Team MRF Tyres heads to Wales for crucial ERC title weekend

Team MRF Tyres will enter three Rally2 cars at the 6th JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, the penultimate round of the 2026 FIA European Rally Championship, as the fight for the Teams’ Championship reaches a decisive stage.

The Welsh event represents a particularly important moment in the season for Team MRF Tyres. With only two rounds remaining, the team arrives at Ceredigion leading the FIA ERC Teams’ Championship and with the objective of taking another significant step towards a fourth European teams’ crown, following the titles secured in 2022, 2023 and 2025.

The line-up will be led by Simone Tempestini and Francesca Maior, who will compete in the #5 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. Ceredigion holds a special place in Tempestini’s relationship with MRF Tyres, as it was on these roads in 2024 that the Romanian driver made his first appearance with Team MRF Tyres. That debut marked the beginning of a collaboration which has continued to develop through strong performances at FIA ERC level. After missing the Welsh round last season, Tempestini returns to Aberystwyth with considerably more experience of the MRF Tyres package and after another competitive European campaign, ready to play an important role in the team’s championship challenge.

Alongside him, Erik Cais and Igor Bacigál will tackle Rali Ceredigion for the first time in the #6 Hyundai i20 N Rally2. The Czech driver has demonstrated strong pace throughout the season, particularly on asphalt, and the distinctive roads of West Wales will represent a completely new challenge. Their combination of fast sections, frequent rhythm changes and technical passages will provide another valuable benchmark within Team MRF Tyres’ continuous competition and tyre development programme.

The third Team MRF Tyres entry will be driven by Martin Vlček and Jiří Skořepa in the #9 Hyundai i20 N Rally2. The Czech crew joins the team entry in Wales after competing on MRF Tyres as customers during recent FIA ERC events. Vlček is the reigning FIA Master ERC Champion and is again contesting the category in 2026 as he looks to defend the title secured last season.

The 2026 event will once again be centred around Aberystwyth and will provide one of the most distinctive challenges of the FIA European Rally Championship season. The fast and technical asphalt stages demand precision, confidence and consistency, with changing grip levels and a very specific road character making Ceredigion a particularly valuable event from both a sporting and technical perspective.

Il Team MRF Tyres schiererà tre vetture Rally2 al 6° JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, una gara importante del Campionato Europeo Rally FIA 2026. Questo evento è significativo per il team, che attualmente è in testa al Campionato a Squadre FIA ​​ERC e punta al quarto titolo europeo a squadre, dopo le vittorie del 2022, 2023 e 2025.

Il team schiererà Simone Tempestini e Francesca Maior al volante della 5ª Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. Per Tempestini, Ceredigion ha un significato particolare perché è qui che ha debuttato con il Team MRF Tyres nel 2024. Dopo aver saltato la gara lo scorso anno, Tempestini torna con maggiore esperienza e punta a contribuire agli sforzi del team per il campionato.

Erik Cais e Igor Bacigál guideranno la 6ª Hyundai i20 N Rally2, al suo debutto a Ceredigion. Cais ha dimostrato ottime prestazioni, soprattutto su asfalto, e le diverse strade del Galles occidentale rappresenteranno una nuova sfida per loro. Le varie sezioni del percorso aiuteranno il Team MRF Tyres nel suo programma di competizione e sviluppo pneumatici.

La terza vettura in gara è la Hyundai i20 N Rally2 numero 9, guidata da Martin Vlček e Jiří Skořepa. Vlček, campione in carica del FIA Master ERC, gareggerà nuovamente nel 2026 con l’obiettivo di difendere il titolo. L’evento, che si svolgerà principalmente ad Aberystwyth, prevede prove speciali su asfalto veloci e tecniche che richiederanno precisione e offriranno preziosi spunti per il team.