Grande Punto Abarth factory-supported driver Renato Travaglia came home third on the Rally Mille Miglia at the weekend to move himself into contention in this year’s European and Italian Rally Championships.

Renato Travaglia came home third on the Rally 1000 Miglia at the weekend to put himself into contention in this year’s European and Italian Rally Championships. The Grande Punto Abarth driver moved into the final podium spot late on the last day, when gearbox gremlins struck down Giandomenico Basso and Mitia Dotta, who had occupied third position for most of the event.

The event, which was affected by adverse weather conditions including persistent rain and fog, was dominated from start to finish by Paolo Andreucci and Anna Andreussi in their Ralliart Italia Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX.  They headed home Luca Rossetti in a Peugeot 207 S2000, who consolidated his position in the CIR and ERC standings. He now heads the ERC standings on 32 points, 13 ahead of Travaglia, and is tied at the top of the CIR with Subaru’s Piero Longhi, who finished fourth this weekend.

The two days were packed with incidents, with ERC regulars Volkan Işık and Kaan Özşenler having a disappointing event throughout. A spin on the opening evening’s superspecial was followed by mechanical problems on the first morning, and eventual retirement 1km from the end of SS13 on the second day. Other high-profile victims of that stage included Basso, Sandro Sottile and Marco Nari in their Mitsubishi Lancer (brakes), Michał Sołowow (broken wheel) and Luca Betti, who endured a puncture on the stage.

Meanwhile, after missing the opening round of the ERC, the Istanbul Rally, the Reag Rally Team commenced their bid for this year’s title with Corrado Fontana and Renzo Casazza in the outfit’s Grande Punto Abarth, which is prepared by Grifone.

After a retirement on the second round of the Italian championship, Travaglia’s six points from this event have propelled him into fifth place in the championship standings, on 9 points. After finishing fifth this weekend, Andrea Navarra in the other works Grande Punto Abarth lies equal third in the championship with Andreucci on 11 points.  Both Abarth drivers trail the joint championship leaders, Longhi and Rossetti, who head the title race with 20 points apiece. In the manufacturer’s championship, Fiat still lies fourth on 13 points, behind joint leaders Subaru and Peugeot (20 points) and Mitsubishi (18.5).

by Shant Fabricatorian