The prestigious Safari Rally trophy is now back at Abarth's headquarters in Turin following Andrea Navarra´s Intercontinental Rally Challenge victory at the wheel of the Grande Punto Abarth, the re-launched Fiat performance brand making the best possible start to the year. The winning start made to the IRC season, in which Navarra will defend the title won by Giandomenico Basso last year, came just as Abarth was being unveiled at the 77th Geneva Motor Show.

Abarth Team Manager Nic Gullino has been supervising the unloading of the team´s equipment. "In just three days we had all our cars and equipment cleared through customs and back in the workshop in Turin," said Gullino. "I think that has to be something of a record. Now that we're back, the feeling of having won the first round of the IRC is really sinking in – and we're very pleased to have made such a good start." Already the team is making preparations for the next round of the IRC in Turkey. "In rallying, as soon as you stop one event you're already thinking about the next one," said Gullino. "Over the next few days we will be re-preparing cars and equipment that we will need for the next trip to Turkey." Attention now turns to the next round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which will be held in Turkey (11-12 May). With its harsh surfaces it promises to pose a tough test for the Abarth team.
 

The event will be based at Istanbul´s famous Grand Prix circuit just outside Turkey´s capital city. Rally HQ and the service area will be contained within the circuit complex, and there will be side-by-side spectator superspecial especially built in the Formula 1 paddock.

The all-gravel event will get underway with a ceremonial start in the historic centre of Istanbul on Friday night, near the city's world-famous blue mosque. There will then be a run round the new spectator superspecial, with the first proper gravel stage starting on Saturday morning. In total, there will be 19 stages covering 251 competitive kilometres. Serhan Acar from the Turkish motor sport federation said: “We really want to put on a spectacular show and give people something to remember. Our idea is to combine some classic stages with state of the art modern facilities at the Formula 1 circuit.” The Rally of Turkey will take place from May 11-13.