ERC : Joy for Al-Rajhi, despair for Breen at the CNP Asfalistiki Cyprus Rally.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi has won round nine of the FIA European Rally Championship but there was despair for Craig Breen after an electrical problem delayed the Irishman on the closing stage of the CNP Asfalistiki Cyprus Rally.

The Peugeot Rally Academy driver was in sixth overall starting the final run but stopped midday through the 21.05-kilometre test. Heroic repairs by the Irishman and his British co-driver Scott Martin enabled them to reach the finish of the stage, albeit more than 16 minutes slower than stage winner Al-Rajhi. As a result Breen slips out of the top 10, losing out on vital ERC points in the process.

Bruno Magalhães secured fifth overall with the second fastest time on the final stage, despite a rear differential problem on his Peugeot 208T16. Kajetan Kajetanowicz wrapped up a fine runner-up spot – and the inaugural ERC Gravel Masters – by going third quickest with Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari next up, 3.4s quicker than his FIA Middle East championship rival Khalid Al-Qassimi.

Christos Demosthenous clinched the ERC Production Car Cup with the sixth fastest time. Title chaser Martin Hudec completed the final stage with no working second gear on his Mitsubishi Lancer, while championship rival reported an engine problem on his Lancer.

Crews are now heading back to Nicosia for the finish. Click here for live results, text commentary and ERC Rally Radio.

Kajetan Kajetanowicz is the inaugural ERC Gravel Master following his heroic performance on the CNP Asfalistiki Cyprus Rally, round nine of the FIA European Rally Championship.

Kajetanowicz scored a total of 191 points from three of the four designated gravel rounds of the ERC in his LOTOS Rally Team Ford Fiesta R5 alongside co-driver Jarek Baran.

Craig Breen finishes runner-up for Peugeot Rally Academy on 160 points with Ott Tänak claiming third in the final table on the back of his stunning victory on the loose-surface auto24 Rally Estonia. He scored 127 points.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi, the overall winner in Cyprus, finishes fourth with Kevin Abbring fifth and Alexey Lukyanuk sixth.

Introduced for the 2014 season, the ERC Masters recognises the achievements of surface specialists competing in the European championship. Robert Kubica clinched the ERC Ice Master award in February. Esapekka Lappi heads the ERC Asphalt Master table with two events remaining. Points are awarded on a 10-6-4-2-1 scale to the fastest five ERC drivers on each stage.