News & Articles FIA European Historic Rally Championship 2025: The season so far!
PEMA Historic Acropolis Rally marks the seventh round of the FIA European Historic Rally Championship. Six events have already taken place—most of them on asphalt—with this year’s calendar featuring a total of ten rallies.
Adding a fresh dynamic to the championship is none other than Jari-Matti Latvala, former WRC works driver and now team principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT. While the Finnish star has the speed, reliability has been an issue: on more than one occasion, his black Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD has failed him, keeping the title race wide open and giving several drivers realistic hopes of clinching the crown.
Here’s a look back at the season so far, just days before Greece hosts PEMA Historic Acropolis Rally.
Round 1 – Rally Costa Brava | Spain | March 13–15
The season began in mid-March with the traditional Rally Costa Brava in Girona. Latvala and co-driver Jani Hussi (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD ST185) dominated, taking a comfortable victory ahead of French duo Romain Dumas / Mathieu Tyran (Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0). Swiss pairing Pascal Perroud / Loic Dumont (BMW M3 E30) completed the podium.
Overall Results
-
Jari-Matti Latvala / Jani Hussi – Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD ST185
-
Romain Dumas / Mathieu Tyran – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Pascal Perroud / Loic Dumont – BMW M3 E30
Category Winners
-
Cat. 1: Antonio Parisi / Giuseppe D’Angelo – Porsche 911 S 2.0
-
Cat. 2: Romain Dumas / Mathieu Tyran – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Cat. 3: Jesus Ferreiro / Javier Anido – Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII
-
Cat. 4: Jari-Matti Latvala / Jani Hussi – Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD ST185
Round 2 – Historic Vltava Rallye | Czech Republic | April 26–27
The second round in the Czech Republic brought another victory for Jari Matti Latvala, this time alongside co-driver Tuukka Shemeikka. Driving the Celica ST185, the Finn again proved untouchable. 2024 European champions Tibor Erdi jnr / Istvan Kerek (Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4) finished second, while Irish duo Donagh Kelly / Rory Kennedy (BMW M3 E30) secured third among registered EHRC registered crews.
Overall Results
-
Jari-Matti Latvala / Tuukka Shemeikka – Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD ST185
-
Tibor Erdi jnr / Istvan Kerek – Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4
-
Donagh Kelly / Rory Kennedy – BMW M3 E30
Category Winners
-
Cat. 1: Antonio Parisi / Giuseppe D’Angelo – Porsche 911 S 2.0
-
Cat. 2: Bernard Metivier / Fabrice Garin – Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI
-
Cat. 3: Jesus Ferreiro / Javier Anido – Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII
-
Cat. 4: Jari-Matti Latvala / Tuukka Shemeikka – Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD ST185
Round 3 – Rallye d’Antibes Côte d’Azur Historic | France | May 16–17
The French Riviera hosted the championship for the first time. Jari-Matti Latvala and Jani Hussi seemed destined for another win, but an electrical failure struck their Toyota on the final stage, forcing retirement. Instead, 26-year-old Frenchman Tom Pieri, with Marine Lacruz co-driving a BMW M3 E30, scored a surprise victory. Italian champions Angelo Lombardo / Roberto Consiglio (Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0) finished second, with Poland’s Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski (Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0) in third.
Overall Results
-
Tom Pieri / Marine Lacruz – BMW M3 E30
-
Angelo Lombardo / Roberto Consiglio – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
Category Winners
-
Cat. 1: Antonio Parisi / Giuseppe D’Angelo – Porsche 911 S 2.0
-
Cat. 2: Angelo Lombardo / Roberto Consiglio – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Cat. 3: Jesus Ferreiro / Javier Anido – Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII
-
Cat. 4: Tom Pieri / Marine Lacruz – BMW M3 E30
Round 4 – Ypres Historic Rally | Belgium | June 27–28
After a five-year absence, Ypres returned to the international stage. Latvala once again led comfortably, building a gap of over 90 seconds—until mechanical trouble ended his rally just three stages from the finish. Victory went to local heroes Pieter Jan Maeyaert / Yves Dewulf (BMW M3 E30). Hungarian crew Tibor Erdi jnr / Istvan Kerek (Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4) took second, while Lubiak / Dachowski finished third and collected crucial points.
