The 2025 edition of Rally Hungary delivered everything the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) promised—and more. Brutal gravel stages, tyre-shredding surfaces, and a war of attrition that claimed some of the biggest names in the series. But at the end of three punishing days around Veszprém, it was Finland’s Roope Korhonen who stood tallest, taking his maiden ERC victory in sensational style.
A dream debut for Korhonen
Korhonen, already a WRC3 world champion and reigning Finnish champion, arrived in Hungary as one to watch—but few expected him to conquer the ERC elite on debut. Co-driven by Anssi Viinikka, the young Finn kept his cool through the treacherous Hungarian terrain, piloting his Team MRF Tyres Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 with the precision of a seasoned veteran.
Trailing overnight leader Andrea Mabellini by 10.6 seconds after Saturday’s leg, Korhonen launched a relentless attack on Sunday morning, winning three stages on the bounce. But a costly 10-second penalty for clipping a chicane in Stage 10 seemed to have stalled his charge. Yet rallying can be cruel and unpredictable—something Hungary proved in spades.
Drama strikes for Mabellini, Tempestini out of luck
Mabellini, pushing hard to fend off Korhonen, fell victim to the very same brutal conditions that define Rally Hungary. A puncture followed by suspension damage on Stage 11 ended the Italian’s hopes in heartbreaking fashion, promoting Korhonen to the rally lead.
Meanwhile, 2024 Rally Hungary winner Simone Tempestini endured a weekend to forget. After topping the timesheets on Friday’s Super Special stage, his rally unravelled with tyre troubles and a broken steering arm, forcing his early retirement. The Romanian’s bid for back-to-back victories was over almost as soon as it began.
Østberg, Marczyk complete the podium
Veteran campaigner Mads Østberg capitalised on the chaos to bring his Michelin-equipped Citroën C3 Rally2 home in second place. Though he couldn’t match Korhonen’s relentless pace, Østberg’s experience and mechanical sympathy proved invaluable over Hungary’s harsh gravel tracks.
The battle for third was an edge-of-the-seat affair, with Miko Marczyk in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 falling just 1.3 seconds short of Østberg at the finish. Marczyk’s strong podium result reinforces his status as a serious title contender in 2025.
Standout drives and local heroes
Swedish rising star Isak Reiersen battled through tyre issues to secure a solid fourth place, while Hungary’s own Gábor Német emerged as the top local finisher in fifth, much to the delight of the home crowd.
In the Master ERC category, rallying stalwart Sasa Ollé edged out former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, who impressed once again with a composed drive to eighth overall. Verstappen’s adaptation to gravel continues to impress, with Hungary marking only his second outing on the surface.
Elsewhere, Jon Armstrong recovered from a disastrous Saturday—where he was forced to change two wheels—to claw back into the top ten, finishing ninth overall.
Hungary’s gravel: As unforgiving as ever
As predicted, Rally Hungary’s military-grade gravel stages lived up to their reputation. Fast and flowing in places, but littered with rocks, crests, and tyre-shredding bedrock, the stages around Veszprém demanded the perfect blend of aggression and caution.
The sheer attrition rate was testament to the rally’s difficulty, with numerous crews suffering punctures, mechanical failures, and off-road excursions.
Korhonen’s victory: A statement of intent
For Roope Korhonen, this wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. To beat a field stacked with ERC veterans on debut, under relentless pressure and through gruelling conditions, is the mark of a future champion. His composed reaction post-rally said it all:
“It was an incredibly tough rally. The stages were rough, but we kept pushing, stayed calm, and the result is amazing. Big thanks to the team and to Anssi. I’m very proud.”
With momentum now firmly on his side, the question isn’t whether Korhonen will win again—it’s how soon.
Looking ahead
The ERC heads deeper into its gravel triple-header, but Rally Hungary will be remembered as the moment a new star announced his arrival. For the rest of the ERC grid, the bar has been set high.
Overall Rally Hungary Results
- Roope Korhonen / Anssi Viinikka (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) – 1h 50m 30.7s
- Mads Østberg / Patrik Barth (Citroën C3 Rally2) + 30.1s
- Miko Marczyk / Szymon Gospodarczyk (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 31.4s
- Isak Reiersen / Stefan Gustavsson (Ford Fiesta Rally2) + 2m 41.5s
- Gábor Német / Gergely Németh (Škoda Fabia Rally2) + 5m 17.6s
- Norbert Maior / Maria Francesca Maior (Citroën C3 Rally2) + 5m 21.9s
- Sasa Ollé / Rebeka Ollé (Škoda Fabia Rally2) + 6m 33.9s
- Tibor Toth / Jozsef Szabo (Škoda Fabia Rally2) + 6m 37.2s
- Jos Verstappen / Renaud Jamoul (Škoda Fabia Rally2) + 7m 00.1s
- Peter Osvath / David Majer (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) + 7m 13.5s
See the event’s full results here.
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