Miko Marczyk crowned himself 2025 European Rally champion with third place at Croatia Rally
Photography by Red Bull
Words by Luke Barry
The 2025 European Rally Championship went down to the wire in Croatia, but it was Miko Marczyk who prospered to become the new European Rally champion.
Locked in a fierce fight with fellow Škoda driver Andrea Mabellini, the Pole and the Italian were the favorites for success – with M-Sport’s Irishman Jon Armstrong seen as the rank outsider.
Yet Armstrong very nearly snatched the crown from under the nose of Marczyk – leading the rally from start to finish and winning his second ERC event in a row, becoming the first driver to do that in over two years.
To stand any chance of claiming the European title, Armstrong needed to win the rally and the powerstage, and hope Marczyk placed seventh or lower. Marczyk won Friday’s qualifying test to make that look an absurd possibility, but an overshoot and too cautious an approach left him a perilous sixth after Saturday’s competitive action.
Armstrong meanwhile was holding his end of the bargain – fastest on all but one of the day’s six stages (due to a puncture on SS4), he went to bed with a 27.3-second advantage over Robert Virves.
Armstrong won his second ERC event in a row for M-Sport - but it wasn't enough
Mabellini however was no longer a factor. In hindsight a small mistake in qualifying was an omen for his weekend – an accident from fifth place on the first stage of the afternoon damaging his Fabia RS beyond repair and ending his championship dreams in the process.
“We were trying to keep the pace high and we had a small mistake, lost the back of the car and suddenly hit a bank with a rock inside and we had to stop and retire,” Mabellini explained.
“It’s not the ideal finish of our championship but we must be proud of what we showed everybody through this championship because it was so important for us to be here with a different package, Pirelli tires and The Racing Factory, and show that we are able to be at the fight at the top of the championship.”
One leg down and one contender eliminated, four stages and two potential champions remained. A dramatic change in the weather only heightened the drama.
A tense final day with adverse conditions could have been where Marczyk lost the championship, but instead he won it. A stage win on SS7, coupled to a poor run for Norbert Maior (Citroën) and Mille Johansson (Škoda) who slid off and got stuck, vaulted him up to a much safer fourth place after SS7.
Marczyk weathered the storm to realize his dream
A mistake from Virves on the next stage then left the door gaping for Marczyk who gladly accepted the gift and moved into third position.
Armstrong could do no more. A dominant win and top powerstage points applied the pressure but Marczyk resisted to become the first Pole since Kajetan Kajetanowicz (2015-17) to win the European Rally Championship alongside co-driver Szymon Gospodarczyk.
“I don’t know what to say,” Marczyk said. “It was quite a lot of emotions and it’s important to trust in the process, because it’s probably my biggest dream in my sporting life.
“There are three Polish guys who are European champions and to be in a group with them is really special. I just say thanks to those who have been with us for several years. Yesterday I was not in the proper driving but today we were more in control and a big dream has happened.”
Armstrong was delighted to have won rather than disappointed by missing the title.
“What an event,” he said. “To be fastest yesterday and today to control it in treacherous conditions, fastest on the powerstage as well, we couldn’t do much more.”
Competing with his fourth co-driver (Lorcan Moore) in six ERC events, Mads Østberg celebrated his 300th rally start by finishing second, 45.7s behind Armstrong, while WRC2 pilots Romet Jürgenson, Virves and Lauri Joona completed the top-six.
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: Croatia Rally, Croatia Rally 2025, ERC, ERC 2025, Jon Armstrong, Miko Marczyk
Publish Date October 5, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/10/RSZEnACh-SI202510050697-780x520.jpg October 5, 2025
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