MRF tyre has successfully entered the list of top 10 with their rally cars in its the first ever European Rally Championship. The driver for MRF's team, Craig Breen was able to finish the race in the top 10 which has helped the tyre manufacturer gather information regarding what developments and tweek to the tyres is required for future races.
The team wants to further develop tyres for a chance to acquire pole position. The developments of the tyres was considered after the ERC at the Rally di Roma Capitale.
The plan of MRF tyre is to dominate the European Rally similar to the victories they bagged in the Asian rally championships. MRF tyres has indeed out-shined themselves. MRF tyre had announced recently that it will be the official tyre for the two cars competing in the 2020 European Rally Championship. This venture for the Indian tyre market has been successful in the first phase considering the fact that its for the first time MRF tyre has entered the championship of tarmac rallying. MRF had missed the podium by a few seconds or else it would have been a pole finish for the team hence they believe that the team in going in the right direction.
Craig Breen and Paul Nagle raced in the full season of ERC piloting a Hyundai i20 R5 with MRF tyres mounted. Breen and Nagle were competing with all their experience to acquire the podium initially on the first day. On the second day of the rally, Breen and Nagle were competing with Simone Tempestini and Sergiu Itu for fourth since their positions were shifted throughout the race-day.
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When Breen and Nagle entered the final stages of the rally, they were in fifth position but were quick enough to increase the pace and achieve fourth position which was 1.3 seconds quicker than Tempestini but were only behind by 53.8 seconds from Oliver Solberg and Aaron Johnston who had finished third in the ERC.
The second team from MRF tyres includes Emil Lindholm and Mikael Korhonen who were in the Skoda Fabia Evo2 R5 which also has been equipped with MRF tyres. Lindholm and Korhonen were ambitious in bringing refinement by choosing different set-up of the car and has helped in the improvement of MRF tyre.
Second driver Emil Lindholm commented, “We were able to make improvements to the set up at each service point. It is a process of learning how to maximise the tyre and maximise my own performance. It has been over a year since I have done a tarmac rally, so I am pleased with my result. This rally was always about gaining more information on the tyre for its future development. We did this successfully for Team MRF Tyres. Undoubtedly, we will be much wiser next time out!”
