Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras (Portugal) - 10-12 Mar 23

All-action, all-live and all set: ERC 2023 season is go!

Posted: March 9, 2023 3:28 PM

The FIA European Rally Championship is go for 2023 with an incredible 40 drivers competing in headlining Rally2 machinery on the season-opening Rally Serras de Fafe, Felgueiras, Boticas, Vieira do Minho e Cabeceiras de Basto from 10 - 12 March.

And to further underline the popularity of the ERC – the recognised feeder series to the FIA World Rally Championship – 48 crews have registered to score ERC points on round one of the 70th-anniversary season in northern Portugal, 14 national or regional champions are taking part, while 23 nationalities are represented.

ERC Championship Manager Iain Campbell said: “It’s fantastic to be heading into the ERC’s 70th-anniversary season knowing there is so much interest in the championship based on the size of the entry. But as well as being big on quantity, the entry is also big on quality with an incredible number of top-level drivers plus drivers new to the championship aiming to gain international experience but in a highly competitive environment taking part. It’s also great news that so many nationalities are represented.”

Established in 1953, the ERC remains Europe's premier rally series and the recognised springboard for drivers stepping up from national level with the aim of one day forging a career in the FIA World Rally Championship. With events taking place over two days, the action is constant and the battles for position intense, making the ERC an ideal way to gain knowledge and build experience of international-level competition.

Promoted by WRC Promoter for a second season through a long-term agreement with motorsport’s world governing body, the FIA, every stage on every rally is broadcast live on WRC+ and the new-for-2023 Rally.TV platform.

Drivers in Rally2 cars can partner with one of four leading tyre manufacturers: Hankook, Michelin, MRF Tyres or Pirelli.

There are categories for Rally3 cars (ERC3) and Rally4 and Rally5 cars (ERC4), while young, up-and-coming talents are given their chance to shine in the FIA Junior ERC Championship, supported by Hankook, which begins on ORLEN 79th Rally Poland in May.

Rally Serras de Fafe, Felgueiras, Boticas, Vieira do Minho e Cabeceiras de Basto provides a tough start to the 2023 ERC season, with 16 challenging gravel-based stages, plus a super special stage though the Tarmac and cobblestone streets of host town Fafe. The event route covers 180.29 kilometres and concludes with the Lameirinha Power Stage, complete with the iconic Pedra Sentada jump, from 16:00 local time on Sunday.

O'Briens joins quality ERC Line-up

Posted: February 28, 2023 9:56 AM

eigning Irish Forestry Champion and Billy Coleman Runner Up Patrick O'Brien has announced his entry in the first round of the European Rally Championship at Rally Serras de Fafe. O'Brien will compete in his title winning Skoda Fabia R5, alongside brother Stephen as part of the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy Team.

'The ERC is the perfect learning ground for me. The competition level is very high, this rally is iconic and they share some stages with the WRC event. Working in the same team with Josh, it will be nice to compare myself with him as he has a lot of experience at this level. When the opportunity arose to compete at Rally Serras de Fafe, I jumped at it. OK, I need to gain the experience of these type of events and I am under no allusions that it will be a challenge but it's one I will relish.

At the minute, we are only going to Portugal for the first round but I hope with the help of the Academy, to do some more selected events after that. I know I need to get a finish and gain experience but I still hope to show my speed.

I have to thank the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, my sponsors and my team for their help and support, without them none of this would be possible'

McErlean/Hoy set to contest European Rally Championship opener

Posted: February 28, 2023 9:42 AM

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean has revealed his next competitive outing behind the wheel will be next month when he contests the opening round of the FIA European Rally Championship, at Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras [11-12 March].

McErlean will join a sizeable list of top-flight drivers at the notorious gravel event, as he re-joins the popular series for the first time since 2021. He will be joined by FIA Junior World Rally Champion co-driver Brian Hoy in his PCRS Hyundai i20 N Rally2 for the event.

The 23 years old from Kilrea, Co. Derry started his season in January, contesting the legendary Rallye Monte Carlo as he kicked off his FIA World Rally Championship WRC2 Challenger campaign at the gruelling Monaco-based event. Despite a technical issue, he recovered to set some encouraging stage times on his debut at the `Monte` and gain vital experience for the future.

Now, McErlean will head to the sandy and mountainous gravel stages of Portugal and the Fafe region, joining the ERC series on their first round of the 2023 season.

“I'm really excited to be heading to Fafe and joining the European Rally Championship at the opening round of 2023 with the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy squad" he says.

“Kicking off our season with my debut at Rallye Monte Carlo in WRC2 was a fantastic experience for me but our attentions now turn to gravel. I guess ultimately Portugal offers the opportunity to get more seat time under our belt whilst obtaining further experience on some well-known WRC stages. The ERC is a fantastic championship that attracts some rapid, world-class drivers with a plethora of national home heroes, so putting myself up against that challenge is good for my development.“

McErlean is no stranger to the style of stages found in Portugal, having contested four events in the country in the past, at both ERC and WRC level. But a star-studded entry list will embark on the ERC title trail this season and McErlean is eager to spread his wings.

