Rally Sulcis Iglesiente: Valentino Ledda leads after day one

The first day of the fourth Rally Sulcis Iglesiente ended with Valentino Ledda and Claudio Mele (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) leading the overall standings with a time of 16:23.8. The Burgos-born driver, representing Aci Team Italia, and the navigator from La Caletta di Siniscola took the lead thanks to a great time on Bacu Abis 2, the last of Saturday's four special stages, where they edged out former WRC2 and WRC Junior world champion Pontus Tidemand by 11.2 seconds. Tidemand had been leading after triumphing on both runs of the Is Arruastas stage in Iglesiente and on Bacu Abis 1, located just outside Carbonia. The Swedish champion, who with navigator Theo Bergsten in the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 is the first foreign crew in the history of the rally organized by the wind team, had taken control from the first stage, but had to lift off towards the end when the rain arrived, as he was on dry tyres, unlike Ledda, who opted for four belted tyres on the second lap. Third place went to Marino Gessa and Salvatore Pusceddu, who in the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 were 22.4 seconds behind after finishing second twice on Is Arruastas and third on both runs on Bacu Abis.
In the fast and challenging opening special stage, Italian Junior vice-champions Mattia Ricciu and Giovanni Mazzone (Lancia Ypsilon Rally4) were immediately eliminated, but could rejoin today's race in the Super Rally format. Cuccheddu-Panu (Peugeot 208 Rally4) and Incani-Tendas (Renault Clio Rally5) also failed on the same stage. In the second stage, the Bacu Abis 1, the reigning Zone 10 Rally Cup champions Andrea Pisano and Salvatore Masselli were forced to retire after irreparably damaging the front left of their Skoda Fabia R5 following contact with a rock. Loris Ronzano and Gloria Andreis (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, 39.7 seconds behind) finished fourth overall, ahead of Antonio Dettori and Marco Demontis (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, 1 minute 03.5 seconds behind). Fabrizio Marrone and Francesco Fresu finished eighth overall and first in the two-wheel drive class, 2:56.9 behind, in their Peugeot 208 Rally4. Enrico Piu and Gian Mario Fodde had been leading the Rally4 class until today's final stage, when they damaged their Peugeot 208 following contact with a round bale and will be unable to restart today.
In the Historic, Bernardo Morgan and Roberto Scilef (Renault 5 gt Turbo, in 19'43”8) are in the lead, ahead of Marco Casalloni and Giovanni Figoni on Peugeot 205, at 1”7, and Marc and Stephanie Laboisse on A112 Abarth, at 44”8.
Ledda is satisfied: "The rain saved me. I chose a different strategy than everyone else, and it paid off. On the first run of today's two stages, I used two dry tires and two Cinturatos, while for the second lap, in anticipation of the rain, I chose to use four Cinturatos. On the first stretch of Bacu Abis 2, in the dry, I suffered a bit compared to the others, but in the final kilometers, in the rain, I was able to push without fear. For the second day, I don't know what to expect. Given the choice, I'd like either a dry or a wet race, even though today, after all, was the first time I've raced in the wet and I managed. Paradoxically, I know snow better than rain, and, compared to Tidemand, I don't have the experience to handle a day with mixed wet/dry conditions."
Tideman said: "Fantastic practice. I was hoping to do a little better in today's final special, but when it started to rain heavily, having dry tires, I preferred to manage it and luckily I didn't fall behind too much. Overall, it was a positive day. For the second race, the important thing is to have the right tires."
Starting at 7:50 a.m. today, competitors will leave the night regrouping at the Monteponi Sports Field in Iglesias for the Carbonia service park, arriving at 8:25 a.m. and stopping for 30 minutes. The day features three special stages, each run twice. It begins with the Santadi-Nuxis stage (7.49km, 9:45 a.m. and 1:35 p.m.), which this year will be run in the opposite direction to previous editions. This is followed by the new Villaperuccio-Piscinas stage (8.01km, 10:10 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.), followed by the timed checkpoint in Giba and the Perdaxius special stage (6.33km, 11 a.m. and 2:50 p.m.), which this time is 900 meters longer than in previous years and has become a classic over the years thanks to the much-loved U-turn on a dirt road near the sports field. After the first run through Sunday's trials, regrouping is scheduled in San Giovanni Suergiu (11:30) and entry to the service park in Carbonia (12:15). On the second lap, competitors will also have to pass a time check in Giba after the Villaperuccio-Piscinas section. The finish line and awards ceremony will be held, as per tradition, in Piazza Sella, Iglesias, starting at 4:00 PM.
The Sulcis Iglesiente Rally is the first round of the Zone 10 Rally Cup and the Aci Sport Sardinia Delegation Regional Championship, also counting towards the Gr Yaris Rally Cup, the Michelin Trofeo Italia National, the Pirelli Accademia CRZ Trophy, and will award the Santa Barbara Mining Trail Trophy (first two-wheel drive crew) and the Tommy Rossi Memorial (last place). The race is organized by Mistral Racing with the support of the Sardinia Region, the Province of Sulcis Iglesiente, the Aci Sport Sardinia Delegation, the Aci Cagliari, the Fondazione di Sardegna, the Santa Barbara Mining Trail Foundation, the Historical Environmental Geomining Park of Sardinia, and twelve municipalities: Iglesias, Carbonia, Giba, Gonnesa, Nuxis, Perdaxius, Piscinas, Portoscuso, San Giovanni Suergiu, Santadi, Tratalias, and Villaperuccio.

Top 10 Modern Rally Standings: 1) Ledda-Mele (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) in 16'23"8; 2) Tidemand-Bergsten (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) at 3"1; 3) Gessa-Pusceddu (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) at 22"4; 4) Ronzano-Andreis (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) at 39"7; 5) Dettori-Demontis (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) at 1'03"5; 6) Siddi-Corda (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) at 1'20"5; 7) Farci-Cottu (Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2) at 2'11"2; 8) Marrone-Fresu (Peugeot 208 Rally4) at 2'56"9; 9) Contini-Tocco (Peugeot 208 Gt Line Rally4) at 3'07"5; 10) Locci-Musu (Skoda Fabia R5) at 3'10'05".

Historic Rally Standings: 1) Morgani-Scilef (Renault 5 Gt Turbo) in 19'43"8; 2) Casalloni-Figoni (Peugeot 205 Rally) at 1"7; 3) Laboisse-Laboisse (Autobianchi A112 Abarth 70HP) at 44"8; 4) Pes Di San Vittorio- Romano (Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9) at 47"6; 5) Ruiu-Alicicco (Alfa Romeo 33 1.7 ie 16v) at 4'39"9; 6) Di Lauro-Nuvoli (Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130 TC) 15'36"1.