Overall Results
-
Pieter Jan Maeyaert / Yves Dewulf – BMW M3 E30
-
Tibor Erdi jnr / Istvan Kerek – Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4
-
Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
Category Winners
-
Cat. 1: Antonio Parisi / Giuseppe D’Angelo – Porsche 911 S 2.0
-
Cat. 2: Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Cat. 3: Mark Higgins / Carl Williamson – Triumph TR7 V8
-
Cat. 4: Pieter Jan Maeyaert / Yves Dewulf – BMW M3 E30
Round 5 – Rallye Weiz Historic | Austria | July 17–19
Austria produced a thriller. Local crew Karl Wagner / Gerda Zauner (Porsche 911 SC) snatched victory after a rollercoaster battle. Early leaders Tibor Erdi jnr / Istvan Kerek retired with mechanical issues, allowing Swedes Tobias Johansson / Johan Strandberg (Audi Quattro A2) into the lead—only for a puncture to drop them back. Wagner / Zauner retook control but faced heavy pressure from Lubiak / Dachowski, with just one second separating them before the final stage. The Austrians held on, while Britain’s Will Graham / Matt Edwards (BMW M3 E30) claimed third. Latvala did not take part.
Overall Results
-
Karl Wagner / Gerda Zauner – Porsche 911 SC
-
Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Will Graham / Matt Edwards – BMW M3 E30
Category Winners
-
Cat. 1: Oldřich Kovařík st. / Jakub Kopanicak – Skoda Octavia TS
-
Cat. 2: Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Cat. 3: Karl Wagner / Gerda Zauner – Porsche 911 SC
-
Cat. 4: Will Graham / Matt Edwards – BMW M3 E30
Round 6 – Lahti Historic Rally | Finland | August 15–16
The fast gravel roads of Finland hosted round six—one of only two gravel rallies alongside the Acropolis. Latvala’s bad luck continued on home soil: his Celica’s engine failed, forcing another retirement while leading. Victory went to Seb Perez / Dale Bowen (Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0), followed by Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski once again on the podium in second. Will Graham / Matt Edwards took third with their BMW M3 E30.
Overall Results
-
Seb Perez / Dale Bowen – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Will Graham / Matt Edwards – BMW M3 E30
Category Winners
-
Cat. 1: –
-
Cat. 2: Seb Perez / Dale Bowen – Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
-
Cat. 3: Siegfried Mayr / Renate Mayr – Volvo 244 GL
-
Cat. 4: Will Graham / Matt Edwards – BMW M3 E30
The Championship Battle
At the top of the standings, Poland’s Maciej Lubiak / Grzegorz Dachowski lead the way with 111 points—remarkably without a single victory, but with four podiums proving the value of consistency. Just seven points behind is Britain’s Will Graham, while Latvala sits third thanks to his two early-season wins.
Further back, Jesus Ferreiro, Bernard Metivier, Tibor Erdi jnr, and Seb Perez remain in contention, with the title fight expected to go down to the wire. Importantly, only the six best results of each driver will count toward the final standings.
Class Leaders
-
Category 1 (cars up to 1969): Italy’s Giuseppe D’Angelo is unchallenged after four wins in four starts.
-
Category 2 (cars up to 1975): Lubiak dominates with four straight victories.
-
Category 3 (cars up to 1981): Spain’s Jesus Ferreiro remains unbeaten.
-
Category 4 (cars up to 1992): Britain’s Will Graham leads, closely followed by Latvala and Italy’s Enrico Brazzoli.
All Eyes on Greece
The spotlight now shifts to the legendary Greek gravel stages, as the PEMA Historic Acropolis Rally hosts round seven of the 2025 season. With the title battle wide open and the championship approaching its climax, fans can expect thrilling duels that will keep the excitement at fever pitch.
For updates, news, and official information:
-
Website: www.historicacropolis.gr
-
Digital Notice Board: Sportity App Channel ACR25FIA
-
Facebook: Historic Acropolis Rally
-
Instagram: @historic_acropolis_rally
-
YouTube: PressOffice OMAE
