As the sun rose over Córdoba, drivers tackled three demanding stages repeated twice throughout the day, following the short urban opener from Friday night. By the end of Saturday, seven stages have been completed, and the leaderboard is beginning to take shape.
Leading the ERC with a calm yet commanding performance was Nikolay Gryazin and Konstantin Aleksandrov in their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. The duo stayed sharp across every kilometre, showing consistency and precision to hold on to the top spot overall. By the close of the day, they had built a comfortable lead of 28.8 seconds over Spanish star José Antonio “Cohete” Suárez, who was pushing hard in his own Škoda, determined to stay in the hunt for both the European and national titles. Frenchman Yoann Bonato, at the wheel of a Citroën C3 Rally2, sits just behind Suárez in third, trailing Gryazin by 33.7 seconds. Italy’s Andrea Mabellini and Norway’s Mads Østberg round out the top five.
The day wasn’t without setbacks. Efrén Llarena, a serious podium contender, was forced to retire after suffering a mechanical issue with the exhaust manifold. Meanwhile, James Williams exited the rally after a heavy impact with the barriers, and the Villaviciosa stage had to be neutralised early due to a dramatic off from Phillip Allen in his Škoda. Later in the day, the same stage was halted again following a crash involving Mads Esantike’s Peugeot, causing further disruption.
In the Supercampeonato de España (S-CER) fight, the battle is tighter than ever. Alejandro Cachón, driving the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, showed incredible pace, winning three of the seven stages and matching Gryazin’s time on another. He ended the day as national leader, though Suárez is breathing down his neck — just 0.6 seconds behind.
At the same time, WRC stars Thierry Neuville and Elfyn Evans, both using this event as a test ahead of Rally Islas Canarias, dominated the road times, with Neuville winning every stage by narrow margins over Evans. Though not registered for points, their presence brought another level of intensity and excitement to the rally. Not everyone had a day to remember. Pepe López, one of Spain’s top hopes, admitted things weren’t going to plan. “This just isn’t our rally, or our rhythm — we have to improve,” he said.
As the teams prepare for the final push on Sunday, the standings remain open and the fight for both ERC and national glory is far from over. With narrow margins, technical stages, and the ever-present risk of error, Day 3 promises even more drama in this unforgettable edition of Rally Sierra Morena.