The Rally Italia Sardegna warms up the engines

This morning, the headquarters of the Automobile Club d'Italia hosted the presentation of the Rally Italia Sardegna, scheduled from Thursday 1 to 4 June. It is the twentieth time that it has been raced on the island and this year it counts as the sixth round of the World Rally Championship. The Italian stage was illustrated by the president of ACI Angelo Sticchi Damiani; by the Councilor for Tourism, Crafts and Commerce of the Region of Sardinia, Gianni Chessa, by Giulio Pes of San Vittorio (president of Aci Sardegna and of Ac Sassari), the mayor of Olbia Settimo Nizzi, the director of Rai Sport Marco Franzelli and the general director of Ris Antonio Turitto.
The numbers. The staff is made up of a thousand people, while the route is 1,170km long (322 divided into 19 special stages). There will be 74 crews (8 Sardinians) from 27 nations. And again: 130 units of medical personnel on duty, 80 technical intervention vehicles and 53 rescue vehicles.
The program. Thursday 1 June, after the start at 18.02 from the Lungomare di Olbia, immediately the television special stage at 18.05; Friday 2, 6 timed sections, including the two passages on the long and unprecedented 50km "Monte Lerno" (longest special stage in the history of the event); Saturday 3, 8 special stages; Sunday 4, the last 4 time trials before the arrival in Olbia and the final podium starting at 3pm.
«We went to Sardinia when organizing a world rally became too expensive for a private individual. At first complicated relationships, very complicated», recalls the president of ACI Angelo Sticchi Damiani , «We resisted aware of the fact that we have the most beautiful route in the world in a setting that is the most beautiful in the world, from the sea to the hinterland. There are wonderful and suggestive places in the hinterland that have been discovered thanks to the rally. We realized that it was a gamble that could not be lost. Sardinia is an island and you have to go there on purpose. Once you go, you fall in love." And again: «The story that accompanies Aci and the Sardinia Region is long», relaunches the regional councilor Gianni Chessa , «The event has produced an effect of 28 million euros and they can be seen on related industries. The benefit that Sardinia has is undisputed. Today we come to Sardinia for the rally, tomorrow we return as visitors». Even the Automobilclub is enthusiastic: «Today the Sardinians share how important the rally is for the entire region», explains the president of Aci Sardegna Giulio Pes di San Vittorio , who underlined the foresight of the mayors of Olbia and Alghero «in 'having accepted the alternation, even though it involves greater investments'.