Salento Rally 2003
I'm following the event with some reports during these days and I will add also a bunch of exclusive photos from Videorace and Photocris.
Event summary: leg 1
The sixth round of Italian Rally Champioship - Rally del Salento - ended with the 2nd final place of Paolo Andreucci's Fiat Punto Abarth Rally (Super 1600). The Italian reigning champion finished with less than 30'' gap from the winner Dallavilla (Renault) and with more than 30'' on Longhi's Subaru (3rd). Giandomenico Basso on Fiat Punto Abarth Rally was forced to retire after an incident during the 23rd stage when he was 4th.
Andreucci's Fiat Punto Abarth Rally showed an high level performance with 7 special stages won: he was able to finish the first leg in first position and to keep this position until the fifth special stage of the second leg, nothwistanding he went a little bit out of the road during special stage number 16. The final fight with Dallavilla suggested Andreucci not to force anymore in order to keep the final second place taking no risk.
Basso had a good rally too, being able to keep his Fiat Punto Abarth Rally (Super 1600) always in the first positions despite a mistake during the last special stage of the first leg forced him to loose more than 1'30''. Very good second leg backing from 7th to 4th position with 4 special stages won.
About the Trofeo Fiat Punto Abarth, young driver Matteo Gamba had the best performance winning 1 special stage (nr.21) and finishing fifth in the Super 1600 Classification in front of Nicola Caldani (sixth in Super 1600). Gamba is the new leader of the trophy both in the Overall and in the Under 27 Classification.
Next Rally will be Rally San Martino di Castrozza, 8th-10th July 2004.
Pictures
Coming soon!