Giandomenico Basso arrived at the Rally del Salento at the weekend as the joint leader of the Italian Rally Championship after the first four hard fought rounds, and looking to gain maximum points for his title bid. A second factory-supported Grande Punto Abarth S2000 machine would be running alongside him for the first time in Italy this year as Umberto Scandola, one of two youngsters that Abarth are championing for the future, was being run by Trico Motor Sports in this event to help him gain more experience.

The international Rally del Salento celebrated its 41st anniversary this year, with an edition that was revised and improved. After the celebration of its 40th edition, that took place in Gallipoli in 2006, the 2007 edition of the Italian Rally Championship was held in Galatina, a town famous for its trade fairs and artistic monuments. The competition, organized by Automobile Club Lecce in collaboration with Scuderia Piloti Salentini and the cooperation of Regione Puglia - Assessorato allo Sport, and the Municipalities of Lecce and Galatina - was set to take place from 14 to 16 June.

The race, for this edition once again, was valid for the fifth round of the Italian Rally Championship (CIR), as well as boasting the prestigious coefficient 10 of the European Rally Cup – FIA South West region. The rally would also be a round of the new “Trofeo d'Italia Rally GT”, a series reserved to Gran Turismo cars, such as Porsche Cayman, Porsche 911 and Nissan 350.

The 41st Rally del Salento would also be the very first event of the new Trofeo Grande Punto Api Ip Oro Diesel 2007, a new competition which has been reserved exclusively for the Grande Punto R3D. Seven young crews would line up for this inaugural event: Simone Campedelli-Danilo Fappani, Davide Di Benedetto-Lorenzo Giordano, Alessio Pisi-Marco Pollicino, Diego Fornaciari-Fabio Menchini, Tiziano Nerobutto-Franco Battisti, Gianni Martellucci-Elisa Finotti and Adriano Piras-Emanuela Turco. Pisi, one of the pre-event favourites in this new series was also cautiously optimistic about his chances: “We are sure we will compete doing our best, since last year I won in Panda Rally Cup. Grande Punto Mutijet is a new car to me, but it seems to be very fast."

The rally itinerary would see the opening spectator-friendly 'superspecial' stage held on Thursday evening in the square of Fiera del Salento in Galatina, Parc Fermè, where the cars would be parked during the nights of the competition, and where the podium for the winners of June 16 awaited in the piazza Dante Alighieri. A second 'superspecial' stage was scheduled for Friday, June 15, at the La Conca international circuit in Muro Leccese, headquarters of the event and home to the  service park and where last year five thousand people came to watch the cars in action.

The Rally would consist of 17 Special Stages - 221,68 kms of the total 787,27 kms would be driven during the competition in the area of Salento – and it was set to be divided in two legs: eleven stages in the first leg (“Martignano”, “Santa Cesarea Terme”, “Miggiano” repeated three times, and the 'show Stages' “Fiera del Salento” and “La Conca”) on Thursday 14 and Friday 15; while six stages would make up the second leg on Saturday 16 (Specchia”, “Palombara” and “Ciolo”, repeated twice).
 

Basso was looking forward to the event, although admitting that his lack of experience on the event would count against him: “We will try to be the most precise we can, when we turn and brake above all, being aware that our competitors know better the circuit of Rally del Salento than us," said the European Rally Champion. Andrea Dallavilla (Mitsubishi Evo IX) won the opening 'superspecial' stage but it was Luca Rossetti (Peugeot 207 S2000) who quickly took over the rally lead, while Basso running at #1 on the road suffered slightly as he lost time 'clearing' the tracks: “The first lap has been quite good," he said mid way through leg 1, "I think that the fact of being in a high position is negative, since the roads are still rough." However the Grande Punto Abarth pilot was much happier in the afternoon: "The second series of special stages has been better than the first one," he said.

Rossetti was able to fend off the attention of Basso in the battle of the Super2000 cars at the front right through leg 2 and up to the chequered flag, having amassed a 35.8 second winning margin by the final classification. Last year's winner - for Fiat - Paolo Andreucci, was third overall in the Mitsubishi Italia-entered Evo IX, while Italian youngster Scandola brought his factory Grande Punto Abarth home in 5th place. "This is a optimal result which keeps us as being leader in the Championship," said Fiat Motorsports boss Claudio Berro. "The Grande Punto Abarth has gone very well. Thanks to all our partners and in particular BF Goodrich for their excellent collaboration."

The Rally San Martino di Castrozza from 6-8 July is the next (and sixth round) of the 2007 CIR. It will also be the second round of the "Trofeo Abarth Grande Punto Api IP Oro Diesel". The remained of the calendar for this new diesel 'Trofeo' series be made up of the Rally Alpi Orientali (30 August) and the Rally Sanremo (27 September).

41st Rally del Salento - Final Result: 1. Rossetti-Chiarcossi (Peugeot 207) in 2 hr 11’’41”1; 2. Basso-Dotta (Grande Punto Abarth) + 35”8; 3. Andreucci-Andreussi (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 1’32”6; 4. Aghini-Cerrai (Subaru Impreza) + 1’53”7; 5. Cantamessa-Capolongo (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 2’04”0; 6. Scandola-Biondi (Grande Punto Abarth) + 2’30”3; 7. Gamba-Guzzi (Mitsubishi Lancer) a 2’31”1; 8. Dallavilla-Rocco (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 2’55”3; 9. Gianfico-Mongillo (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 4’24”6; 10. Centre-Mometti (Mitsubishi Lancer) + 4’41”2.