Team MRF Tyres is strengthening its presence in the European Rally Championship (ERC) in 2020 with Emil Lindholm and Mikeal Korhonen being supported by the team for an ERC1 campaign.

Lindholm will campaign on MRF Tyres in a Skoda Fabia R5 EVO in four rallies of the first six rallies as they campaign for the ERC1 title. They join alongside Craig Breen and Paul who are campaigning in the ERC outright title on MRF Tyres.

Lindholm, son of Finnish rally legend Sebastian, has had a stellar start to his Finnish Rally Championship, winning the first two of three rounds and is an ideal driver for Team MRF Tyres.

Team MRF Tyres driver Emil Lindholm said: It’s a great opportunity for me to expand my career to ERC-rallies with MRF Tyres, and an important step in my career to get the experience of a more international rallying scene. From what I’ve seen this weekend in Itäralli, with Breen behind the wheel, MRF is really serious and already has a great product for winter rallies. I’m in no doubt they’ll deliver on the events in ERC and keep on pushing with the development. Personally, I hope I can support MRF with knowledge especially about winter conditions, but also serve them in the development of their complete tyre range.

MRF Tyres have undergone an extensive year of testing in order to produce development tyres for the first year of full competition in the European Rally Championship. Meanwhile Lindholm has been building his rally career and moving to the ERC1 with MRF Tyres is an ideal step.

This season represents Team MRF Tyres continued expansion in European rallying and is committed to continuing the learning and development process. Lindholm’s addition to the team strengthens this approach.

The ERC1 Championship sees junior drivers compete against each other in R5 cars with the top driver after the first six rounds winning 100,000 euros to contest the 2020 season-closing events in Cyprus and Hungary with a car and team of their choosing.

Lindholm’s first rally with team will be at the Azores Rally on the Portuguese island at the end of March.

MRF Tyres Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, Mr. Arun Mammen said: We are excited to enter the European Rally Championship in 2020 after winning nine titles in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship. We have a front runner with Craig Breen, and we are excited to support the career of another young, upcoming and fast driver in Emil Lindholm. It will be a great relationship as he will help develop and prove the pace of MRF Tyres and we look forward to helping him achieve his potential in the European Rally Championship.”