Seconds Decide Rally Aegean
The 2015 Turkish Rally Championship got under way with Aegean Rally, organised by the Aegean Automobile Sports Club, abbreviated EOSK, in Izmir on 11-12 April. Sponsored by Forum Bornova and Ramada Encore, and supported by Atarlar Petrol, İzmir Park Ülkü Yarış Pisti, Ströer Kentvizyon, AVIS and Haan Gayrimenkul, the season opener attracted a total of 45 crews across the national, historic and local categories.
Rally Aegean produced a fierce battle from start to finish over the two days, with Castrol Ford Team Türkiye's Murat Bostancı-Onur Vatansever taking victory, 3.1 seconds ahead of Neo Motorspor drivers Yağız Avcı-Bahadır Gücenmez. Burak Çukurova-Ünal Tezel, competing as privateers this season, completed the overall podium in third, and 39 crews made it to the finish podium in front of the Ramada Encore Hotel.
In the rally's 25th edition, Castrol Ford Team Türkiye's Buğra Banaz-Burak Erdener won the 2WD and Juniors classes as well as Class 4, while Erkan Güral-Aras Dinçer won Class N for the Deltasport team in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX. Ali Gülan-Ahmet Yörük took Class 3 in a Renault Clio R3 at the season opener, with Burcu Çetinkaya of the Deltasport team, returning to the stages after a short break, winning the Ladies' driver title, and Nehir Yılmaz, competing alongside Hakkı Ağaoğlu, claiming the Ladies' co-driver title.
In the historic class, open this season under a rule change to rally cars over 30 years old and running first on the road, Finnish crew Hannu Pulkkinen-Juha Rahkonen of Bonus Unifree Parkur Racing led the way. The guest crew, competing on a Turkish licence this season, were followed by their team-mates Burak Türkkan-Özden Yılmaz in a Ford Escort MK2, while third place went to the category's youngest crew, Emre Hasbay-Saipcan Hasbay, who competed for Deltasport in a Murat 131...
Ayhan Germirli-Mustafa Nazik won the local class in a Renault Clio Sport, with Murat Soyçopur-Can Hergüner second in a Fiat Punto S1600 and Mehmet Canseven-Cihat Sapmaz third in a Rover 216 GTI.
