The first day of the 21st Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino opened with Tommaso Ciuffi as the star. The leader of the Italian Rally Terra Championship, navigated by Pietro Cigni on a Skoda Fabia Rs Rally2, is in command after winning both passages on the new “Erula-Tula” special, a new feature of the 2024 edition of the event organized by Rassinaby Racing of Berchidda, which boasts a triple tricolor title in the Italian Rally Terra, Historic Rally Terra and Cross Country SSV Championships.
After the first two special stages, the Florentine driver is in the lead with a time of 17'27”4 and a lead of 7”4 over Alberto Battistolli from Vicenza who, navigated by Simone Scattolin (Skoda Fabia Rs Rally2), was the best in this morning's Qualifying Stage and in the afternoon was the only one to keep up with the leader. In third place, 28” behind, are Mattia Scandola and Nicolò Gonella (Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2), who are half a second ahead of the Finn Jaakko Lavio (Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2), at his second consecutive appearance at the Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino, given that he made his debut here in 2023 in Italy and on a “four-wheel drive”. Behind him is Mattia Fontana, capable of winning fifth place overall among about twenty Rally2s at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally3 with Alessandro Arnaboldi dictating the notes. Tenth overall and first of the Sardinians was the crew of Fabrizio Marrone and Francesco Fresu (Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2), at 1'13”9. Nineteenth overall and first of the "two-wheel drive" category was the German crew of Jonas Müller and Detlef Ruf, on a Peugeot 208 Rally4 with Mrc Sport colours.
Tomorrow, the competing crews will compete with the double passages on the special stages “Alà dei Sardi-Buddusò” (6.90 km, 9.57 am and 1.42 pm), which will touch the spectacular Monte Lerno on a slightly shortened route compared to the 2023 test, and “Pattada-Oschiri” (20.08 km, at 10.28 am and 2.13 pm), which will also include the old “Filigosu”. Between the two passages, a regrouping at the Berchidda sports field is scheduled for 11.20 am.
Also present at the departure ceremony were the vice president and councilor for Budget and Programming of the Sardinia Region Giuseppe Meloni, the director of the Forestas Territorial Service of Sassari Alessandro Depperu and the councilor for Sport of the Municipality of Erula Gabriele Capece.
Giuseppe Meloni commented: “A Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino that is now confirmed as a very important reality among the motor events that take place in Sardinia and beyond. It is an event that is constantly growing and for us it is a source of great satisfaction because, alongside the sporting event there is a series of activities, from food and wine to the promotion of the territory, which act as a corollary. For this reason we are very happy to support a rally that gives answers in terms of attendance, moreover in a period of the year that is not the peak, in which it is easy to fill the squares. Occasions like these are welcome, moreover, on a strictly motoring level, it is one of the few rallies on dirt left in Italy and this means that not having tarred everything brings advantages: for us the combination of sport and the environment is fundamental and we will continue to support it, because you can do activities like motoring while also fully respecting the environment and I believe the rally is a demonstration of this”.
