70 countries across Asia and Europe. This includes the daily highlights programmes on each day of an ERC event and the ERC All Access magazine show, broadcast on the Tuesday night after every round.

RTBF’s Auvio digital platform in Belgium is the latest outlet to join the ERC’s list of global broadcasters. It is following the progress of European championship regulars Grégoire Munster and Amaury Molle as the country’s Spa Rally gets ready to host the ERC for the first time from December 11-13.

The current list of broadcasters showing action from the ERC is as follows:

Africa:
beIN Sports (MENA region)

Asia:
Eurosport (Pan-Asia)
Europe:

Bandw.tv (Italy)
Czech TV (Czech Republic)
Eurosport (Pan-Europe)
MotorTrend (United Kingdom)
Motowizja (Poland)
MTVA (Hungary)
ORF (Austria)
RTBF Auvio (Belgium)
Star TV (Greece)
TG4 (Ireland)
TV6 (Latvia)
Oceania:

Eurosport (Pan-Oceania)
Sky (New Zealand)

South America:
Fox Sports (Latam)

Opportunities remain for other broadcasters to show ERC coverage in 2020 with a number renewing their interest following the action-packed start to the ERC season and the high-quality programming available.

Live streaming from all ERC events continues in 2020

All rounds of the FIA European Rally Championship feature live streaming of selected special stages with footage from the ERC’s camera in the sky and at stage stop lines. The coverage is available on the ERC’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. From this season the pre-event press conference is also streamed as it happens.

New digital content provides additional coverage for fans

ERC promoter Eurosport Events has launched two new online programmes to give fans not able to attend events the chance to hear from their heroes and put questions and comments their way. Following a run of episodes shown during lockdown, ERC The Stage is broadcast after each round of the championship with appearances from the main protagonists plus a driver new to the series.

Meanwhile, ERC Eye of the Expert calls on an ERC driver past or present to recount a key moment in recent European championship history.

Remaining rounds
Rally Hungary (Tarmac): November 6-8
Rally Islas Canarias (Tarmac): November 26-28
Spa Rally (Belgium, Tarmac): December 11-13

Flying Finn Emil Lindholm joins Breen as Team MRF Tyres expands ERC development programme

Posted: March 5, 2020 6:33 AM

Promising Finn Emil Lindholm will become the latest young driver to prove their talent in the FIA European Rally Championship after Team MRF Tyres announced an expansion to its ERC-based development programme.

The Indian tyre company has chosen the ERC for its return to international competition in 2020, with the combination of asphalt and gravel events ideal for MRF Tyres’ ongoing data gathering and product testing.

Lindholm, 23, has been recruited to join Irishman Craig Breen under the Team MRF Tyres umbrella. While Breen will compete in a Hyundai i20 R5, Lindholm will drive a ŠKODA Fabia R5 Evo. His fellow Finn, Mikael Korhonen, will co-drive.

With its products being tested on two different types of car, MRF Tyres’ learning mission in the ERC will be accelerated.

Lindholm ready to get to work with Breen a “yardstick”
“MRF Tyres is really serious and already has a great product for winter rallies,” said Lindholm, who finished second in class on Rally Sweden last month. “I’m in no doubt they’ll deliver in the ERC and keep on pushing with the development. Personally, I hope I can support MRF Tyres with knowledge [and] serve them in the development of their complete tyre range. Craig will be there and he will be quite a yardstick for us.”

Why it’s not just about tyre development
“Sure, the development part is important, but as we’ve seen from Craig on the [recent Finnish championship] SM Itäralli, he was fast on a tyre that had never seen snow before,” said Lindholm. “That means the product will be good and that’s why I’m expecting some good stages times from myself. That’s what I should strive for in my career and I think MRF Tyres hope for some good times too.”

ERC chance a career boost for Lindholm
“Progression is the main thing for us, but the level in the ERC is high, the rallies are completely new for me so there will be lots and lots of learning. I still want to do the world championship and this is a good step forward. It means a lot that MRF Tyres chose me for these rallies. I think Rally Finland last year was one of the deciding factors. Okay, we had some issues, but the speed was there and I think they thought that this is a young guy who has potential and they thought to give me a chance. I am happy about that.”

Like father, like son
Emil Lindholm will be an Azores Rallye rookie when the event takes place from 26-28 March. However, his father Sebastian, once a factory driver in the world championship, has started the spectacular gravel event three times, in 1995, 1996 and 2002, albeit without registering a finish. “So far, I’ve looked at a few onboards from previous years and that can help give you an idea of the stage profile and the conditions,” said the younger Lindholm. “Okay, my father has been to the Azores back in the day so I will have a chat with him as well. Other than that, I don’t think there’s much else I can do to prepare.”

