SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 1, 2025 -- The Royal Rally of Scandinavia delivered a bruising but ultimately mixed weekend for Lancia Corse HF at the second round of the FIA European Rally Championship, with triumph and heartbreak arriving in equal measure on the fast Swedish gravel. Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi were forced to retire after just three stages following a suspension-damaging off-road excursion, while young Italian Davide Pesavento fought back to claim third place in Junior ERC aboard the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF. For fans of rally sport and the resurgent Lancia brand, this was a weekend that showed just how unforgiving — and how exciting — top-level European rallying can be.
A Brutal Stage Ends Mabellini's Weekend Early
The Swedish event has a well-earned reputation as one of the most selective rounds on the ERC calendar, and the 2025 edition was no exception. Andrea Mabellini and co-driver Virginia Lenzi found that out the hard way, retiring their Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale during the third special stage after damaging a suspension in an off-road excursion. The retirement meant no championship points for the pair, and Mabellini now drops to ninth in the overall standings with 20 points.
Finnish crew Tuukka Kauppinen and Topi Luhtinen endured their own share of frustration, narrowly missing a top-10 finish in the top Rally2 category after battling throughout the weekend on the ultra-fast and technical Scandinavian stages. Sweden rarely gives anything away easily, and this round was a reminder of why it commands such respect among drivers and teams alike.
Pesavento Delivers a Standout Comeback Drive
If the weekend had a clear highlight for Lancia Corse HF, it was Davide Pesavento. The young Italian and co-driver Alessio Angeli produced an impressive comeback drive aboard the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF, fighting close to the leading positions throughout and ultimately finishing third in both Junior ERC and ERC4. The result is no small achievement on Swedish gravel, and it underlines why Pesavento — runner-up in the 2025 Trofeo Lancia season — is attracting attention as a genuine emerging talent in European rally.
Misfortune played a role in shaping the Junior ERC outcome too. Finnish driver Aatu Hakalehto had been leading both ERC4 and Junior ERC before retiring on Stage 13 with just three stages remaining, having looked firmly on course for victory until that point. In rallying, the championship picture can change in an instant.
Sandrin Moves to the Top of ERC4
Tommaso Sandrin and co-driver Andrea Dal Maso delivered one of the weekend's more quietly significant results, finishing sixth in Junior ERC while moving into the overall ERC4 championship lead. Sandrin now holds 39 points, nine clear of Hakalehto and Germany's Schulz. It is the kind of steady, points-accumulating performance that championships are built on, and the Italian crew will arrive in Rome with real momentum.
Austrian Marcel Neulinger, Lithuanian Markas Buteikis, and Italian Sebastian Dallapiccola all secured top-10 finishes in Junior ERC, adding to the sense that Lancia's Rally4 programme is building depth across the junior ranks. Francesco Dei Ceci and co-driver Danilo Fappani narrowly missed the top 10 after struggling to unlock the full potential of the Ypsilon Rally4 HF on the demanding gravel.
Where Lancia Corse HF Stands in the Championship
Following the Royal Rally of Scandinavia, the team picture looks like this:
- Lancia Corse HF sits eighth in the Teams' Championship with 22 points
- Andrea Mabellini is ninth overall on 20 points
- Tommaso Sandrin leads ERC4 with 39 points
- Davide Pesavento is third in Junior ERC on 21 points
- Sandrin sits sixth in Junior ERC on 15 points
The season is still very much in its early stages, and the gap between Sandrin and the ERC4 chasing pack gives the team genuine reason for optimism heading into the second half of the year.
What to Watch Next: Roma Awaits
Q: When is the next FIA ERC round? A: The Rally di Roma Capitale takes place from 3 to 5 July in Italy.
Q: Will Mabellini and Lenzi be back? A: The source confirms they retired in Scandinavia but does not indicate any changes to the crew lineup for Roma.
Q: Why does the ERC4 championship lead matter for Lancia? A: ERC4 is the headline class for Rally4-specification cars, making Sandrin's lead a direct measure of how the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF performs against its rivals across Europe — strong validation for the programme.
The FIA ERC now heads south for warmer tarmac, and Lancia Corse HF will be hoping the switch from Swedish gravel to Italian asphalt brings better fortune for its leading Rally2 crew. Keep an eye on Pesavento and Sandrin — both are quietly building the kind of points tallies that could make the rest of the season very interesting.