The week of the 23rd Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino opened with a presentation press conference, hosted at the Berchidda Wine Museum. The Rassinaby Racing event, scheduled for Friday, October 30th, to Sunday, November 1st, will count toward the Italian Terra Rally Championship, now in its fifth and penultimate round of the 2026 season, the Zone 10 Rally Cup, and the Aci Sport Sardinia Delegation Regional Championship. In addition to the modern cars, the dirt roads of Gallura and Monte Acuto will host the entrants in the eighth Rally Vermentino Historicu, the penultimate round of the Italian Terra Rally Championship and the Regional Historic Car Rally Championship.
The event is organized in collaboration with the Departments of Tourism and Sport of the Sardinia Region, involves the municipalities of Alà dei Sardi, Berchidda, Monti, Oschiri and Pattada, the Mountain Community of Monte Acuto, the provinces of Sassari and Gallura Nord Est, is sponsored by Forestas and enjoys the support of the Automobile Club Sassari and the Aci Sport Delegazione Sardegna.
The event, which will have its headquarters in Berchidda, features 90.07 kilometers of timed trials, divided into ten special stages. The entry list will include around sixty crews, around ten of which will compete in the Historic stage.
Presenting the event to the media and fans were Rassinaby Racing President Pietro Calvia, Berchidda Mayor Andrea Nieddu, Automobile Club Sassari Vice President Valerio Renna, Agenzia Forestas Sole Director Salvatore Piras, Rassinaby Racing's Mirko Fresu, and Erula City Councilor for Sport Gabriele Capece.
President Calvia stated: “I am confident we have put together a technically very strong 23rd edition, perhaps the finest of the eight gravel races organized from 2017 to today. The selection of events was meticulous, and we also paid careful attention to the surface to meet the needs of historic cars. Rassinaby Racing's passion has allowed us to write an important story, which required a great deal of commitment, including financially, but which has brought us great satisfaction over time. We are here to present the 23rd Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino at the Berchidda Wine Museum, which hosted the inspections for the first edition. And here I announce that, after the 2026 race, I will step down as president of the association to make room for others and to focus on personal matters. I am a little emotional because for me it has been a long and important chapter in my life, but I am confident that Rassinaby will continue to do well, and I thank everyone present, all the members, and everyone who believed in the event.”
Mayor Nieddu emphasized: "The Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino is an event that has grown and consolidated over the years, becoming a benchmark for regional and national motorsports. It combines sport, safety, professionalism, and a strong local identity. I would like to thank Rassinaby Racing, which coordinates a complex organization with skill and dedication, involving volunteers, technicians, law enforcement, and all the organizations that contribute to the event's success. The Rally is also an opportunity to promote our region: its roads, its landscapes, its hospitality, and its excellence, starting with Vermentino, one of our most recognized wines. I wish the crews a thrilling and fair race, and the citizens a day of enthusiasm and participation."
Vice President Renna adds: "I bring greetings from President Giulio Pes, who was unable to be here due to personal commitments. As AC Sassari, we are honored to be part of this organization, and a huge round of applause goes to Rassinaby Racing, which, after years of success on asphalt, accepted the challenge of switching to gravel and, for five years, has boasted multiple Italian titles in an event that brings prestige to Sardinian motorsport. We are available and ready to collaborate. Best of luck to the organizers for this edition; we'll see you on the racetrack, especially since it will certainly be an interesting competition, given that the Italian title is at stake."
Administrator Piras added: "I thank the organizers of the Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino, and especially the president, whose speech moved me. His words clearly showed his passion, dedication, and desire to promote the event. The Forestas Agency is ready to make its territory available and ensure this forest heritage becomes known worldwide. Some have said that Sardinia's beautiful routes are the best in the world. I'm no expert, but I believe that, given the technical characteristics, we are at least among the best. Being here today means not only making the routes available, but also our staff, our employees, and the workers who ensure the roads remain passable. This forest heritage, if it remains an end in itself, if it is not used for events like these, is of no use to the promotion of Sardinia, so all these events are very welcome. I wish the Rally and Rassinaby continued success."
Mirko Fresu of Rassinaby Racing explained the details of the route. The start, finish, shakedown, qualifying stage, service park, race direction, press room, and regrouping in Berchidda have all been confirmed. The route, approximately 50 percent new, maintains a high level of technicality, but features a compact dirt surface, also suited to the needs of historic cars. The big news will be the return, after several years, of the Monte Olia special stage, presented in a new version. The 90.07km time trial is scheduled, spread across ten special stages, for a total of 433.08km. Preliminary activities will begin on Thursday, October 29th, with the delivery of road books in the Municipal Auditorium in Piazza del Popolo (6:30-8:30 PM), continuing on Friday the 30th (8:00-10:00 AM), the day of reconnaissance with production cars (8:00-18:00 AM) and the start of sporting checks (7:00-9:30 PM on Friday, 7:00-11:00 AM on Saturday) and technical checks (7:30-9:30 PM on Friday, 7:00-11:30 AM on Saturday). Engines will be fired up on Saturday the 31st, as the 2.58km “Berchidda” will host free practice (7:30 AM to 9:00 AM), followed by the Qualifying Stage (9:15 AM) for the Italian team, and finally the Shakedown, scheduled for 10:15 AM to 12:00 PM.
The ceremonial start will take place at 2:00 PM in Piazza del Popolo, in the heart of Berchidda. After passing through the ramp, the crews will head for Saturday's two special stages, which will be repeated twice. These are the "Monti di Ala," starting at 3:01 PM and 6:17 PM, which, at 10.81 km in the Sa Paule area, will be the longest of the race. The other is the "Monte Olia," a short and fast 7.48 km special stage set in the state forest of the same name. The first car will start at 3:39 PM and the second at 6:55 PM. After the first stage, a regrouping is scheduled at the Berchidda sports field (4:26 PM) and an entry to the service park (4:46 PM). At the end of the day, the crews will stop first at the service park (7.42pm) and then at the Berchidda sports field for the night-time reorganisation (8.24pm).
On Sunday, November 1st, the program will include two more stages—"Monte Lerno" and "Filigosu"—to be run three times, with "Filigosu" serving as a power stage in the third run. The "Monte Lerno" (starting at 8:33 a.m., 11:13 a.m., and 1:53 p.m.) will see the crews compete in a 10.40km time trial section in the state-owned forest of the same name, in the Pattada area. The "Filigosu" will be offered in a 7.43km version, starting at 9:04 a.m., 11:44 a.m., and 2:24 p.m. The finish line and awards ceremony will begin at 3:05 p.m. in Berchidda's Piazza del Popolo.

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