Two of rallying’s most promising young talents, russian Vasily Gryazin, who mastered his driving skills in Latvia and is driving with Latvian license, and french rising star Stéphane Lefebvre, have announced plans to contest next year’s FIA European Rally Championship (ERC).

Vasily Gryazin, Rallye International du Valais 2013 (photo. ERC)

Gryazin hopes to take part on all 12 rounds in a Ford Fiesta S2000, while Lefebvre is trying to raise the budget to compete in a new-generation Peugeot 208 T16, which is being built to the exciting R5 regulations.

“I will do all European championship in the S2000 and maybe in the following year we will take the R5,” said Gryazin, 19. “On the gravel races I will try to push for podiums but on Tarmac I have no experience so I try to learn.”

Stéphane Lefebvre, Rally Liepāja-Ventspils 2013 (photo. Aigars Tīdmanis, go4speed.lv)

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Lefebvre, one of the frontrunners in the ERC 2WD Championship this season, said: “We would like to remain in the European championship next year but step up to a four-wheel-drive car. We are trying to finance the season in a 208 R5, which will hopefully be my car for next year.”

Both drivers are now in Switzerland for the last round of the ERC season Rallye International du Valais. Gryazin participates with Ford Fiesta S2000 car and after the first day of competition takes forth place overall, trailing 23,1sec to the leader Andreas Aigner from Austria. At the same time, Lefebvre holds fourth place in 2WD, 38,5sec behind the class frontrunner Sylvain Michel, Citroen DS3.