The Trofeo Abarth 500
Rally one-make 'grassroots' championship will be
taking on a truly international flavor this year as a
new format seven event series will comprise of rounds in
Italy, France and Switzerland. The series which is aimed
squarely at young rally drivers features identical
specification Abarth 500 R3T machines with 180 HP.
With two rounds in Switzerland, two in France and three
in Italy, the 2011 edition will have a much more
international feel and will aim to attract drivers from
these two additional countries. The best six scores from
the seven rounds will count towards the final points
classification.
The new championship will kick off in Italy with the
Rally 1000 Miglia (15-16 April), before the Trofeo
Abarth 500 Rally moves on to Switzerland for the
next two rounds, the Criterium Jurassien (29-30 April)
and the Rally du Chablais (27-28 May). Then after a
month's break it is back to Italy for the Abarth 500
runners to contest the Rally Appennino Reggiano (25-26
June) before the traditional summer rally break looms
into view. After the two month intermission the first
round in France beckons in the shape of the Rallye Mont
Blanc - Morzine (2-3 September) followed three weeks
later by the final Italian round which sees the
Trofeo Abarth 500 Rally crews taking in the
prestigious Rallye Sanremo (23-24 September). The
concluding rally will see the competitors wrapping up
the season on French soil with the Rallye d'Antibes
(15-16 October).
In keeping with Abarth's philosophy the series aims to
help young drivers up the rally 'ladder' and top prize
in the under-25 category will be a "rally ready" Abarth
500 R3T, thanks to the cooperation of Asi/Csai, while
the overall championship winner will be rewarded with a
road homologated Abarth 500. For each round the winner
recieves 4,000 euros, second place is rewarded by 2,500
euros while the third placed driver gets four Michelin
tyres. Registration for the series costs 2,000 euros and
includes branded firesuits for the driver and co-driver.
The rally-ready Abarth 500 R3T is sold through a network
of specialist dealers known as Preparatori Abarth
Racing. The comprise of Auto Alberta by Uboldi Corse
(Como), Campana Onorio (Modena), Forza Service (Turin),
Romeo Ferraris (Milan), Trico Motorsport (Alessandria),
Zatti Top Class (Parma) and Milano Racing (Marsiglia). Sold
as a "turn key" racer the 500 R3T costs 48,000 euros
plus VAT.
Built to the FIA's R3T regulations the tiny Abarth 500
R3T is a fully-fledged rally car. With 180 bhp from its
1.4 litre turbocharged engine its rally features include
a 6-speed sequential gearbox, twin plate clutch, rally
ready suspension with new cambers, 7x17 inch OZ wheels
and all the requisite FIA mandated safety equipment
including roll protection cage and 6-point harnesses.
