Hayden Paddon became the seventh different winner in seven rallies in this year’s European Rally Championship (ERC) at Rali Ceredigion. The Kiwi extended his championship lead to 27 points with one round remaining.
The Pirelli-equipped BRC Racing Team driver, who strengthens his grip on a second consecutive ERC title as a result, led the spectacular Tarmac event from start to finish as the championship returned to the United Kingdom for the first time since 2016 in style.
Andrea Mabellini banked his maiden ERC podium finish for Team MRF Tyres after climbing from fourth to second on the Power Stage with Michelin-equipped Mathieu Franceschi returning to the podium for the first time since Rally Islas Canarias in May in third.
Co-driven by fellow New Zealander John Kennard, Paddon began Sunday’s deciding leg with a commanding lead of 1min 18.7sec over Chris Ingram, the 2019 ERC champion, having won all but one of Saturday’s eight stages.
But when Ingram crashed heavily on the day’s opening test, Paddon’s advantage out front increased to 1min 30.8sec. Even when the onset of rain made for slippery conditions and changeable grip levels through SS13, Paddon maintained his composure, adding the Power Stage win – and five bonus points – to his list of impressive achievements in Wales.
He heads to the all-new Rally Silesia in Poland from 11 – 13 October leading the provisional standings by 27 points over Franceschi. With a maximum of 35 points still on offer, a second consecutive ERC crown for Paddon is by no means secure.
“It was a very good weekend,” said Paddon, who piloted his Hyundai i20 N Rally2 to victory by 1min 47.3sec. “Everything has just gone like clockwork…we’ve been chasing this feeling for quite a while and finally this weekend we got that feeling.”
Behind third-placed Franceschi, Miko Marczyk started the Power Stage in second place but the two-time Polish champion couldn’t hold on and settled for fourth instead. It also rules Marczyk out of the title fight with no chance of the Pole overtaking Paddon on his home event in October.
Jon Armstrong battled back from several delays on day one to finish fifth in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 and claim a maiden ERC stage win along the way, with Callum Devine and two-time Rali Ceredigion winner Osian Pryce next up. Matt Edwards finished eighth with Meirion Evans ninth and FIA ERC3 winner Jakub Matulka completing the top 10. Keith Cronin, who was fifth after leg one, crashed out on SS11.
While the race to win the overall ERC title heads to Rally Silesia in Poland next month, Mille Johansson is the provisional winner of the Hankook-equipped FIA Junior ERC Championship for 2024 and the accompanying FIA Junior WRC prize drive for 2025.
And there were more title celebrations when Filip Kohn secured the points he needed to put the FIA ERC3 Championship beyond doubt by finishing second in class.
The 2024 FIA European Rally Championship title-deciding Rally Silesia takes place in Poland from 11 – 13 October.
ERC Rali Ceredigion (Wales) 2024 – Final results
| # | Drivers | Car | Time / Diff. to 1st |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Paddon / Kennard | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | 1:38:59.0 |
| 2. | Mabellini / Lenzi | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +1:47.3 |
| 3. | Franceschi / Malfoy | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +1:50.8 |
| 4. | Marczyk / Gospodarczyk | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +1:54.5 |
| 5. | Devine / O’Sullivan | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +2:10.8 |
| 6. | Armstrong / Treacy | Ford Fiesta Rally2 | +2:18.4 |
| 7. | Pryce / Evans | Ford Fiesta Rally2 | +2:32.9 |
| 8. | Edwards / Moynihan | Ford Fiesta Rally2 | +2:40.2 |
| 9. | Evans / Jackson | Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 | +3:09.1 |
| 10. | Matulka / Dymurski | Ford Fiesta Rally3 | +8:25.5 |
ERC 2024 Drivers’ Championship – Standings after Round 7/8 [Top 10]
| # | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hayden Paddon | 131 |
| 2. | Mathieu Franceschi | 104 (-27) |
| 3. | Miko Marczyk | 91 (-40) |
| 4. | Andrea Mabellini | 71 (-60) |
| 5. | Simone Tempestini | 59 (-72) |
| 6. | Jon Armstrong | 59 (-72) |
| 7. | Mads Østberg | 51 (-80) |
| 8. | Simon Wagner | 49 (-82) |
| 9. | Efrén Llarena | 45 (-86) |
| 10. | Erik Cais | 44 (-87) |
Photo, text: Red Bull Content Pool