Eyvind Brynildsen is a first-time winner in the FIA European Rally Championship after he came out on top of a thrilling battle for BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia glory on Saturday.
Armed with a Pirelli-equipped Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Brynildsen triumphed by 4.9sec from Finn Roope Korhonen – the winner of the last round in Hungary – in an MRF-shod Yaris. Korhonen won the final Power Stage to snatch second away from local hero Isak Reiersen, who had been locked in an intense fight with Brynildsen throughout the weekend.
"It is amazing. It has been such a hard battle and it took a lot of energy," said 37-year-old Brynildsen. "It is a big effort from both of us [co-driver Jørn Listerud] and I'm so relieved. The last few kilometres were a real struggle. I'm a boy from next door [Norway] and I drive a rally car every half year, it is something special."
Brynildsen, who hadn't rallied since January excelled on the high-speed gravel stages, starting Saturday's deciding leg with a narrow advantage of 5.1sec over Reiersen.
With Reiersen, a 21-year-old car mechanic from Karlstad – the event's home city – going fastest on two of Saturday's four stages, Brynildsen's lead was a slender 3.8sec heading into the rally's final four runs.
And his advantage was trimmed to 2.8sec after Reiersen outpaced him by 1.0sec through the first pass of the 20.06-kilometre Royal Forest test.
Having saved a fresh set of Pirelli tyres for the closing loop, Brynildsen responded with the fastest time through SS15 despite a two-wheeled moment on the same left-hand corner where Reiersen also went up onto two wheels.
By completing the penultimate stage 7.0sec in front, Brynildsen maintained his lead through the Power Stage. Reiersen was unable to fend off Korhonen on the Power Stage and had to settle for third behind the Finn, who won last time out in Hungary. It also propels Korhonen into to[ spot in the overall championship standings.
Behind, Pirelli-shod Andrea Mabellini demoted Frank Tore Larsen to fourth on the penultimate stage to bank 23 points in his pursuit of the ERC title. Mabellini was second fastest on the Power Stage behind Korhonen, while Jon Armstrong, Larsen and Brynildsen mopped up the remaining bonus points.
Larsen finished fifth with reigning Junior ERC champion Mille Johansson impressing on his way to sixth place ahead of Miko Marczyk. The Michelin-equipped Pole heads to his home round of the ERC next month, having dropped to second in the championship standings, three points behind new leader Korhonen.
After tyre damage dropped him out of the victory fight on Friday's penultimate stage Mads Østberg finished eighth with new co-driver Lucas Karlsson, who is back competing again after undergoing heart surgery last year.
Simone Tempestini managed his first ERC finish of the season in ninth with Armstrong fighting back to 10th after tyre damage ruled out another strong finish from the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver.
ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland is next up in the FIA European Rally Championship from 13 - 15 July, the third and final gravel event of the 2025 ERC season.
FINAL STANDINGS:
- E. Brynildsen / J Listerud NOR Toyota GR Yaris 1h 33m 40.8s
- R Korhonen / A Viinikka FIN Toyota GR Yaris +4.9s
- I Reiersen / S Gustavsson SWE Škoda Fabia RS +9.6s
- A Mabellini / V Lenzi ITA Škoda Fabia RS +22.0s
- F Tore Larsen / L Lundgreen NOR Volkswagen Polo GTi +25.2s
- M Johansson / J Grönvall SWE Škoda Fabia RS +50.3s ...
