Simon Wagner leads with ET König Rallye - pure excitement in the Murtal!

Simon Wagner leads with ET König Rallye - pure excitement in the Murtal!

Judenburg, Österreich - The Styrian Murtal is today the setting for the exciting ET King Rally 2025. After the course of the SP9, four -time state champion Simon Wagner, who starts with his new Hyundai i20 Rally2, leads the classification. Behind him, Hermann Neubauer in Toyota Yaris Rally2 and the experienced Raimund Baumschlager with his Skoda Fabia Rally2 rank on the other podium. reports of an exciting competition that is far from decided.

in the Orm3 class, Lukas Dirnberger holds the top in front of Fabian Zeiringer, while in the HRM Patrik Gaubinger leads wafer-thin in front of Karl Wagner. After the lunch break, the program is on the program to drive the city course in Judenburg twice. A total of eight exams are planned, four of which have already been completed. In the upper area of ​​the overall classification, around fifth place, it will be exciting where Max Zellhofer in the Suzuki Swift ZMX fights for every point.

A look back at Simon Wagner's career

Simon Wagner has established itself as a fixture in Austrian rallying in recent years. The 31-year-old has won all the important titles in the past four years and is now planning to start the new season with a fresh concept. So reported Nachrichten.at '; ?> From his switch to a new vehicle and team, as well as the new passenger Hanna Ostlender, who replaces the previous co-pilot Gerald Winter.

The first test for the new package will be in Freistadt shortly, but Wagner was able to achieve first place in Croatia in advance and took fifth place in Hungary. With its switch to the Hyundai i20 R5, his career is optimally complemented by this vehicle from January 7th. Despite his impressive balance sheet, the home race at the Jännerrallye remains the only one that he still lacks.

Current challenges and dangers

Despite the curious look at the new developments, Wagner warns of the specific challenges on the city course in Judenburg. "The marginal stones are tricky" - a clever hint for all drivers who have to master the speed and technology of the vehicles. Maximilian Lichtenegger, who was over the entire sixth, unfortunately had to end the competition prematurely due to an accident and will no longer be able to intervene in the evaluation.

Rallying in Austria has a long tradition, as the list of winners has shown since 1966. Simon Wagner currently has the chance to further expand his title as a state champion and to make a name for himself in addition to the national as well as in the Czech championship and selected European championship runs. It remains exciting how the situation will develop in the upcoming exams.

This is how the rallyefans' gaze will be looking forward to the outstanding exams. Many pilots fight for their positions in the back rows, while the top drivers have already convinced with impressive performance.