Spanish driver Efrén Llarena is set to make his step-up to the ERC1 Junior class in the FIA European Rally Championship this weekend in a Citroën C3 R5 and go up against 10 drivers in a small but very strong field of young competitors.
Reining ERC3 and ERC3 Junior champion Llarena will also be continuing with the same team, Rallye Team Spain as well as staying with co-driver Sara Fernández also. The duo will also be receiving support from the Spanish motorsport governing body, the RFEDA, for their 2020 campaign.
“The feeling with my new Citroën C3 R5 is quite good, we have an optimum set-up after the first test on Tarmac we did with the car. I was a bit worried at the beginning, but, finally, Sara and me adapted ourselves really well to a 4WD car with more power than the R2 car we drove in the last years.” Llarena said.
Recently Llarena took the opportunity to test his new machinery with the team, which helped increase his confidence ahead of Rally di Roma Capitale this weekend.
He went on to explain:“The Citroën is really easy to drive. I felt more and more comfortable during the test, increasing my confidence and speed.”
“We are going to give 100 per cent of us in Rally di Roma Capitale. We know it’s going to be difficult, I don’t have already too much kilometres at the wheel of the Citroën C3 R5, but my adaptation process is going really well. I can drive the car exactly how I want, so the plan is to be as brave and fast as I can.”
The Rallye Team Spain will also be fielding a brand-new Peugeot 208 Rally4 for Pep Bassas in the ERC3 Junior class as he won the Beca R2 Júnior title last season. In 2017 Llarena also received the same award when he claimed the title.
