ERC Rally Sierra Morena 2025 - @BunningsVideo

Nikolay Gryazin is a five-time winner in the FIA European Rally Championship following his start-to-finish victory on the 42nd Rally Sierra Morena - Córdoba Patrimonio de la Humanidad.

With Konstantin Aleksandrov co-driving his Michelin-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, Gryazin took victory by a margin of 46.0sec for the new Orsák Rallysport-run J2X Rally Team, having led since going quickest on Friday night’s super special stage in host city Córdoba.
To underline his impressive pace, Gryazin banked four points on the event-deciding Power Stage, the 25th held since the bonus points-paying concept was included in the ERC.
“The weekend was quite tough but for sure I want to say thank you to Jaroslav Orsák and Jarosław Kołtun [from J2X Rally Team],” 27-year-old Gryazin said. “The team did a good job, everyone was in the perfect mood, so it was keeping me motivated. Five victories is good but it would be better if it was more, so let’s see during the season.”
While Gryazin had led from the start, he made his decisive move on Saturday’s final stage, increasing his 15.5sec advantage to 28.8sec by going 11.6sec faster than the next quickest driver. “I like this kind of stage where you need some braveness and the car worked well for this stage,” he said. “I was not on the full, full attack but for sure we were pushing but the feeling with the car on this kind of stage was really enjoyable.”
Gryazin started today’s deciding leg with a lead of 28.8sec. After a cautious run through SS8, he was back into his stride on SS9, taking the fastest time to inch further ahead of the chasing pack by 34.8sec. And he increased his advantage even further by setting the pace through SS10 to lead by 39.9sec at the midday halt in Córdoba.

He was quickest again on SS11 and took a lead of 42.9sec into the Power Stage after Yoann Bonato, driving Citroën C3 Rally2 on Michelin tyres, won the penultimate test to follow up on the fastest time he recorded through Sunday’s opening run.
For Bonato his podium was his seventh in the ERC. “It's really unbelievable,” the Frenchman said. “I wanted the podium, for sure, but at the beginning it was difficult because we turned around from being in 12th place. We expected the top five maximum but finally we were second so that’s perfect.”
José Suárez started leg two in second position only to drop back to fourth after he was delayed completing this morning’s first stage, Cerrobejuelas. “We didn’t know what it was exactly,” said the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver after picking up damage to his left-rear tyre and losing 39.7s. “This is part of the game, we keep pushing.”
After dropping from second to fourth on SS8, Suárez overtook Andrea Mabellini for third on SS9 and held on to the spot until the finish as Mabellini claimed fourth and top points for winning the Power Stage in his Pirelli-equipped Škoda.

Pepe López started SS10 in fifth place but was delayed by damage to his front-left tyre and fell to sixth behind Miko Marczyk.
Mads Østberg was in sixth prior to the Power Stage only to fall to eighth due to a transmission glitch as Mille Johansson, the reigning ERC4/Junior ERC champion, bagged seventh on his ERC1 debut aboard a Hankook-equipped Fabia Rally2 Evo.
Stéphane Lefebvre and Simon Wagner round out the top 10 followed by Jakub Matulka, Roberto Blach and Master ERC Championship winner Jos Verstappen. The ex-Formula One driver was told his son Max had won the Japanese Grand Prix at the finish of SS9.

Unai de La Dehesa and András Hadik completed the top 15 but Jon Armstrong and Robert Virves both hit trouble on SS8, stopping at the eight-kilometre mark. “At one dirty right hander I went wide, the rim broke and the damper,” Virves said.
Armstrong reported running wide, hitting “something”, which left his Ford Fiesta Rally2 with suspension.
The race to win the 2025 ERC title continues next month with a switch from asphalt to gravel for VI Rally Hungary (9 - 11 May).