Historic Ypres Rally Witnesses the Return of Rally Legends, as the Event is Hosted by EHRC
The 2025 Ardeca Ypes Historic Rally, scheduled for June 27-28, promises an exciting spectacle as historic cars take on a challenging specialist road course. This event, the fourth round of the European Historic Rally Championship's Division 1, will showcase a variety of iconic vehicles.
In the competition, Flexifly Rally Team boss Ernie Graham will be driving a Ford Escort 1600 BDA, while his son, Will Graham, will be entered in the family's BMW M3. Local hero Pieter-Jan Maeyaert will aim to set the pace in the BMW M3, but he will be competing in Category 4 this weekend due to a costly engine failure in Round 2.
Gino Bux, a fast local driver, will be one to watch in his Ford Escort. Other notable participants include Tim Jones, who will drive a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, and Mark Higgins, a former British Rally Champion, factory driver, and James Bond stunt driver, who will compete as the platform's Wildcard entry in a TR7 V8.
James Calvert and James O'Brien have been consistent in their VW 1303s this season, and Antonio Parisi, the championship veteran and leader in Category 1, will undoubtedly be a force to reckon with.
Seb Perez will be chasing Latvala in a Lancia Stratos HF, but the lineup and specific entrants for the Stratos HF in the European Historic Rally Championship (EHRC) Category 2 at the Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally have not been published or disclosed. Similarly, the Porsche 911 lineup in EHRC Category 2 remains a mystery.
Jari-Matti Latvala and Janni Hussi will lead the EHRC field in the Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally, driving a Toyota Gazoo Racing-supported Toyota Celica GT4. Former WRC driver and Belgian rally legend Bruno Thiry will also compete in the rally with a Subaru Impreza 555.
Richard Kolle, a Category 4 contender, is switching from Porsche power to a new MATS Racing BMW M3 this weekend. Meanwhile, Richard Jordan, Jesús Ferreiro Pérez, and Javier Anido are expected to have interesting battles in Category 3, with the Spaniards having taken three wins from three so far this season.
Eric Guignard will compete in the Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally with a Renault 5 Turbo Cévennes. The tarmac roads of the Flanders region have enjoyed dry and sunny weather, which may give an advantage to two-wheel-drive crews. Maciej Lubiak will be seeking to impress in his Category 2 Porsche 911, but it remains to be seen if he can take the fight to Seb Perez's Stratos.
The Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally typically attracts a mix of local and international historic rally teams, but specific competition involving the iconic models Lancia Stratos HF or Porsche 911 in Category 2 of the EHRC is not detailed in the current official information.
[1] European Historic Rally Championship Official Website [2] Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally Official Website [3] Latvala's Official Website
At the Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally, fans can expect an exciting blend of historic cars, including those driven by Flexifly Rally Team's Ernie Graham in a Ford Escort 1600 BDA and his son Will Graham in a BMW M3. [2] The event will also feature significant sports action in the European Historic Rally Championship (EHRC), where various iconic vehicles will be showcased. [1]
