Russian driver Alexey Lukyanuk has secured victory on CNP ASFALISTIKI Cyprus Rally, the final round of the 2016 FIA European Rally Championship and in doing so secures the runners up spot in the championship. The Ford Fiesta R5 drier led from the start and won all three stages on the final day on the way to victory. He capped the event off with the fastest time on the Love Cyprus Golden Stage, therefore winning 25,000 euros pledged by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation in addition to the 7,000 euros he will receive from Eurosport Events for winning the rally.
Reflecting on his season Lukyanuk was happy with his overall performance. “We showed really good speed on different surfaces and in different conditions.” said the Russian, “Okay we had small problems and small mistakes that led to really big fails so of course I have to think to the future. But at the same time I don’t have to blame myself too much because to be at this speed it takes some risks and sometimes you have to take it and so far I think it’s okay.”
The stand out driver of the rally has to be Marijan Griebel, the German held off the recovering Ralfs Sirmacis to secure second place on his debut in the top category of the ERC. Sirmacis’ chances of victory went out the window with a cautious approach to the first leg but the Latvian never slipped out of the top four int terms of pace from Saturday on.
Cypriot Christos Demosthenous clinched victory in ERC2, his third successive victory in the showroom category on his home event as well as securing fourth place. Murat Bostanci won the ERC 3 class while Chris Ingram had done enough from the previous round in Latvia to clinch the ERC3 title.
