Efrén Llarena is a Spanish rally driver born 26 May 1995 in Espinosa de los Monteros, Burgos, Castilla y León.[1][2] In 2021 he finished runner up in the European Rally Championship behind Andreas Mikkelsen whilst driving his long term co-driver Sara Fernández to the co-driver's championship title.[3] The following year in 2022, Llarena won the European Rally Championship, securing the title with two rounds remaining in the championship.[4]

Efrén Llarena at 2022 Rally Poland

Career

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Llarena made his rally debut in 2013 just weeks after his 18th birthday at the Rallysprint de San Miguel in a Renault Clio Sport. He continued to enter rallies in Spain in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and with co-driver Igor Zatika had some success in their class. He finished 3rd in the Spanish Championship junior category in 2014. In 2016 he began working with Sara Fernández and alternated between a Suzuki Swift Sport and a Peugeot 208 R2. He won the Suzuki Swift Cup that year, run on Spanish Championship rallies, whilst also gaining more experience on French rallies. In 2017 the crew ran only in the Peugeot, winning the Spanish Gravel Junior Championship and the Volant Peugeot Cup in France.[2][3]

In 2018, the crew entered the European Rally Championship (ERC) for the first time with Rally Team Spain. Llarena finished third in ERC3 and ERC3 Junior Championships. That year he also debuted in four-wheel-drive in a Ford Fiesta R5 at Rally Comunidad de Madrid RACE, finishing fourth out of 88 starters. Entering ERC3 for two-wheel drive again in 2019 brought championship success. Three class wins at Azores Rally, Barum Czech Rally Zlín and Cyprus Rally helped to deliver the ERC3 and ERC3 Junior titles, this also helped propel Llarena to a R5 campaign in ERC in 2020. In this season he finished 6th overall and 3rd in the Junior category in a Citroën C3 Rally2, his best result coming at Rally Hungary where a third position put him on the podium.[2][3]

 
Rally Poland 2021, Llarena Efrén

In 2021, switching to a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo, Llarena improved again by finishing second in the ERC behind ex-Volkswagen, Citroën and Hyundai works driver Andreas Mikkelsen. Remarkably, Llarena gained his first and only overall victory in 2021 although it was a non-championship event in Spain, the Rally de Tierra de Murchante.[2][3]

In 2022, Llarena scored his first ERC win at the Azores Rallye, when he overtook local driver Ricardo Moura on the final stage. Llarena went on to win the series championship, securing his championship title at the start of the Barum Czech Rally Zlín.[4]

Career results

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Last updated: 13.04.2024[2]

European Rally Championship results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pos. Points
2018 Rallye Team Spain Peugeot 208 R2 POR
16
ESP
Ret
GRE CYP ITA
19
CZE
25
POL
14
LAT NC 0
2019 Rallye Team Spain Peugeot 208 R2 POR
13
ESP
21
LAT
23
POL
Ret
ITA
20
CZE
10
49th 1
Peugeot Rally Academy CYP
14
HUN
2020 Rallye Team Spain Citroën C3 R5 ITA
6
LAT
8
POR
Ret
HUN
3
ESP
20
6th 50
2021 Rallye Team Spain Škoda Fabia R5 Evo POL
6
LAT
4
ITA
4
CZE
6
POR
3
POR
Ret
HUN
4
ESP
2
2nd 153
2022 Team MRF Tyres Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo POR
10
POR
1
ESP
2
POL
4
LAT
2
ITA
4
CZE
Ret
ESP
2
1st 166
2023 Team MRF Tyres Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 POR
7
ESP
3
POL
10
ITA
4
4th 88
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo LAT
9
SWE
Ret
Škoda Fabia R5 CZE
8
HUN
10
2024 Team MRF Tyres Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 HUN ESP SWE EST ITA CZE GBR POL NC* 0*

* Season still in progress.

European Rally Championship-3 results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pos. Points
2018 Rallye Team Spain Peugeot 208 R2 POR
2
ESP
Ret
GRE CYP ITA
3
CZE
7
POL
2
LAT 3rd 100
2019 Rallye Team Spain Peugeot 208 R2 POR
1
ESP
4
LAT
5
POL
Ret
ITA
4
CZE
1
1st 173
Peugeot Rally Academy CYP
1
HUN

References

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  1. ^ "Efrén Llarena: "As always, we will go out to win every rally"".
  2. ^ a b c d e "Efrén Llarena". eWRC.
  3. ^ a b c d "Efrén Llarena". FIA ERC.
  4. ^ a b "Llarena and Fernández crowned 2022 FIA ERC champions". fiaerc.com. WRC Promotor GmbH. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
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