Abarth will contest the Intercontinental Rally Challenge next year with two factory Grande Punto Abarths driven by reigning Italian Champion Giandomenico Basso (seen above on the Rally Sanremo) and rising young rally star Anton Alén.

Abarth will contest the Intercontinental Rally Challenge next year with two Grande Punto Abarths for reigning Italian Champion Giandomenico Basso and rising young rally star Anton Alén. The team has also left the door open to the possibility of running its other contracted youngster, Umberto Scandola, on occasion.

A recent switch in the Fiat brand’s marketing priorities leaves a slimmed-down Abarth rally programme with just the two factory IRC entries to build on a haul of two Italian, one European and one IRC title collected in the last two seasons by the Grande Punto Super2000. Abarth’s own Italian rally programme is to be ditched, with the factory instead support a satellite team as it chases three consecutive domestic titles. There would also appear to be no place for Andrea Navarra who led this year’s IRC challenge.

“Our general idea is to run just two cars, for Basso and Alén, with perhaps a third car sometimes," said an Abarth team spokesman. “It should be a very strong team: we’re all looking forward to it.” Italian veteran Giandomenico Basso brings a wealth of experience with him to the IRC programme: he won the inaugural title last year and this season he dominated the IRC’s Rally Madeira when he guest drove for the factory team. Meanwhile Anton Alén, son of former Finnish star driver Markku, is widely regarded as one of rallying’s hottest properties, impressively winning the IRC-counting Rally Russia this year at the wheel of the Grande Punto Abarth. With four rounds of the 2008 IRC being held on gravel and six on asphalt, the mix of drivers is close to ideal: Basso is an acknowledged asphalt expert while Alén is at his best on gravel, but having shown impressive form on his limited asphalt appearances thus far. 

After an IRC season when his shared the second Abarth entry with another young driver, Umberto Scandola, Alén will get his first crack at the title next year with a full programme: “I can’t wait to get started,” said the Finn. “This is a fantastic opportunity for me and of course I am going to be doing my very best to get the most out of it. There are more asphalt rallies than gravel events, but that is good for me as I need to gain more experience on sealed surfaces. The level of competition is sure to be very high.”

Abarth are expected to skip the opening IRC round in Kenya to begin their title bid with the Rally Portugal in May. Following the end of the rally season, the Abarth team tested last month as they prepare for the new season and will resume the development programme in January, with the focus being on improvements to the engines and transmission.

2008 IRC PROVISIONAL CALENDAR

• 21-23 March (Kenya) Safari Rally (gravel)
• 09-10 May (Portugal) Rally Portugal (gravel)
• 27-28 June (Belgium) Ypres Westhoek Rally (asphalt)
• 11-12 July (Russia) Rally Russia (gravel)
• 01-02 August (Portugal) Rally Vinho di Madeira (asphalt)
• 22-23 August (Czech Rep.) Barum Rally Zlin (asphalt)
• 12-13 September (Spain) Principe de Asturias Rally (asphalt)
• 25 -27 September (Italy) Rally Sanremo (asphalt)
• 23-25 October (Switzerland) Rally du Valais (asphalt)
• 7-9 November (China) Rally China (gravel)