Kris Meeke finally broke his duck in Europe. The British driver claimed his maiden European Rally Championship victory at Rali Ceredigion this weekend, but the spotlight was firmly on Teemu Suninen, who sealed the 2026 ERC title with one round to spare.
Meeke, at the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, was dominant, finishing 38.6 seconds ahead of Skoda's Suninen. It was Meeke's first ERC win and his first on UK soil since 2007. Meanwhile, Suninen's title was confirmed after closest rival Andrea Mabellini could only manage sixth in Wales.
The battle between Meeke and Suninen was intense from the start. After Friday evening's four stages, Suninen led his former WRC rival by just 0.9 seconds. But a mistake on Saturday's first stage changed everything. Suninen half-span his Fabia on the exit of a hairpin, losing 13.6 seconds and dropping to third, handing Meeke the lead.
Suninen fought back, winning SS7 to close the gap to just 7 seconds. However, Meeke responded perfectly, winning three consecutive stages (SS8-SS10) to build a 20.5-second advantage. Sunday proved even tougher for Suninen, who spun again on SS14, damaging the front of his car and causing a coolant leak. Despite a service stop, he returned to secure his first European title.
"Amazing," smiled Suninen. "On Wednesday I couldn't believe we could be on this pace, I was quite sick, but we got on the pace. It's been a really good season for us and we've been doing a great job on the Tarmac." Meeke added: "What a weekend, big thanks to everyone who got me here. It's so enjoyable when the package is right. To get that real flow state again... delighted."
Behind them, Miko Marczyk finished a lonely third, ahead of Max McRae and local driver Meirion Evans—both claiming career-best ERC results. The defending champion had to concede Suninen's superiority this season. Drama unfolded on SS13 when Jakub Matulka, running fourth, braked too late for a downhill left-hander and careered into a haybale protecting a telegraph pole.
Mabellini arrived in Ceredigion knowing his title hopes depended on outscoring Suninen by at least two points on the powerstage. But he could only manage seventh fastest, while Suninen went quickest, ending the Italian's challenge. Erik Cais finished seventh on his UK debut, ahead of MRF teammate Simone Tempestini.
Baca Juga
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