Simone Tempestini is no longer the “king” of the rallies. Andrei Gîrtofan has imposed it in Harghita's rally
Andrei Gîrtofan was the fastest from the Harghita Rally, the first stage of season 2025, and checked the second general success in his career, taking advantage of the technical problems that the main favorite, Simone Tempestini.
Simone Tempestini, in free fall
After leading from the first kilometers of the rally that opened the season in Winner Rally, Tempestini kept his leader position until the 8th special test, when the competition car made two rubber feathers, so until he returned to the service he lost no less than 50 seconds.
“If two years ago I did not reach Finiș, and last year I went to the Super Rally system, this time I can consider myself lucky that I could reach the service park to change the tires and to rank the second. I can already say that it is a victory in this context, although obviously we wanted to be the first at the end“Tempestini said immediately after the premiere ceremony.
His colleague from Napoca Rally Academy, Norbert Maior, also a title for the title was not as lucky, and on the same test with the number 8 he had to abandon from the position of occupant 3 in the general standings.
With a new co-pilot, in the person of Tudor Mârza, Andrei Gîrtofan took advantage of these situations and awarded his victory in the first stage of the season. On a model Skoda Fabia Rally2, Gîrtofan Jr ended the rally in 1: 08: 39.1, 41.1 seconds faster than Tempestini, and a minute and 19.6 seconds in front of Sebastian Barbu, the one who completed the podium.
“It was a victory worked for us, we are happy, but we remain realistic because the road is long, the championship has just started and we know it will not be easy. Not only Simone is in the top, but Norbert can hope for the title, Sebi Barbu has returned, it is important that we will play the chance ”said Andrei Gîrtofan.
In the top 10 at Harghita's rally, Matteo Bernini (Italy), Mihai Manole, Bogdan Cuzma, Adrian Teslovan, Refik Bozkurt (Turkey), Costel Cășuneanu and Reis Suliman were also ranked. The next stage of Winner Rally will take place on May 24-25 in Maramureș.
