The FIA European Historic Rally Championship lit up the French Riviera this weekend as the Rallye Antibes Historic returned to the calendar, hosting nearly 40 crews from across Europe. Twisting through the narrow mountain passes of the Côte d’Azur and finishing beside the glittering yachts of Antibes' harbour, the event delivered thrills, heartbreak, and the unforgettable debut win for a young French talent.

Heavy rain on day one created early drama, with tyre strategy proving critical. A number of crews gambled on slick tyres in damp conditions, leading to surprising stage results. Local hero Hervé Guignard delighted the home fans by winning the opening test in his stunning Alpine-Renault A310 1800, taking advantage of the changing grip levels better than many of the front-runners.

EHRC frontrunners Jari-Matti Latvala and co-driver Jani Hussi, winners of the opening two rounds, saw their chances unravel despite showing formidable pace. A poor tyre choice and visibility issues due to a malfunctioning demister and wipers left the Toyota Celica ST185 crew fourth on SS1. However, they bounced back swiftly, winning SS2 and finishing second on SS3.

Latvala came alive on leg two, storming to fastest times on SS4, SS5, SS7, and SS8. Victory seemed certain until disaster struck on the final test. An electrical failure brought the Celica to a halt on SS9, ending the Finn’s hopes of a hat-trick and handing the lead to a young rising star.

That star was Tom Pieri, who seized the moment in style. Making his EHRC debut, the Frenchman showed composure and class all weekend in his BMW M3 E30. After finishing third on the rain-soaked opener, Pieri claimed victory on SS3 and kept the pressure on Latvala throughout leg one. His consistency proved crucial, hovering around the top on every stage. Pieri placed third on SS4 and SS8, and second on SS5 and SS6 before sealing the event with a stage win on the finale. His total time of 1:38:54.7 earned him both the overall win and Category 4 honours, an outstanding achievement on debut. There’s little doubt we’ll see him back for more.

Italy’s Angelo Lombardo took second overall, delivering a measured and tactical performance in his immaculate Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0. A strong tyre call on SS2 brought him the second fastest time, but a mistake on SS3 dropped him down the order. Regrouping on leg two, Lombardo surged back, winning SS6 and the final stage through the scenic Saint-Antonin region. His final time of 1:40:46.4 secured second overall and victory in Category 2.

The final podium spot went to Poland’s Maciej Lubiak and co-driver Grzegorz Dachowski in their Porsche Carrera RS. Slick tyres on the soaked SS1 left them ninth, but they recovered with fifth and fourth on SS2 and SS3. Leg two saw a string of consistent performances, particularly strong on the steep, twisty descents of the Côte d’Azur. Lubiak’s push in the final stages earned him third on SS8 and second on SS9, capping off a well-managed rally. He also took second in Category 2.

There was disappointment for local legend Romain Dumas. The Le Mans legend had been holding a solid third place overall before gearbox failure on SS7 ended his rally prematurely.

French drivers dominated the chase just outside the podium, with Richard Genesca finishing fourth in his Subaru Legacy RS with an impressive time of 1:43:47.8, narrowly ahead of compatriot Tanguy Tallier, whose Porsche Carrera RS crossed the line just over a second behind.

Category Results:

Category 1: Veteran Antonio Parisi took top honours in his Porsche 911 S. Fellow Italian Carlo Fiorito claimed second in his BMW 2002 TI, with Oldřich Kovarik Snr. rounding out the podium in a Škoda Octavia Super.

Category 2: Angelo Lombardo topped the class, with Maciej Lubiak just under a second behind. Tanguy Tallier completed the top three.

Category 3: Spain’s Jesús Ferreiro Pérez and Javier Anido Vázquez again proved unbeatable in their Ford Escort RS1800. Home driver Éric Guignard took second in his Renault 5 Turbo, with the UK’s Tim Metcalfe finishing third.

Category 4: Event winner Tom Pieri also took the category win, ahead of Richard Genesca, with Alan Ring rounding out the top three in his BMW M3.

P2000 Class: Dutch pairing Arnold van der Smeede and Patricia Berk took top honours in their Ford Escort RS Cosworth after a clean, controlled run.

The EHRC now heads north to Belgium for the Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally. The Belgian classic is famed for its fast, flat farmland stages and unforgiving ditches, offering a stark contrast to the mountainous terrain of Antibes. Crews will need razor-sharp precision and nerves of steel as the 2025 season continues at pace.