Nikolay Gryazin will take his pursuit of a fifth FIA European Rally Championship career victory into Sundays deciding leg of the Rally Sierra Morena following a flying start to the 2025 season from the J2X Rally Team driver.

The Qualifying Stage pacesetter and Córdoba super special stage winner dropped time in the damp conditions on this mornings first two stages running first on the road. But he hit top form once again by winning the dry 27.19-kilometre Villaviciosa run to hold a lead of 10.9sec over home hero José Suárez at the midday service halt.

Driving a Michelin-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, Gryazin grew his advantage to 15.5sec by going quickest on SS6 before his electrifying charge through the repeat of Villaviciosa gave him an overnight lead of 28.8sec after he went fastest by 11.6sec.

It was quite good, we showed a good pace, Gryazin said. The problem was being first [on the road]. It gave a good advantage on the long stage [this morning] but it was a disadvantage on the first two stages because it was drying out, so we were not as fast as we wanted to be. The second pass was also not easy but for sure we can do better tomorrow.

Suárez holds second place overnight in another Michelin-shod Fabia with Frenchman Yoann Bonato third in a Citroën C3 Rally2, albeit just 4.9sec behind his Spanish rival.

Andrea Mabellini, who won SS3 to close to within 1.2sec of Gryazin, is fourth overnight with Mads Østberg demoting Efrén Llarena for fifth on SS7 after the 2022 ERC champion pulled up with steam rising from under the bonnet of his self-run C3 Rally2. It was a frustrating end to Llarenas challenge after he went fastest of all on SS5.

Østberg had problems of his own, however, the Norwegian reporting a pop-off valve issue after SS6 and a lack of engine power and a brake problem at the completion of SS7.

I have no power in the engine and I have a broken front caliper, Østberg said. I did the last seven kilometres without front brakes. We lost a lot of time. I dont know why it all happens at the same time, but thats how it is.

Miko Marczyk is sixth overnight with Robert Virves the leading Hankook runner in eighth place, one position behind Hyundai i20 N Rally2 driver Pepe López.

Stéphane Lefebvre is ninth for Team MRF Tyres with reigning Junior ERC champion Mille Johansson impressing on his step up to Rally2 level in 10th place.

Simone Tempestini and Jon Armstrong follow ahead of Simon Wagner, who completed the closing kilometres of SS7 unable to hear his co-driver Hanna Ostlenders pacenotes after his cars sump guard became detached and dragged on the road. Ex-Formula One driver Jos Verstappen is 14th followed by Dominik Stříteský, last seasons Barum Czech Rally Zlín winner.

As expected it was difficult, especially the long one, said Verstappen, who heads the Master ERC Championship order. I was struggling because of the length of the stage with the notes and they were cutting everywhere so there was some mud and water on the road. That was tough but I am more than happy with what we have done.

After winning SS2 in his Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally2, Jon Armstrongs hopes of a strong result on the ERC season opener suffered a setback when he went off the road 19.6 kilometres from the start of SS4 after running wide on a tight right-hand turn. He was able to continue but lost more than one minute.

I just went too deep in the braking, missed the braking point, went slightly off and got stuck, the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver said. It was down a bank so we were lucky to get out.