Fiat have claimed an unprecedented 10th consecutive Brazilian National Rally Championship title courtesy of Luís Tedesco and Bruno Mega and the unbeatable Fiat Palio Abarth 1.6. On the 26th Rally da Graciosa, held earlier this month, and with two rounds of the series still remaining, the Fiat factory crew stormed to victory, sealing the National title with ease. There was more success for Fiat as at the same time Reinaldo Varela and Kz Morales driving a Tedracing prepared Palio in the Brazilian N2 class closed in on that category title with another victory.

For Luís Tedesco, the highly experienced Tedracing team and the Class A6 Fiat Palio, this trio is without equal, crushing the opposition right from the start of the season to notch up an amazing record run for Fiat, in its most important operational country outside Italy. The Fiat Palio Abarth has been the car to beat in Class A6 which is open to 1.6-litre front-wheel-drive rally cars with reasonably extensive modifications being allowed.

Five Class A6 wins and one second place from the six rounds contested so far this year gives Tedesco 58 points haul, a total which can only be equalled - but not beaten - by his closest rival the Peugeot 206 driver Rafael Tulio (who has 38 points), over the final two rallies still remaining, but only if he won both events and the Fiat driver failed to score on either. However this would create a tie which would be decided in Tedesco's favour due to his greater number of category wins. "I had to make one careful step at a time, and take great care to make sure we reached our objective one more time," said a delighted Luís Tedesco in the City of Araucária, where the rally was based.
 

Meanwhile, for co-driver Bruno Mega, this was his first national title. "It has yet to sink in but I am starting to feel the emotion of being the champion," said Mega at Parc Fermé. "It was a very competitive championship and on each stage, each straight, each curve we had to accurately measure them to arrive here. Although we had an advantage we were closely followed by our competitors. Now is time to celebrate this completed challenge."

At the same time Reinaldo Varela and Kz Morales are competing in the N2 class of the Brazilian Rally Championship also with a Tedracing developed and run Palio. The N2 class is open to 1.6-litre front-wheel-drive rally cars with strictly limited modifications. Class victory on the 26th Rally da Graciosa means five wins out of six for the pair and a healthy 16 point advantage over their closest rival Rafael Koller (Peugeot 206) with a maximum of 20-points still remaining on offer from the final two rounds. "With this victory we add more points than the competition, but we go now to the next round Rio Grande do Sol, as with all the rallies, respecting our adversaries and fighting for the victory," said Varela.

The penultimate round of the 2006 Brazilian Rally Championship, the Rio Grande do Sol takes place on 7th September while the final round, Minas Gerais, is on 5th November.