8, Oct 2025
Team MRF Tyres clinches the FIA ERC 2025 Team Championship in Croatia
Cais, Joona and Tempestini secure a decisive team effort in the last round of the season, sealing the third crown for MRF Tyres after 2022 and 2023.
October 8th, 2025: Team MRF Tyres secured the prestigious FIA European Rally Championship team title during the Croatia Rally. This victory marked a remarkable milestone for the team, which is from India’s No 1 tyre manufacturer, MRF Tyres. The season was highly competitive and intense, culminating in a dramatic finale that was decided only in the final round, underscoring the team’s resilience and skill throughout the championship.
Following victories in 2022 and 2023, the ERC championship has been reclaimed by Team MRF Tyres, a testament to the collective effort and dedication of their drivers and co-drivers. Throughout this period, the team demonstrated exceptional teamwork and resilience, successfully representing their colors across various European events. The team’s success is attributed to a diverse roster of talented individuals from multiple countries, each contributing their skills and determination to achieve outstanding results.
The Team MRF Tyres lineup included Erik Cais and Igor Bagigal from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, respectively. Miklós Csomós, alongside Attila Nagy and Krisztián Kertészfrom Hungary; Callum Devinewith Niall Burns from Ireland. Chris Ingram from Great Britain paired with Alexander Kihurani from USA, Lauri Joona and Kristian Temonen from Finland, along with Roope Korhonenand Anssii Viinikka, also from Finland. Benjamin Korholafrom Finland, and the Norwegian duo Frank-Tore Larsen and Lars-Håkon Lundgreen, Stéphane Lefebvre with Andy Malfoy from France, Max McRae paired with Cameron Fair from Great Britain, and Mārtiņš Sesks with Renārs Francis from Latvia, and Jan Solans and Rodrigo Sanjuan from Spain, along with Simone Tempestini and Sergiu Itu from Romania, completed the diverse and talented roster.
Their collective effort underscores the importance of teamwork, strategic planning, and international collaboration in achieving success in competitive motorsport. The team’s ability to unify drivers from different backgrounds and harness their collective talent has been instrumental in reclaiming the crown and setting a high standard for future competitions.
The season was marked by strong performances, with team victories in Hungary and Poland and a one-two finish in Sweden, supported by consistent results on both tarmac and gravel. At the Croatia Rally, the final round of the series, the crews gave everything they had to secure the decisive points.
The event itself was a demanding challenge. The route was already tough and technical, and heavy rain on the final day made conditions even more complicated. Still, all three Team MRF Tyres crews finished inside the overall top ten, showing determination, resilience and strength from the technical package.
The best result came from Lauri Joona and Kristian Temonen (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2), who finished sixth overall. Making their debut on MRF Tyres, the Finnish crew drove a clean rally without mistakes, focusing on rhythm and consistency. They completed all ten special stages without issues, a strategy that paid off.
“It’s a big thanks to Team MRF Tyres. We had the chance to take on a really tricky rally, and we experienced everything you can face on a tarmac event. It was a big learning weekend and I’m happy to have contributed to earning the points that secured the Teams’ Title. Thanks to everyone involved,” Joona said.
Erik Cais and Igor Bacigál, also debuting on MRF Tyres with the Hyundai i20 N Rally2, finished seventh overall. The driver from Zlín showed the pace to fight for the podium, but setbacks on both legs cost him time. Despite this, Cais kept pushing to the end and played a key role in the final outcome.
“I am really happy with the Team title. Thanks to MRF Tyres we did a great job with strong support, and I am proud to be part of this. This was a really tough rally that brought many ups and downs. What matters most is the final result – a real team success,” Cais said.
Simone Tempestini and Sergiu Itu (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) also placed in the top ten with tenth overall. The Romanian had to cope with issues that limited his ambitions but recovered positions in the heavy rain of the final day. He also came close to winning the Power Stage, missing the podium by only six tenths.
“For sure it was not our year. Sometimes we made mistakes, sometimes we were really fast, but we missed a bit of luck. A big thank you to our partners, MRF Tyres, the team and all the people who follow us every rally. Even if this was not our best event, I am happy to have contributed to the success. Let’s move on to the next one” Tempestini said.
2025 FIA European Rally Championship – Teams Championship
1. Team MRF Tyres pt. 208;
2. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team pt. 206;
3. TRT Rally Team pt. 133;
4. Kowax DST Racing pt. 120;
5. J2X Rally Team pt. 82;
6. Proformance Service KFT – Team Staff House pt. 66;
7. Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy pt. 55;
8. MRF Tyres Dealer Team pt. 37;
9. ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team im ADAC e.V. pt. 34;
10. F.P.F. Sport pt. 30
2025 FIA European Rally Championship – Drivers Championship
1. Miko Marczyk (Škoda) pt. 154;
2. Jon Armstrong (Ford) pt. 148;
3. Andrea Mabellini (Škoda) pt. 131;
4. Mads Østberg (Citroën) pt. 104;
5. Roope Korhonen (Toyota) pt. 60;
6. Isak Reiersen (Škoda) pt. 60;
7. Romet Jürgenson (Ford) pt. 50;
8. Mille Johansson (Škoda) pt. 49;
9. Simone Tempestini (Škoda) pt. 36;
10. Mārtiņš Sesks (Škoda) pt. 35
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- By Neel Achary
