Following his second straight  Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) win on the Sanremo Rally at the end last month Abarth factory driver Giandomenico Basso has hauled himself back into the championship fight, although it remains an outside chance.

Following his second straight Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) win, on the Sanremo Rally at the end last month, Abarth factory driver Giandomenico Basso has hauled himself back into the championship title fight, although the Italian still remains with only an outside chance.

Before the final two rounds, to be held in Switzerland and China, three drivers are still in contention for the title: with Basso sandwiched in the standings by Nicolas Vouilloz and Luca Rossetti (Peugeot). The IRC regulations state that only seven scores from 10 will count towards the final total.

So with eight rounds of the series gone, Vouilloz has effectively 56 points (discounting the four points he scored in Russia). Basso has 42, so is just 14 points behind in second place. Rossetti’s chances are slimmer, but a win in Switzerland could put the Italian right back into the title hunt.

Basso has bounced back into outside contention for the title after collecting two maximum scores on the last two rounds of the series (Principe de Asturias and Sanremo). The Italian's year started badly with no points in Turkey, and his first haul came with 5 points in Portugal on round two, followed by meagre pickings (3 pts) on the Ypres Rally. Basso followed these results with two podium positions either side of a non-score in the Czech Republic: adding six points in Russia and then a further eight in Madeira where he was unlucky not to win.

Essentially, the IRC drivers’ title can only be decided in Switzerland later this month if either Vouilloz wins or Basso retires. If neither of these scenarios happen, the series is set for a thrilling battle all the way to the end of the season.

Peugeot has already claimed the manufacturer’s title under the same regulations, which state that only the best seven from 10 scores count. Although Abarth could still theoretically equal Peugeot’s total of points, Peugeot would still win the title on the number of rally victories.