09.07.2004 The Rally San Martino di Castrozza e Primiero started last night with Fiat Punto pilot Giandomenico Basso storming into an early lead after posting fastest times on the first six stages

After almost a months break, the Italian Rally Championship resumed yesterday evening  with the 24th running of the Rally San Martino di Castrozza e Primiero, the seventh round of the series. The event is also part of the FIA European Rally Cup.

Six Fiat Punto Abarth Rally Super 1600 cars lined up at the start of the 1.23km spectator-friendly Saint Martino Super Special.

Leading the Punto pilots away was reigning Italian Rally Champion Paolo Andreucci, the winner of the Rally del Ciocco and Valle Del Serchio, and his close rival, Giandomenico Basso, winner of Rally Mille Miglia.

These two, who will be battling for overall honours on the rally's Punto-friendly tarmac surfaces, were joined by four drivers taking part in the Trofeo Fiat Punto Abarth Rally: Matteo Gamba, who is leading in both the overall and Under 27 classifications, Stefano Bizzarri, Nicola Caldani and finally Alessandro Bettega, who is racing on his home-town roads this weekend.

Andreucci, along with co-driver Anna Andreussi, goes into the event lying third in the driver's championship, after Subaru pilots Navarra and Longhi, and first in the Super 1600 classification, ahead of Renault driver Dallavilla. Basso, with Mitia Dotta alongside, is sixth in the overall and third in the Super 1600. Fiat meanwhile are second in the Manufacturers Classification, just behind Subaru and just in front of Mitsubishi.

The Rally, all on tarmac, comprises of fifteen special stages spread over two legs with a total of 752,79km, 226.42km of these held over timed special stages.

The opening special stage, run in the pouring rain last night, saw Basso beat Andreucci to take victory by just four tenths of a second, with Bizzarri a very creditable eighth overall.

Basso led the field away this morning, and by mid-afternoon, he was continuing where he started off last night, posting fastest times on the first five stages of the day to build himself up an initial lead.

Three more stages remain this afternoon before the first leg ends this evening in Baselga. The rally finishes at Gobbera tomorrow teatime after a final five stages.