Lancia Corse HF scores Barum Czech Rally Zlín podium, Mabellini remains in FIA ERC title fight
Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi finished third at Barum Czech Rally Zlín and won the Power Stage, keeping Lancia Corse HF in the FIA ERC title fight.
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- 3rd
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What Happened
Lancia Corse HF left Barum Czech Rally Zlín with a hard-earned podium after one of the most demanding rallies of the FIA European Rally Championship season. Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi finished third overall aboard the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, capping a consistent run with victory on the Power Stage. The Italian crew had been fourth until the penultimate stage, then used the Power Stage to leapfrog into third.
- Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi: third overall and Power Stage winners in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale
- Francesco Dei Ceci and Christian Vizzaccaro: fifth in ERC4 in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF
- Davide Pesavento and Alessio Angeli: retired after contact on Stage 2
- Tommaso Sandrin and Andrea Dal Maso: retired with technical issues on Stage 9
- Sebastian Dallapiccola and Samuele Pellegrino: retired with technical issues on Stage 8
The result keeps Mabellini second in the FIA ERC standings, 25 points behind championship leader Teemu Suninen, and extends his advantage over Marczyk. With two rounds remaining, Lancia Corse HF remains in contention for the Drivers', Teams', ERC4 and Junior ERC titles. The final two events in the United Kingdom and Portugal will decide the continental titles.
Barum Czech Rally Zlín once again proved to be one of the toughest events on the European calendar, with high speeds and technical stages causing a high number of retirements. Davide Pesavento and Alessio Angeli, who had arrived leading both the Junior ERC and ERC4 standings, were forced out following contact on Stage 2. Technical issues also ended the rallies of Tommaso Sandrin and Sebastian Dallapiccola on Stages 9 and 8 respectively.
Francesco Dei Ceci delivered a composed drive with Christian Vizzaccaro to secure fifth place in ERC4, another important step in his progression with the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF. Despite the challenges, Lancia Corse HF heads into the season finale with all four major championships still within reach, ready to turn its competitiveness into a strong finish.
Previously from Lancia
Before Barum, Davide Pesavento and Alessio Angeli had reached the top of the Junior ERC and ERC4 standings. According to Motorclaw's earlier coverage, they took the lead with a third-place finish at Rally Poland after winning both categories at Rally di Roma Capitale.
- Lancia Corse HF takes Junior ERC lead and second overall in FIA ERC at Rally Poland
- Davide Pesavento and Alessio Angeli win Junior ERC and ERC4 at Rally di Roma Capitale in Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Lancia's official releases.
Why this matters
The podium keeps Lancia Corse HF in contention for all four major FIA ERC titles with two rounds remaining. Mabellini now trails leader Teemu Suninen by 25 points, while teammate Pesavento's retirement leaves the Junior ERC and ERC4 races open. The final two events in the United Kingdom and Portugal will decide the titles.
Terms in This Story
- FIA ERC
- European Rally Championship, a continent-wide rally series organized by the FIA.
- Power Stage
- The final special stage of a rally, often awarding bonus points to the fastest drivers.
- Rally2
- A class of rally car built to FIA regulations, typically turbocharged and four-wheel drive.
- ERC4
- A support category within the European Rally Championship for smaller or less powerful cars.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.