News and quotes Finish podium Passau

The Central European Rally celebrated the crews at the finish podium in Passau. Tough days with challenging conditions are behind the drivers and teams. Yet, the drivers enjoyed the demanding stages and were thrilled by the 90,000 fans along the routes.

11 Thierry Neuville (BEL) / Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL), Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid

“We can be happy with the result. It was a tough weekend but a great rally. It was fun driving on asphalt. The mistake yesterday that cost us 30 seconds was a big disappointment. It ruined our chance of winning. But our main goal wasn’t necessarily the win – we wanted to keep our gap in the championship.”

8 Ott Tänak (EST) / Martin Järveoja (EST), Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid

“The rally was a challenge. The conditions and the stages in the Czech Republic weren’t easy. It was hard, but we’re satisfied.”

33 Elfyn Evans (GBR) / Scott Martin (GBR), Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid

“The conditions were tricky all weekend. We had to deal with that, which wasn’t always easy.”

20 Oliver Solberg (SWE) / Elliott Edmondson (GBR), Skoda Fabia RS (Rally 2)

“It was a tough weekend. The plan was really just to gain experience. But we managed to win some stages. The rally was challenging, and I made a few mistakes. But our pace was good.”

21 Yohan Rossel (FRA) / Florian Barral (FRA), Citroën C3 (Rally 2)

“It was a good rally, but very dirty. It was almost impossible to push properly. Other than that, I really liked the stages.”

22 Nikolay Gryazin (BGR) / Konstantin Alexsandrov (ANA), Citroën C3 (Rally 2)

“It was a perfect weekend. We didn’t make any mistakes. We made it through cleanly and without risk. That was definitely the key to our success. Just like last year, I really enjoyed the CER.”

27 Armin Kremer (GER) / Ella Kremer (GER), Skoda Fabia RS (Rally 2)

“We are very happy with the rally. It was very varied and exciting. We managed to win six consecutive victories in the Master Cup. So, very successful. We’re extremely pleased.”

30 Filip Mareš (CZE) / Radovan Bucha (CZE), Toyota GR Yaris (Rally 2)

“I’m super happy. We didn’t expect this result. I want to give a big thanks to my team members – without them, this success wouldn’t have been possible. We’re a small team with a small budget. I’m proud of each and every team member. The CER is basically my home event with the start in Prague. I love this event. Big thanks to the Czech fans for their support.”

31 Marijan Griebel (GER) / Tobias Braun (GER), Skoda Fabia RS (Rally 2)

“We made it to the finish in Passau without a scratch. We had a lot of fun this week. Today was fantastic weather, and we really enjoyed the event. Seventh place in WRC2 feels a bit disappointing – the podium was only 40 seconds ahead, but eighth place was three minutes behind. It looks worse than it actually was.”

39 Jan Černý (CZE) / Ondřej Krajča (CZE), Ford Fiesta Rally3 (Rally 3)

“It was a great rally, and I really enjoyed it. We managed to win most of the stages. I’m happy.”

40 Filip Kohn (CZE) / Tom Woodburn (GBR), Ford Fiesta Rally3 (Rally 3)

“We were pushing hard and driving at the limit. That led to a few hairy moments. But many others had the same. I gave it my all, and that’s the most important thing. The fans were amazing.”

43 Hermann Gassner (GER) / Michael Wenzel (GER), Renault Clio Rally3 (Rally 3)

“I’m tired but also happy. We secured the podium and finished third in our class. We can be pleased with that. I didn’t expect this result on Friday night.”

48 Claire Schönborn (GER) / Jara Hain (GER), Ford Fiesta Rally3 (Rally 3)

“I feel really good that we’re now able to park the car here without any damage. The conditions were very demanding. I learned a lot, which made it exhausting. But we handled it well.