Teemu Suninen has secured his first-ever ERC (European Rally Championship) victory at Rally Poland, finishing ahead of local heroes Jakub Matulka and Miko Marczyk. The Finn extended his championship lead to 23 points with the victory.
Leading the Katowice-based event by 8.4sec at the start of Sunday’s seven-stage deciding leg, the Pirelli-equipped Finn edged closer to his first ERC win when he went fastest on the opening Przegibek test, which was back on the Rally Poland itinerary after a 27-year break.
Although Matulka trimmed his fellow Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver’s advantage to 9.3sec by winning he next stage, Suninen stood firm, even when Matulka moved to within 9.2sec of top spot with the fastest time on the penultimate stage.
By making it through the Silesian Voivodeship Power Stage unscathed and with the fourth fastest time, Suninen won for Portuguese-based The Racing Factory by 9.7sec. (Article continues after the content.)
“Rally Poland was quite tricky with lots of changes on the grip level,” said Suninen, who was co-driven by compatriot Antti Haapala and leads the provisional ERC standings by 23 points. “On the paper one of the trickiest rallies for me, but I was enjoying the car all the time and my driving so big, big thanks to the team. They have managed to make an excellent car for me and big thanks to Antti also. My schedule has been quite busy, and I haven’t been able to prepare as I want but co-drivers and teams have been helping me a lot.” (Article continues after the photo.)
Matulka banks first ERC podium on home soil
For Michelin-supplied Matulka, second place marked the Polish champion’s breakthrough ERC podium, while third position – 3.8sec behind Matulka – ended a frustrating run of results for Marczyk, the 2025 ERC title winner.
“It feels amazing, we did a really good job,” said ORLEN LOTTO Rally Team driver Matulka. “Teemu was untouchable here, okay the difference was not big, but he was too consistent and too fast. It’s a very big confidence boost for me after not the best last two rallies. I’m really, really happy.” (Article continues after the photo.)
Andrea Mabellini began leg two in second place, 8.4sec off the lead, after a back-to-form showing on Saturday. But with the Przegibek test proving a “disaster” for the Italian driver as he slipped to fourth overall, his wait for a first ERC podium in Lancia Corse HF colours goes on after he missed out on third place by 2.6sec, despite going quickest on the Power Stage.
Having claimed second from Mabellini on SS9, Matulka cemented the position by winning SS10. He was quickest again on SS12 and SS14 as Rally Poland returned to asphalt-only stages for the first time since 2004 following its move south from Mikołajki for 2026.
Kajetanowicz holds off fast Bulacia
Starting his first ERC rally since 2017, three-time European champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz (picture below) spurned Marco Bulacia’s Sunday morning advances to secure fifth place, much to the delight of the thousands of fans lining the stages of Poland’s Silesian region. (Article continues after the photo.)
Bulacia settled for sixth, his best performance on asphalt to date, with 19-year-old ERC3 category graduate Adrian Rzeżnik claiming a career-best seventh. Polish championship leader Jarosław Szeja hit back from a fifth-gear spin on SS9 to finish eighth.
Having run fifth at one stage, Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton demoted Erik Cais (Team MRF Tyres) for ninth on the Power Stage, with Hankook-supplied Isak Reiersen taking advantage of Philip Allen’s overshoot and spin on SS14 to finish 11th, the Swede’s first ERC points on asphalt.
Ville Vatanen won ERC3 as well as the Fiesta Rally3 Trophy in Poland, ahead of two Irishmen: Casey Jay Coleman and Kalum Graffin.
Tom Heindrichs took his first-ever Junior ERC victory, while also winning ERC4. The Belgian, brother of 2024 WRC champion Thierry Neuville, finished ahead of Finland’s Aatu Hakalehto and Rally di Roma Capitale Junior ERC winner Davide Pesavento. (Article continues after the photo.)
The ERC’s high-speed asphalt adventure continues with the 55th Barum Czech Rally Zlín from 14 – 16 August. Meanwhile, Suninen will contest his third rally in as many weeks when he takes part on the WRC-counting Secto Rally Finland next weekend.
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ERC Rally Poland 2026 – Final results
| # | Drivers | Car | Time / Diff. to 1st |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Suninen / Haapala | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | 1:38:52.8 |
| 2. | Matulka / Dymurski | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +9.7 |
| 3. | Marczyk / Gospodarczyk | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +13.5 |
| 4. | Mabellini / Lenzi | Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally2 | +16.1 |
| 5. | Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak | Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 | +41.5 |
| 6. | Bulacia / Murado | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +51.4 |
| 7. | Rzeźnik / Kozdroń | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +1:07.1 |
| 8. | Szeja / Szeja | Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +1:16.2 |
| 9. | Creighton / Regan | Citroën C3 Rally2 | +1:25.5 |
| 10. | Cais / Bacigál | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | +1:25.5 |
ERC 2026 Drivers’ Championship – Standings after Round 4/7 [Top 10]
| # | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Teemu Suninen | 80 |
| 2. | Andrea Mabellini | 57 (-23) |
| 3. | Miko Marczyk | 47 (-33) |
| 4. | Giandomenico Basso | 45 (-35) |
| 5. | Jakub Matulka | 35 (-45) |
| 6. | Roberto Daprà | 30 (-50) |
| 6. | Jose Antonio Suárez | 30 (-50) |
| 6. | Mikko Heikkilä | 30 (-50) |
| 9. | Marco Bulacia | 30 (-50) |
| 10. | Mārtiņš Sesks | 28 (-52) |
Photos, content: Red Bull Content Pool
