Ken Torn captures European ERC3 throne
Ken Torn and co-driver Kauri Pannas (Ford) were awarded with first place in the final round of the ERC3 and ERC3 Junior season after the initial winners were disqualified. With the win, the pair of Estonian rally drivers concluded their season with the European championship.
The final round of the European Rally Championship (ERC) season saw eight speed stages and 102.1 km worth of slick asphalt on the Canary Islands. Torn - Pannas started the second day of competition from third in the rankings, 51.8 seconds behind first place.
The Estonian pair navigated the wet conditions to a third-place finish in the opening stage, which they improved upon by taking the next stage. The rain did lead Torn to take the car off the road, but with help from spectators nearby, the car was pushed back on the road.
After a service break, the revised rally repeated the initial stages, during which Torn - Pannas spun their car out and lost by 34.2 seconds to the leaders.
The remaining stages however showed why the Estonians are champions of Europe. Torn - Pannas took three consecutive stages and finished second in the final round of the ERC season. After the competition however, it was determined that Josep Bassas Mas – Axel Coronado Jimenez, the initial winners of the series, used outside help when cooling their engine during the service break, leading to the pair being disqualified.
The Estonians won three of the five ERC rounds in 2020, finishing second in the remaining two. In total, Torn and Pannas nabbed 181 points, second-place Spanish pair Bassas Mas and Axel Jimenez collectd 155.
In addition to the two series wins, the Estonians also claim the top prize of the ERC: participation in two ERC rounds in the 2021 season with a Škoda Fabia Rally2 car provided by Motorsport Italia.
"The Canary Islands were very instructive, some lessons are just more difficult than others. We have to be satisfied with the season and the result was super, we gained a lot. We would not be doing this without our supporters, who have earned the title as much as we have. We would not be here without you," Torn said post-race.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste