The season’s opening round, Rally Sierra Morena, is being held in Córdoba, Spain. On Friday, drivers were already in action, with free practice and qualifying on the schedule.
The top 15 drivers in qualifying are allowed to choose their starting position for the rally. First to have the honour is Nikolay Gryazin, competing in a Škoda, who set the fastest time in Friday’s qualifying.
The second fastest time was posted by Jon Armstrong driving a Ford, and third quickest was Polish Škoda driver Miko Marczyk.
Former F1 driver Jos Verstappen also made it into the top ten. The father of four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen was seventh fastest.
Also present in Córdoba are World Rally Championship stars Elfyn Evans of Toyota and Thierry Neuville of Hyundai. They are competing in the national series. The event serves as a test rally for them ahead of the WRC Rally Canary Islands taking place at the end of April.
Flying the Finnish flag in the European Rally in Córdoba are rising star Tuukka Kauppinen. Kauppinen is competing in a Peugeot 208 Rally4. The Finn is in Córdoba primarily to gain valuable experience on tarmac.
Rally Sierra Morena kicks off on Friday evening. The opening stage is a spectator special held in the centre of Córdoba. On both Saturday and Sunday, six special stages will be contested each day.
