Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi finish third at Barum Czech Rally Zlín and win the Power Stage with the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.
Lancia Corse HF left Barum Czech Rally Zlín with a hard-earned podium and renewed confidence after overcoming one of the most demanding events of the FIA European Rally Championship season while keeping its title ambitions alive across all of the major championship classifications.
Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi secured the podium in the top category after a consistently strong performance aboard the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. The Italian crew tackled the fast and notoriously challenging Czech stages with a measured approach, progressively pushing the car to its limits while maintaining a competitive pace throughout the rally.
The result came at the end of a fiercely contested battle, with Mabellini running fourth overall until the penultimate special stage. On the Power Stage the Italian crew delivered when it mattered most, claiming the stage victory and making up the ground required to finish the rally in third place overall. The result allows the ACI Team Italia driver to retain second place in the overall FIA ERC standings, now 25 points behind championship leader Teemu Suninen, while extending his advantage over closest rival Marczyk.
The result provides another clear indication of the progress made by Mabellini and Lancia Corse HF with the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. On an event where outright speed, precision and the ability to adapt to constantly changing conditions were essential, the Italian crew built its podium through a consistent performance, pushing the car to the limit when conditions were at their most demanding.
Barum Czech Rally Zlín once again proved to be one of the toughest events on the European calendar. High speeds, technical stages tested every crew to the limit, with a high number of retirements repeatedly reshaping the competitive order.
Among those affected were Davide Pesavento and Alessio Angeli, who were forced to retire following contact on the second special stage. The incident brought the official Lancia Corse HF crew’s rally to an early conclusion after they had arrived in Czechia leading both the Junior ERC and ERC4 standings.
Technical issues subsequently ended the rallies of Tommaso Sandrin – Andrea Dal Maso and Sebastian Dallapiccola – Samuele Pellegrino, on Stages 9 and 8 respectively, denying Lancia Corse further results in ERC4.
A positive result came from Francesco Dei Ceci, partnered by Christian Vizzaccaro, who produced a composed drive to secure fifth place. The result represents another important step in the ACI Team Italia driver’s progression with the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF, gaining valuable experience on one of the most demanding events of the European season.
Despite the challenges faced in Czechia, Lancia Corse HF now turns its attention to the final two rounds of the season with confidence. Mabellini’s podium keeps the FIA ERC Drivers’ Championship firmly within reach, while Lancia remains fully involved in the fight for the Teams’ title. ERC4 and Junior ERC championships also remain open, underlining the strength of a project built around the continuous and parallel development of both its cars and its crews.
The final two events in the United Kingdom and Portugal will therefore decide the continental titles. Lancia Corse HF heads into the season finale with all four major championships still within reach, ready to turn the competitiveness demonstrated throughout the season into a strong finish to its FIA ERC campaign.
