2018 European Rally Championship comes to an end with Rally Liepaja

Nikolay Gryazin wins the Rally Liepaja in Latvia, the eighth and the last round of the 2018 European Rally Championship. For the Russian driver of the #1 Škoda Fabia R5, partnered by a navigator Yaroslav Fedorov, it’s the second win in a row after he won the previous ERC round in Poland. Gryazin secured a title in the ERC Junior E28 category.

The overall winner of the 2018 European Rally Championship is Alexey Lukyanuk, who secured a title in the previous round so he skipped Rally Liepaja. Earlier in the season, Lukyanuk won three times (Azores, Canarias, Roma Capitale) and finished second at Barum Rally Zlin.

On the Latvian ground, Gryazin dominated from the beginning and won with 43.3 seconds advantage ahead of Chris Ingram (Škoda Fabia R5). The Swedish driver Fredrik Ahlin (Škoda) took the last podium spot on the last special stage from young German Fabian Kreim (Škoda).

The Latvian driver Martins Sesks (Opel Adam R2) earlier secured ERC3 title and today he became the ERC Junior R27 champion. The ERC Ladies Trophy went to the Spaniard Emma Falcon (Peugeot 208 R2).

Nikolay Gryazin’s #1 Škoda Fabia R5

Some other notable rally events took place on the European soil this weekend. San Marino hosted the 16th edition of a traditional festival of rallying called Rallylegend.

Among many world known drivers there was also current WRC regular Craig Breen, who was driving the #2 Citroen C4 WRC in WRC class, taking the victory in the event. He won ahead of Luca Pedersoli (Citroen C4 WRC) and former WRC driver Mikko Hirvonen (Ford Focus WRC).

Craig Breen and Mikko Hirvonen at WRC podium of Rallylegend event

Some national championships held their events this weekend. Luca Rossetti (Hyundai i20 R5) has won the 36th Rally due Valli, the 8th round of the Italian Rally Championship. He defeated Andrea Crugnola (Ford Fiesta R5) and Paolo Andreucci (Peugeot 208 T16).

In the seventh round of the Czech national championship, Vaclav Pech Jr (Ford Fiesta R5) triumphed in the 39th SVK Rally Pribram.

Photos: Gregory Lenormand/DPPI/ERC,