Fiat Punto pilot Giandomenico Basso superbly battled his way back up to second place overall on the Barum Rally Zlín - held over the weekend in the Czech Republic - after a leg one accident severely dented his FIA European Rally Championship aspirations. And, with his bitter title rival Renato Travaglia claiming the victory, Basso's hopes of glory now hang by a very slender thread.

BASSO AND THE FIAT PUNTO SUPER 1600 - THE IN FORM COMBINATION

Giandomenico Basso and Mitia Dotta headed to the Czech Republic last weekend to contest the Barum Rally Zlín - the sixth round of the 2005 FIA European Rally Championship - determined to put the nightmare of Maderia behind him. The last round of the series, held on the beautiful island of Maderia, saw Basso and the N.Technology-supported team arriving fresh from winning in Bulgaria, a result that put the Fiat Punto driver straight into contention for the 2005 ERC title - as he was just two points off the top of the leaderboard. However, after storming his way round the the islands fast, tight and twisting roads, an electrical problem hit him on the final stage - just as he was cruising to a comfortable victory. To make matters even worse his closest title rival - Renato Travaglia - swept past to claim a maximum haul of 10 points, and extend his lead over the Italian to 12 points.

With just three FIA European Rally Championship events left to run after the Barum Rally, Basso needed a decisive result in the Czech Republic - nothing less would do. Once again he would be facing his two Renault Clio S1600-running championship rivals. Title chase leader - and fellow countryman - Renato Travaglia (with 25pts to Basso's 13pts), and Frenchman Simon Jean-Joseph (sitting just adrift of the Fiat driver, with 10pts).

BARUM RALLY Zlín - A LONG TRADITION

The Barum Rally has a long tradition and this year would see the 34th edition taking place. Rallying is an extremely popular sport in the Czech Republic, which is demonstrated by the thousands of enthusiastic local fans who line the route of the special stages. At the Barum Rally there are over 200,000 spectators every year. The Barum Rally is based in the Moravian town of Zlín and has been incorporated in the European Rally Championship since 1983.

The main sponsor of the Barum Rally Zlín is the company Barum Continental. The success of the rally traces the strategy of the sponsor being the biggest producer of passenger tyres in Europe, and within a short time, the leading worldwide manufacturer in this sector. Year by year the Barum rally moves forward to the very top of all automobile events in the Czech Republic.

The Rally Headquarters as well as the start and the finish would be situated in regional town Zlín. The Barum Rally was to be preceded by shakedown on 18 August, during the afternoon. The scrutineering - in the presence of public - would take place on 19 August, in the morning.  The rally would be run with 2 legs (19 - 21 August) including about 260 kms of SS with asphalt surface of various qualities. Tightly focused, the farthest place from the rally center would be only 50 kms.
 

The Moravian regional town of Zlín is located in a valley, surrounded by wooded small hills offering splendid scenery and diverse landscape. Zlín is about 300 kms east from the capital Prague and about 150 kms north from Austrian capital Vienna.

AN ACCIDENT ENDS BASSO'S HOPES OF VICTORY IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The rally started at a really frenetic pace on stage one: Travaglia, Jean-Joseph and Basso, all jostling for the top three positions overall as the trio swiftly put clear air between themselves and the local GpN four wheel drive-mounted runners, who couldn't keep up with the nimble Super 1600 cars on the fast, dry tarmac surfaces. Jean-Joeph quickly dropped out of contention on SS2 - losing nearly four minutes, and sliding down to 101st overall. However - hardly had the duel whittled down to the two Italian title rivals - and its started to go all wrong for Basso, an excursion on SS5 costing the Fiat pilot 18.3 seconds, and dropping him down to fourth place, 28 seconds behind rally leader, Travaglia. Matters deteriorated further on the very next stage for the Fiat factory driver after a small accident saw him lose another 40.5 seconds, plunging him down to sixth place on the overall rally leaderboard, 56 seconds behind Travaglia. "We have damaged left right bumper and some oil is leaking to the windscreen," commented Basso.

Basso was hero of the second leg, with Punto S1600 worked perfectly he won four consecutive Super Special stages. "We changed the settings of the car, I'm satisfied now. The car drives well and we'll try to attack the first position,“ admitted Basso. Amply demonstrating that Giandomenico Basso, Mitta Dotta and the N.Technology Fiat Punto Super 1600 are really turning into a highly competitive rally combination, Basso attacked with vigour throughout the rally's second leg, moving him up from sixth place to second in the overall standings by the time the finish ramp finally hove into view. He had in fact reduced the Travaglia's lead to 1 minute to 28.3 seconds before last two stages, but the Renault driver didnt allow any dramatic situations and easily fended off his challenge. It was a superb effort - but unfortunately with Travaglia coasting to his third win of the season - it just wasn't to be enough.

BASSO'S TITLE HOPES ARE NOW MATHEMATICAL

With just three ERC events now left to run (in Turkey, Greece and France) Giandomenico Basso can still mathematically win the title - so long as Travaglia himself hits a run of misfortune - although he now trails the Renault Clio driver by 14 points. The next event (round 7) is the Fiat Rally in Turkey, which takes place from 9th to 11th September.

by Edd Ellison and Marco Tenuti