The 7th International Historic Costa Smeralda Rally - Martini Trophy was presented yesterday at the Terrazza Martini in Milan. The event organized by Aci Sassari will take place next April 19-20 with headquarters, departure and arrival in Porto Cervo and will be valid for the Italian Historic Car Rally Championship and for the new Italian Regularity Rally championships at "average 60" and average 50". The Martini Rally Vintage, a non-competitive rally of cars in Martini livery, will also be revived.
The presentation was attended by the president of the Automobile Club of Italy, Angelo Stocchi Damiani, the president of Aci Sassari, Giulio Pes, the budget councilor of Olbia, Alessandro Fiorentino, the councilor for Sport of Arzachena, Nicoletta Orecchioni, and Marco Addis of the Municipality of Aglientu. Among the partners, in addition to greetings from Martini and Pirelli, also Diego Bellesini, product manager of Sparco, and Luca Betti, founder of Kimera Automobili, since this year too the splendid 037 Evo Kimera will be entrusted to Miki Biasion. The presence of the Aci president, Angelo Sticchi Damiani and Franz, of the comic duo Ale and Franz, was announced in the race.
Illustrating the new route, designed by Tiziano Siviero, was Edoardo Di Lauro, Associate Consultant of TS Adventure. 122.44 km time trial scheduled, on Friday double passages on San Pasquale and Luogosanto and on Saturday the double laps on the special stages Lu Colbu, Badesi and Figaruja.
«We will embrace the entire North-East of Sardinia. Departure on Friday 19th at 1pm from Porto Cervo towards the San Pasquale test, which will immediately give a clear outline of the ranking. Luogosanto will resume the first km of the 2019 special, then will cross the mountain to reconnect, via a stretch of dirt road, to the old Lo Sfossato, for a total of 14.80 km. Then the reorganization of Aglientu between the first and second passage", explained Di Lauro, underlining the novelty of the flexy reorganization in Olbia, which at the end of the first day will allow the crews to make a stop in the Gallura capital for a duration varying from 20 minutes at three hours.
«The second stage will last 12 hours, with great effort and commitment also for the assistance, which will be first in Tempio and then in Trinità d'Agultu after the first three tests. Lu Colbu will have a highly variable trend, then Badesi and Figaruja, reorganization in Santa Maria Coghinas and finally the awards ceremony, at 4pm in Porto Cervo".
During the weekend. This weekend, meanwhile, several Sardinian crews will be on stage at the Val d'Orcia Rally, the second round of the Italian Rally Terra. Among the 87 at the start of the modern Rally also Nicola Tali from Gallura, navigated by Capolongo on Skoda Fabia Rs Rally2, Fabrizio Marrone and Francesco Fresu (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo), Giuseppe Bitti and Giuseppe Pirisinu (Peugeot 208 rally4), Stefano Marrone and Stefano Pudda (Peugeot 208 Rally4). Among the historic ones, Costantino Mura and Marco Demontis on the Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4 will be at the starting line and will try to erase the bitterness of Foligno's withdrawal, caused by a mechanical failure while they were in second position. «We want redemption because in Umbria we were having a top-level race and the victory in a special test was proof of this. With the Ford prepared by Mft Motors from Bergamo we immediately established a good feeling and the handling of the vehicle led us to be competitive right from the start. We are really eager to get back in the car to demonstrate our value also on the dirt roads of Tuscany", underlined Mura. Next weekend, however, debut in the Ciar Junior, in Alba, for Mattia Ricciu and Marco Corda, competing on a Renault Clio Rally5 prepared by Motorsport Italia in the colors of Scuderia La Leonessa Corse. The Ciar Junior was presented yesterday in Rome.
Rallycross. In the meantime, registrations have opened for the second and third rounds of the Italian Rallycross Championship, scheduled in Ittiri on 3-5 May.
«Our track is ready to welcome two rounds of the Italian Rallycross Championship in 2024, a Motorsport specialty that is increasingly gaining ground and exciting many people. We are ready to host the reigning Champions and the new drivers ready to fight until the last second. It will be a great challenge that will provide adrenaline and fun", explained Gianni Marmilata, president of the Rally Arena Group.
