Round 5, Turkey

European Rally Championship

Turkey's oldest international motorsports event which has 38 years of history, will take place between 23-25 July 2010 in Istanbul, under its name of Bosphorus Rally. Route of the rally will once again be consisting of smooth & fast gravel roads of Istanbul's Asian side and its neighbour city Kocaeli.

2010 event will be counting for European Rally Championship and Turkish Rally Championship. Pendik Bazaar Area, next to the coast road, will be served as Service Park. In this year’s event Rally HQ will be brand new 5 star hotel of Green Park Pendik, besides Service Park, which was also used in our WRC event.

2009 Event

Turkey's oldest event was organized on all gravel stages around Istanbul and Kocaeli roads. The rally was counting for three different championships: FIA ERC, national and historic championships. Following Friday evening's ceremonial start in marina of Fenerbahce, competitors tackled 15 special stages. There was a breath-taking competition between two Peugeot 207 S2000 drivers, Luca Betti and Michal Solowow, during two days of the event.

Italian driver Luca Betti had an early lead and finished the first day 3.8 seconds ahead of Michal Solowow. On the second day, after SS12 there was only 0.1 second between these two, while young Turkish driver Yagiz Avci was following the leaders in distant third. This incredible fight came to an end when Betti rolled over and retired on SS13. Thus, Michal Solowow of Poland scored his first ever European Championship victory in Istanbul.

Local hero Yagiz Avci, claimed second position on the wheel of Lancer Evo IX, while Daghan Ünlüdogan, driving very same car, finished third. 21 crews reached finish ceremony of the rally, which was covering total of 705 kilometers.

2010 Route

The Organising Committee is planning to start the event on Bagdat Street, a popular venue, on Friday. Following Friday's short loop of 2 stages, on Saturday and Sunday, drivers will head to demanding, fast and smooth surfaced gravel stages of both Istanbul and Kocaeli to challenge for the victory. Most of the stages were used in our WRC event earlier in the year and were praised by the drivers.

We are ready to help foreign drivers or guests for custom procedures and reasonable priced accommodation facilities. Let's meet in wonderful Istanbul and feel the adrenaline of ERC!