Day 1
Roberto Daprà emerged from the opening leg of Rally di Roma Capitale as the driver best placed to take a maiden ERC victory, but only after a day of shifting momentum, attrition and pressure on the demanding stages northeast of Rome. The Italian had spent much of the morning in the shadow of compatriot Andrea Crugnola, who led at the midday halt after setting the early pace, while Daprà worked methodically to reduce the gap and keep himself in contention.
Crugnola’s advantage gradually came under threat as the afternoon loop unfolded. Daprà found a stronger rhythm on SS5, cutting the lead down to 1.7 seconds and making the fight feel very much alive. Then came the defining mistake: Crugnola lost control of his Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale on a right-hand corner in Piana di Rascino and slid into a ditch, ending his challenge. It was a harsh exit for a driver who had looked fully in control only moments earlier, and it instantly changed the complexion of the rally.
With Crugnola out, Daprà and co-driver Luca Guglielmetti inherited the role of favourites, but the rest of the field was far from standing still. Teemu Suninen moved into second place, 20.2 seconds behind Daprà at the end of the leg, while Boštjan Avbelj completed a Pirelli-mounted Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 top three. Giandomenico Basso, back in the cockpit after a long break from ERC competition, settled into fourth after a day of reacclimatising to the car.
Further back, there was no shortage of drama. Yoann Bonato and Arthur Pelamourgues were separated by just half a second before Bonato edged ahead in the closing stages, while Pablo Sarrazin, Yohann Rossel, Andrea Mabellini and Mille Johansson all held promising positions overnight. Reigning European champion Miko Marczyk had a quieter day than expected, with intercom issues and a lack of early pace leaving him outside the top ten despite a late response on the final stage.
Mechanical trouble and punctures also played a major role in shaping the order. William Creighton’s hopes were damaged by a tyre change on SS6, Dominik Stříteský’s challenge faded after tyre damage on SS2, and several others were forced to stop or restart after issues ranging from gearbox trouble to fuel pump failure. In the heat and rough terrain, the opening day became a test of survival as much as speed, and Daprà came through it in the best possible position.
Day 2
Daprà converted that advantage into a landmark victory on Sunday, controlling the final four stages with a level-headed approach that matched the rally’s demands. He extended his lead slightly on the opening test of the day, then shifted into a more conservative rhythm to protect what he had built. It was not the most flamboyant way to win, but it was exactly the sort of execution that major results in the ERC are built on.
By the finish, Daprà’s margin stood at 13.8 seconds, enough to secure his first ERC win and underline the maturity behind the performance. At 25, he became the eighth Junior ERC graduate to win an event outright, a reminder of how effectively the category continues to produce drivers capable of making the step up. With the pressure rising and the roads still punishing, he kept his focus and avoided the kind of mistake that could have undone the weekend in an instant.
Suninen remained close enough to keep the tension alive, finishing just 0.5 seconds behind the winner and, in the process, moving to the top of the provisional ERC standings after three rounds. That tiny margin said plenty about how closely matched the leading cars were, even if Daprà had controlled the decisive phases more comfortably. Boštjan Avbelj completed the podium after a tight battle with Giandomenico Basso, who spent much of the rally reacclimatising to his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 after time away from the series.
Sunday’s route, run on smoother and cleaner roads east of Rome, offered less of the rough, mountainous character of Saturday’s stages, but the heat remained punishing and the pace was still high. Yoann Bonato survived the day to take fifth after Arthur Pelamourgues crashed on SS10, while Mille Johansson continued his recovery to claim sixth. Pablo Sarrazin and Andrea Mabellini followed, with Rossel and Marczyk completing the top ten.
There was also a sense that the rally’s full story was written by those who kept going after setbacks. Andrea Crugnola restarted and added another stage win to his tally, but his hopes of a third Rally di Roma Capitale victory had already disappeared when he went off the road on SS6. Erik Cais and Nikolay Gryazin also returned after earlier mechanical issues, while Dominik Stříteský elected not to restart after tyre damage had removed him from contention. In the end, Rome belonged to the driver who made the fewest mistakes at the right time, and Daprà did exactly that.
