Kreim’s ERC Junior title hopes fading as Åhlin retakes third

ŠKODA AUTO Deutschland’s young talent went into the ERC season finale eight points adrift of ERC Junior U28 championship leader Nikolay Gryazin but, with dropped scores taken into effect, needed to beat both Gryazin and Chris Ingram to have any hope of becoming champion.

Instead, Kreim has become locked in a battle for the final podium place on Rally Liepāja with Åhlin, having taken third place form the CA1 Sport driver on Saturday afternoon.

Lamenting a series of small mistakes that hurt his momentum, Kreim instead lost time to his rival young stars in R5 cars, with Åhlin taking 2.3s out of the German ace on stage seven to retake third.

Both drivers have now fallen away from the lead battle between ERC Junior U28 title protagonists Gryazin and Ingram, with Kreim now 54.7s behind Gryazin. Third place is still easily within reach, however, with only a 1.5s deficit to Åhlin.

Gryazin remains in pole position to secure the ERC Junior U28 title, winning both of leg two's opening stages to increase his lead over Ingram further.

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