Extensive tyre development programme continues in the ERC
MRF Tyres’ ERC campaign follows a year of testing and development with Craig Breen and Emil Lindholm selected to continue that process, albeit in highly competitive conditions.

MRF Tyres Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Arun Mammen, said: “We are excited to enter the European Rally Championship in 2020 after winning nine titles in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. We have a frontrunner with Craig Breen, and we are excited to support the career of another fast and young driver in Emil Lindholm. It will be a great relationship as he will help develop and prove the pace of MRF Tyres and we look forward to helping him achieve his potential in the European Rally Championship.”

Craig Breen/Paul Nagle in MRF Tyres Hyundai i20 R5 for 2020 ERC

Posted: February 4, 2020 1:43 PM

#TeamMRFTYRES Is back in International Rallying with a full season charge at the @FIAERC with @Craig_Breen and @paulnagle1 in a Hyundai i20R5 prepared by BRC Racing Team

— MRF Racing (@MRF_Racing) February 4, 2020

European Adventure Awaits Devine

Posted: January 9, 2020 9:59 AM

Newly crowned Irish International Driver of the Year Callum Devine was pleased to announce details of his 2020 season today (January 9th) at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham. Callum and co-driver Brian Hoy will compete in all rounds of the European Rally Championship in a Hyundai i20 R5, with the pair focusing primarily on the first six rounds of the series which count towards the ERC1 Junior title, while also taking in the last two rounds in the hope of overall ERC points.

Devine enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2019, setting scorching times in the hugely competitive Irish Tarmac Rally Championship while also claiming the FIA Celtic Trophy. His season was capped off with a podium finish in Rally Hungary, the final round of the 2019 ERC and it’s that performance that has encouraged the Derry driver to undertake a full ERC campaign in 2020. Speaking at today’s launch at the Motorsport Ireland stand and the NEC

Devine said; “Hungary opened our eyes last year, it was a strange kind of event but to set competitive times at that level in a new car, in horrendous conditions made us realise we can mix it at this level. I’m under no illusions about how tough this year will be, but everything is coming together at the right time to give this a go. The realistic aim will be to push on the tarmac events and keep learning on the gravel events and above all, get finishes. Points win prizes and if last year’s ERC showed us anything, it showed us that. I’m hugely thankful to everyone who’s working so hard to make this happen for us and I’m really looking forward to the season ahead. It will also be nice to continue developing alongside Hyundai, I know Hyundai Customer Racing is putting a big effort into their R5 car and its programs which is great, hopefully, we can take advantage of that too.”

This year’s ERC will consist of eight events from March to November made up of four rallies on gravel and four on tarmac with the ERC1 Junior title bringing with it a substantial prize pot.

Devine announces full-season ERC bid with support from Irish ASN

Posted: January 9, 2020 9:58 AM

Callum Devine has announced a major FIA European Rally Championship campaign in 2020 with support from his national ASN, Motorsport Ireland.

The Irish International Driver of the Year for 2019 will build on his stage and podium-winning performance on last November’s ERC-counting Rally Hungary by contesting all eight rounds of the 2020 season with a focus on the ERC1 Junior title, which will be decided over the first six events.

Powered by a Hyundai i20 R5, Devine 25, and co-driver Brian Hoy, 26, will receive additional support from FYTH, Curran Gate, The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and Hyundai Customer Racing.

“We can mix it at this level”
“Hungary opened our eyes last year, it was a strange kind of event but to set competitive times at that level in a new car, in horrendous conditions made us realise we can mix it at this level,” said Devine, who placed third on the sealed-surface event. “I’m under no illusions about how tough this year will be, but everything is coming together at the right time to give this a go.”

Learning by finishing key for 2020
“The realistic aim will be to push on the Tarmac events and keep learning on the gravel events and above all, get finishes,” Devine continued. “Points win prizes and if last year’s ERC showed us anything, it showed us that. I’m hugely thankful to everyone who’s working so hard to make this happen for us and I’m really looking forward to the season ahead. It will also be nice to continue developing alongside Hyundai, I know Hyundai Customer Racing is putting a big effort into their R5 car and its programmes which is great, hopefully, we can take advantage of that too.”