“Recently I have been concentrating on a WRC programme but as a team, we want to keep progressing and increase the pace; the ERC is the perfect format for this. Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy is putting a lot of resources into the event so we want to have a solid rally, get the kilometres in and ensure progressive performance over the weekend.”

The event will also see a change of co-driver as Rallye Monte Carlo note man John Rowan has a rather important event on the same weekend.

“Brian Hoy will step into the codriver’s seat for this event as John Rowan will be walking up the aisle to get married, so that will be one change we will see in Fafe, but I already have a close relationship with him as he was part of my route note crew at Monte Carlo. He is a great guy and I have full belief in him.”

“I'm looking forward to the challenge and to getting back onto the gravel in the PCRS Hyundai i20 N Rally2. I hope it’s a strong event for us.”

Jon Armstrong/Andrew Browne to compete in MSport Poland Fiesta Rally3

Posted: February 28, 2023 9:39 AM

BREEN, MCERLEAN AND O'BRIEN HEADING TO PORTUGAL FOR FIA EUROPEAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER

Posted: February 28, 2023 9:37 AM

There will be plenty of Motorsport Ireland representation in Portugal next month for the opening round of the FIA European Rally Championship. The official entry list for Rally Serras de Fafe is set to be released on Monday of this week. Already at least three Irish crews are preparing to travel to Portugal for the event and more could on stream by the time the official entry list is published. World Rally Championship driver Craig Breen and his co-driver James Fulton are leading the Irish challenge.

The March 10-12 Rally Serras de Fafe doubles as the opening round of the Portuguese Rally Championship and Breen and Fulton are contesting the full series under the Hyundai Portugal banner in a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 alongside his World Rally Championship programme with the Korean manufacturer. “I am very excited about this project,” said Breen. “It will be very challenging to compete simultaneously in both [the WRC and Portuguese] championships, and I feel very motivated to compete in Portugal with Team Hyundai Portugal.”

Breen has previously won five rounds of the ERC. His last ERC start was the 2021 Rally di Roma Capitale with Team MRF Tyres. The Waterford/ Cavan pairing has not been idle since their second place at WRC Rally Sweden two weeks ago. They contested the County Cavan Motor Club Navigation Trial on Saturday night. Despite their experience on the world stage, they were considered beginners for this entry-level form of motorsport. They finished second in class making it two podiums in as many weeks.

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean is also entered in the gravel event. He will drive a PCRS Rallysport-prepared Hyundai i20 Rally 2 in a high-speed test ahead of the Portuguese round of the World Rally Championship in May.He will be co-driven by Brian Hoy as his regular partner John Rowan is getting married a few days after the rally. Defending Motorsport Ireland Forestry Rally champion Patrick O’Brien and his co-driving brother Stephen will make their FIA European Rally Championship debut in Portugal. The Skoda Fabia RC2 crew are contesting the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship this year but this extra event – on their favoured surface – is part of their development programme with the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy.

Entry List / Irish Interest

Posted: February 28, 2023 9:22 AM

Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras (Portugal) - 11-12 Mar 23 - ENTRY LIST

3 Craig Breen/James Fulton (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)
18 Joshua McErlean/Brian Hoy (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)
21 Patrick O'Brien/Stephen O'Brien (Skoda Fabia R5)
22 Philip Allen/Dale Bowen (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)
40 Jon Armstrong/Andrew Browne (Ford Fiesta Rally3)

Craig Breen / James Fulton to complete on opening round of ERC & Portuguese National Championship

Posted: January 27, 2023 4:42 AM

Hyundai WRC driver Craig Breen will return to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) this year, with the Irishman set to contest the season-opening Rally Serras de Fafe

Breen, who currently drives an i20 N Rally1 car for Hyundai in the World Rally Championship, will pilot an i20 N Rally2 at the opening round, which takes places from 10 - 12 March.

The car will be run under the Hyundai Portugal banner, with the outing forming part of a full Portuguese national championship programme which Breen will undertake in addition to his WRC commitments. Ricardo Teodósio - a three-time ERC stage-winner, will drive a second i20 for the team.

No stranger to ERC action, Breen used the series as a launchpad for his top-flight career. The 32-year-old has won five ERC rallies and finished inside the top three of the championship on three occasions.

His last ERC start came at the 2021 Rally di Roma Capitale with Team MRF Tyres.

“I am very excited about this project,” enthused Breen, who will be co-driven by regular partner James Fulton. “It will be very challenging to compete simultaneously in both [the WRC and Portuguese] championships, and I feel very motivated to compete in Portugal with Team Hyundai Portugal.

“I'm going to begin my WRC season in Sweden, but I can't wait to be in Fafe,” he added.

Rally Guide / Details / Event Website

Posted: January 27, 2023 4:29 AM

Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras (Portugal)