European Rally Championship preview: dates, news, buzz and TV schedule for the FIA ERC 2017

Updated 31/03/2017 at 13:31 GMT

European Rally Championship preview: dates, news, buzz and TV schedule for the FIA ERC 2017

FIA ERC in the Azores

Image credit: Eurosport

The World's oldest rally series kicks off on the fist weekend of April, running through to October and spanning eight races across the continent.

Drivers will have to cope with a mix of asphalt and gravel services, with their best six scores over the season contributing to the final tally.

Three titles are up to grabs depending on car performance - ERC1, ERC2 and ERC3, with revamped a revamped Team competition and Ladies' Trophy also featuring in 2017.

ERC

Pep turns up the Bassas in ERC

28/02/2022 at 11:04

FIA ERC

Image credit: Eurosport

WHEN ARE THE RALLIES?

RALLY 1: The season opens with the Azores Airlines Rallye from March 30 to April1

RALLY 2: Rally Islas Canarias - May 4-6

RALLY 3: SEAJETS Acropolis Rally - June 2-4

RALLY 4: Cyprus Rally - June 16-18

RALLY 5: Rally Rzeszow - August 3-5

RALLY 6: Barum Czech Rally Zlín - August 25-27

RALLY 7: Rally di Roma Capitale - September 15-17

RALLY 8: Rally Liepāja - October 6-8

CAN I WATCH IT ON TV?

The 2017 FIA European Rally Championship will be LIVE on Eurosport Player

CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS

Ten drivers will chase ERC Junior Under 27 success in Pirelli-equipped R2 cars as the race for the 100,000-euro career-development fund begins.
ERC Junior Under 28 for drivers in R5 cars gets nine runners, meaning a total of 19 contenders across the two divisions. A World Rally Car prize drive awaits the eventual champion.
While his programme remains unconfirmed, Kajetan Kajetanowicz, who tops the entry list, could make history in 2017: no driver has won the ERC title for three years consecutively, although his season-long nemesis from 2016, Alexey Lukyanuk, is back and will bid to become Russia’s first ERC champion.
Newcomer Sergey Remennik, the 2016 Russian N4 champion, and Zelindo Melegari, whose ERC experience dates back to 2002, head the ERC2 contingent.
ERC Ladies’ Trophy line-up includes Red Bull-backed Tamara Molinaro and reigning champion Catie Munnings, part of the ERC Junior Experience training programme.
New format means drivers count their best six scores from a possible eight to ensure a more consistent fight for honours with more drivers battling together more often.

RACE BUZZ

ERC

Double delight for ERC champion Mikkelsen

28/02/2022 at 02:11

ERC

Battistolli goes for growth in ERC

26/02/2022 at 05:08

ERC

Why the world will have to wait for ERC Junior champion Franceschi

25/02/2022 at 05:01

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