Simone Campedelli joins Team MRF Tyres for 2021 ERC
3 March 2021: Team MRF Tyres welcomes Italian ace Simone Campedelli to the team for the 2021 season. Campedelli will take the gravel rounds for the 2021 FIA European Rally Championship (FIA ERC).
Campedelli has made a name for himself on the Italian stages, taking four titles in his career including the Italian 2WD Championship, Italian Junior, Italian Tarmac and the Italian Gravel Trophy. His 2020 saw him take a win and two-second places in the Italian Gravel Rally Championship.
The natural step is into the FIA ERC and Campedelli will compete at the front of the field in a VW Polo R5.
He joins Team MRF Tyres on the back of Italian legend Paolo Andreucci, with both drivers bringing vast experience and knowledge to the team
Campedelli will start his ERC at Azores Rally in Portugal in May. Rally Poland and Rally Liepaja in June and July follows before the final gravel event in Portugal take place in September with the Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras. If all goes well may be few ERC Tarmac rounds on the cards.
The pace and potential were shown in 2020 will be built on with Campedelli, who will be out to gain valuable data for the next generation of MRF Tyres.
MRF Tyres has a strong and reliable customer product and is committed to developing the range of tyres that can be used in rally competition across the globe.
Further announcements for the 2021 campaigns will be made in due course. The next outing for Team MRF Tyres will be the SM OK Auto Ralli, the second round of the Finnish Rally Championship with Lindholm/Korhonen on 5-6 March.
Quotes
Simone Campedelli, Driver, Team MRF Tyres
“I am really looking forward to this year. I am part of a big team with big ambitions this year. I will use my experience to test and to try to get the best results possible for Team MRF Tyres. I know that they are looking to me to help develop the tyres as well. This is a big responsibility.”
“It is a big opportunity to rally outside of Italy and contest the ERC rounds this year. Team MRF Tyres showed that they have the pace and they are committed to improving their product and I am excited about these challenges.”
“Having a manufacturer like MRF Tyres in rallying is very important in Europe. They are a big company and are committed to motorsport. I am proud to be able to join them and I look forward to working with the team. I would also like to thank my long-time supporters, ORANGE1. Their continued support has allowed me to make this move to the ERC.”
Mr. Arun Mammen (MRF Tyres Vice-Chairman & Managing Director)
“We at MRF Tyres are proud of our commitment to motorsport and our rally activities in Europe are a part of this. As the first Indian manufacturer to join the European Rally Championship in 2020, we proved how competitive we are and that we are dedicated to always improving our products.”
“I am pleased to be able to welcome Simone Campedelli to Team MRF Tyres. He joins a very skilled and dedicated team and I am sure everyone at MRF Tyres will follow him and be eager for success. I am proud to see MRF Tyres commitment to the European Rally Championship.”
“Welcome to the MRF family, Simone and best of luck for the 2021 season.”
About MRF Tyres
MRF Tyres was established in 1946 and now employs over 16,000 people and has revenue of around US$2.5 billion making it the biggest tyre supplier in India. MRF Tyres supplies rally and race tyres around the world. MRF Tyres entered the European Rally Championship for the first time in 2020 taking stage wins and took a podium position in the team’s first snow rally in the Finnish Rally Championship. It is part of a long motorsport heritage for the company that has seen multiple Asia Pacific Rally Championship titles, open wheeler success, national rally and racing success.
About the European Rally Championship:
The FIA European Rally Championship, established in 1953 is one of the oldest and most prestigious rally championships in the world. Crews rally across eight rounds from March to November with four tarmac and four gravel events.
The 2020 ERC calendar is as follows:
Round 1 – Azores Rallye (6 – 8 May)
Round 2 – Rajd Polski – Rally Poland (18-20 June)
Round 3 – Rally Liepāja (1-3 July)
Round 4 – Rally di Roma Capitale (23-25 July)
Round 5 – Barum Czech Rally Zlín (27-29 August)
Round 6 – Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras (23-25 September)
Round 7 – Rally Hungary (22-24 October)
Round 8 – Rally Islas Canarias (18-20 November)
