Rally2 (ex-R5) News

[Typ85]

somehow the reply on ''No win for the new Fabia RS in Fafe ...didnt work on my first post here..

[RS]

Well yes as it's the biggest gravel rally so far and it has won on tarmac and snow.

It’s a valid question but I agree with other comments that the best drivers were in the other cars here so wouldn’t want to draw too many conclusions.

My impression is that the potential of the new one is higher with an aggressive driver (Gryazin, Solberg). Mexico this weekend will be interesting with Solberg in the new one and Lindholm and Gryazin in the old one!

[Jarek Z]

Like young Heikkila in the old car vs ERC Champion Llarena in the new one...

Llarena didn’t win ERC. Everybody else lost it.

I see the biggest problem with the new Škodas in ERC so far - there are good drivers, but not (maybe not yet) pure winner type drivers in the new Škodas in the Erc... If Lukyanuk or Meeke had a chnance to drive this car here, the picture would be very different..

I think I can agree here. The best, first league drivers in Fafe were not driving the new Fabia. Llarena may be the reigning champion, but with him you never know if he's going to win or finish 7th. He is not (yet?) a driver like Mikkelsen, Basso, Rossetti or Bouffier (not to mention Lukyanuk ) that can go anywhere and fight for the win in each rally. But let's wait. Something tells me that this season is going to be exciting

[PLuto]

Llarena didn’t win ERC. Everybody else lost it.

Who is "everybody else"? Who from the drivers last year was pure faster than Efren in ERC last year and lost it?

[AnttiL]

Who is "everybody else"? Who from the drivers last year was pure faster than Efren in ERC last year and lost it?

"Lost" was maybe not as fitting to Llarena's opponents as it was to Ingram's, but in 2022 it was more about faster drivers not doing full seasons and WRC stars skipping the series altogether. Also three rallies were won by drivers who didn't do any other events. In addition to Llarena, only two drivers completed a full season.

[PLuto]

"Lost" was maybe not as fitting to Llarena's opponents as it was to Ingram's, but in 2022 it was more about faster drivers not doing full seasons and WRC stars skipping the series altogether. Also three rallies were won by drivers who didn't do any other events. In addition to Llarena, only two drivers completed a full season.

There were more drivers doing full season (or almost full and stopped/missing after crash or loosing the chance to win). I think it was clear that Efren was able to fight for top places on almost every race and he deserved the win. Yes, there were not big names like Mikkelsen on Lukyanuk in previous years, but from the drivers who were doing the season, he was the best. And there were not so bad drivers, sometimes multichampions in national championships...

[Sulland]

It was also Llarenas first rally in the new Skoda, need more time to get it right I guess.

But level of competition has not been this high in ERC for many years, if ever, so that is also a factor.

[Tom K]

I asked (before the rally) Marczyk about this RS, and he told that RS is really different car and needs package of setups. For sure it is and will be fast car but driver has to adapt. He was in Fafe for test RS and wake up after winter before WRC, but if he was there to score points in ERC, he would choose old car.

Llarena was very consistent, being on the podium or close to it. And to reverse deficit and win Azores with Moura on his land needs some proper skills.

[AnttiL]

There were more drivers doing full season (or almost full and stopped/missing after crash or loosing the chance to win). I think it was clear that Efren was able to fight for top places on almost every race and he deserved the win. Yes, there were not big names like Mikkelsen on Lukyanuk in previous years, but from the drivers who were doing the season, he was the best. And there were not so bad drivers, sometimes multichampions in national championships...

All I can say is that we will see this season how Llarena does with more competition.

[Sal yet again]

His Fafe result was better than last year and he should be strong in the Canary Islands but after that it will be interesting. Not sure if he is doing the main Spanish championship to keep him match fit this year either.