Luca Rossetti
swept to an important victory in the demanding gravel
surfaces of the 17th Rally dell’Adriatico yesterday,
fending off a hard charge from former Abarth factory
youngster Umberto Scandola and in the process wresting
the points lead of the Italian Rally Championship (CIR)
after two rounds. Scorpion team mate Giandomenico Basso
made it onto the final podium step and that impressive
1-3 result for the Italian team has also put it in
command in the manufacturers' standings in what is
widely regarded as the most competitive national rally
championship in the world.
It was an all the more
significant win a for Rossetti, who agonisingly missed
out on last year’s CIR title by a fraction, as his
closest title rival and championship leader, Paolo
Andreucci in the official Racing Lions Peugeot 207
S2000, hit problems and could only finish in ninth
place. Rossetti’s other most serious title rival this
year, apart from his rapid team-mate Basso, is another
former Abarth factory driver, Renato Travaglia, but the
privateer Peugeot 207 S2000 driver only managed to
finish fifth, widening the gap in the Scorpion driver's
favour.
"Rox", who has
eighteen championship points thanks to a win and second
place from the two rounds to be held so far, is now four
points clear of Andreucci, and seven points clear of
third-placed Travaglia. Basso is fourth in the standings
with 10 points. It was Rossetti's second back-to-back
rally win, as last weekend he claimed victory in the FIA
European Rally Championship-counting Croatia Rally and
it means that the experienced Italian star now leads
both the Italian and European Championships.
It wasn't all plain
sailing though for Rossetti, who had Matteo Chiarcossi
alongside in the co-driver's seat as usual, as he was
rooted down in tenth place at the end of the first
special stage. However the Italian, who eventually took
three fastest stage times, steadily fought his way up the leaderboard to
close the gap to Andreucci, who had led the rally all
yesterday, by the end of SS7, and when the Peugeot
driver hit problems on SS8 Rossetti pounced to take command of the rally.
Over the final four stages he kept the rapid Scandola
(Ford Fiesta S2000) at bay, maintaining a steady gap of
over 10 seconds, to take overall victory by
13.8 seconds. Basso was third, more than a minute back.
This impressive 1-3 result confirmed the ability of the
Abarth Grande Punto S2000 on gravel and it is an
important result as the gravel rounds of the CIR, a
series which always boasts a complicated points system,
do not count towards drop scores this year.
Rossetti will be
looking to extend his drivers' points advantage and team
mate Basso will be aiming to close up the gap, while
Abarth will be aiming to defend its manufacturers' lead
from rivals Peugeot and Ford, when the third round of
the CIR, the Rally del Salento, takes place in Lecce on
June 17-18.
Italian Rally
Championship (CIR), Round 2: 17th Rally dell’Adriatico -
Final Classification: 1. Rossetti-Chiarcossi (Abarth
Grande Punto S2000) in 1 hour 19’52”1; 2. Scandola-Biondi
(Ford Fiesta S2000) + 13”8; 3. Basso-Dotta (Abarth
Grande Punto S2000) + 1’07”3; 4. Arminen-Nikkola (Subau
Impreza) + 1’14”1; 5. Travaglia-Granai (Peugeot 207
S2000) + 1’30”7; 6. Trentin-Zanella (Peugeot 207 S2000)
+ 1’40”1; 7. Pesavento-Ciucci (Peugeot 207 S2000) +
1’48”5; 8. Dedo-Daddoveri (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 1’51”4;
9. Andreucci-Andreussi (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 2’15”1; 10.
Martelli-Pisano (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 2’42”1.
Italian rally
Championship, Drivers standings (after 2 rounds): 1.
Rossetti (Abarth) 18 points; 2. Andreucci (Peugeot) 14;
3. Travaglia (Peugeot) 11; 4. Basso (Abarth) 10; 5.
Scandola (Ford) 8.
Italian rally
Championship, Manufacturers standings (after 2 rounds):
1. Abarth 28 points; 2. Peugeot 25; 3. Ford 8.