Did you know?
Devine won the FIA Celtic Trophy in 2019 when he was also a frontrunner in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, scoring one event win and two podium finishes. He has previous experience at world championship level and made three ERC starts in two-wheel-drive machinery. prior to his Rally Hungary outing. When he’s not competing, Devine works in the construction industry.

Eight is great again for ERC in 2020

Posted: January 9, 2020 9:54 AM

The FIA European Rally Championship will continue to follow its successful format in 2020 with confirmation of an eight-event schedule including four rounds on asphalt and four on gravel.

Made up of the same eight rallies that formed the 2019 calendar, the list of dates for next season has been approved by the FIA Rally Commission and was ratified by the FIA World Motor Sport Council during an electronic vote.

Atlantic adventure up first for ERC aces
Two Atlantic Ocean island rallies will open the 2020 ERC schedule starting with the gravel-based Azores Rallye in late March followed by the asphalt-only Rally Islas Canarias in May.

High-speed Baltic blast on gravel
It’s all-gravel and all-speed for the third and fourth rounds of the new season. Following Rally Liep?ja** in western Latvia, the Masuria lake district hosts the 77th Rally Poland with both flat-out events again running in late May and late June respectively.

Tarmac titans to shine through in Italy
Italy’s capital will play a key role in the ERC for the fourth time with the Tarmac-based Rally di Roma Capitale occupying its now familiar July date.

Big celebrations as Barum Czech Rally Zlín turns 50
Barum Czech Rally Zlín will return to its traditional late August slot for the 50th running of this asphalt classic, one of many highlights of the 2020 ERC season.

The heat is on in Cyprus
ERC drivers get to battle demanding gravel stages and the searing Mediterranean heat when the Cyprus Rally forms the penultimate event of the title chase.

Hungary for asphalt
Rally Hungary, which joins the ERC roster for the first time next month (8-10 November), will continue as the season-closing round in 2020 using Tarmac stages in the north-eastern city of Nyíregyháza.

ERC1 Junior and ERC3 Junior decided over six events
The FIA ERC1 Junior Championship and FIA ERC3 Junior Championship will once again be decided over the first six rounds.

Q&A: Jean-Baptiste Ley, ERC Co-ordinator

Q: The ERC will again be decided over eight rounds in 2020. But why not add more events, especially when Corsica and Catalunya have dropped out of the world championship schedule?
A: “We consult our drivers and teams every season and the underlying wish is to respect budgetary and time concerns. Eight remains the preferred number of rallies and we are very happy with the events we work with. There was no reason to change a winning formula.”

Q: What does the calendar offer drivers, particularly those who are stepping up from national to international level?
A: “First and foremost we offer eight well organised events all with their own unique appeal and challenge. There is an equal split of asphalt and gravel rallies, which is perfect for building experience of different surfaces. By scheduling the events from March to November, costs can be spread throughout the year.”

Q: Will teams benefit from travel support to attend the island rallies next season?
A: “Arrangements are being made with the organisers of the Azores Rallye, Rally Islas Canarias and the Cyprus Rally to provide logistical support once again. More details will be announced in due course.”

Q: There will again be a focus on young talent through the two ERC Junior championships. What’s the plan for 2020?
A: “ERC1 Junior will continue to cater for young stars in R5 cars with ERC3 Junior for rising talents in R2 machinery on Pirelli tyres. Soon we’ll announce details of the prize packages on offer in 2020.”

Q: Not wishing to single out one event but Barum Czech Rally Zlín turns 50 in 2020. What do you think of this achievement?
A: “The ERC has enjoyed a long and very successful relationship with the organisers of Barum Czech Rally Zlín. The month of August is always eagerly anticipated and every year we look forward to and enjoy a great welcome and plenty of on-stage action. In addition to being well managed, the event is extremely popular among our registered drivers and teams, who take part in great number each season. We extend our congratulations to the Barum Czech Rally Zlín organising team for reaching this impressive milestone.”

Championship Rounds

Posted: January 9, 2020 9:45 AM

ERC

1. Azores Airlines Rallye (J) - 26-28 Mar 20
2. Rally Islas Canarias (J) - 7-9 May 20
3. Rally Liepaja (Latvia) (J) - 29-31 May 20 **
4. Rally Poland (J) - 26-28 June 20
5. Rally di Roma Capitale (Italy) (J) - 24-26 July 20
6. Barum Czech Rally Zlín (J) - 28-30 August 20
7. Cyprus Rally - 9-11 Oct 20
8. Rally Hungary - 6-8 Nov 20

**Subject to the signing of the event promoter agreement

European Rally Championship (ERC) - fiaerc.com