The ERC24 poll, set up to find the ‘2012 European Rallycross Championship Overall Rookie’, is over after no less than 6,324 votes had been placed on our six candidates, resulting in yet another win for Swede Anton Marklund.
The crew of ERC24 had pre-selected a total of six drivers, two from each car class of the 2012 ERC. All six had made an attempt on their first European Rallycross series, to finish within the Top 10 overall standings of their category by competing in a minimum of eight of the ten events. Right from the beginning it was the two Swedish TouringCar campaigners Anton Marklund and Robin Larsson who battled for first place. The Ford Fiesta Mk7 driver having the advantage to have won the 2012 TC title while the Škoda Fabia Mk1 pilot had impressed by winning five of the eight championship rounds he had attended. As his car had not been ready in time the son of double ERC winner Lars “Stinsen” Larsson missed out the first two rounds, Great Britain and France, a handicap that eventually did enough to cast a shadow over his entire season.
However, it seems that during the last 48 hours of our poll the “Russian Bear” woke up from hibernation. The sprint of Super1600 driver Vadim Makarov was simply amazing. From 5th place the Škoda Fabia Mk2 campaigner from Russia shot high to become the runner-up to Marklund literally at the eleventh hour.
- The final result of the ‘2012 ERC Overall Rookie’ poll:
- 1. Anton Marklund (Sweden) Ford Fiesta Mk7 driver in TouringCars – 1,849 votes = 29%
- 2. Vadim Makarov (Russia) Škoda Fabia Mk2 driver in Super1600s – 1,608 votes = 25%
- 3. Robin Larsson (Sweden) Škoda Fabia Mk1 driver in TouringCars – 1,132 votes = 18%
- 4. Alexander Hvaal (Norway) Citroën C4 in SuperCars – 787 votes = 12%
- 5. Peter Hedström (Sweden) Škoda Fabia Mk2 in SuperCars – 782 votes = 12%
- 6. Eric Färén (Sweden) Citroën C2 in Super1600s – 166 votes = 4%
Find the poll here: http://erc24.com/archives/8993
By the way, our next poll is already in the making. It should bring back some memories on the events of last year’s Global RallyCross Championship in the United States. Stay tuned!
Photo: They had all under control, till eventually being “divorced” by Vadim Makarov: The Swedish TouringCar couple Robin Larsson (left) and Anton Marklund. © JKR/ERC24