Perico ended on top a very tough leg that witnessed the retirement of Giandomenico Basso, Peugeot 207 Super 2000. Umberto Scandola, Skoda Fabia Super 2000, slowed down by a puncture in the last stage while he was in the lead.
At the end of the first day the Italian at the wheel of a Peugeot lined up by team PA Racing closed with a 20'' gap to the second, the Veronese Umberto Scandola on Skoda Fabia Super 2000, who after leading since the start of the race was slowed down in the last stage due to a puncture and therefore had to give away the temporary lead. Scandola is still in the games though even if less than 30 clocked km are still to go.
Stefano Albertini is among the frustrated drivers as the local hero has been on the pace of the leader for most of the day. Unfortunately, in one of the stages suiting best his driving, the youngster from Vestone damaged the back of his Peugeot 207 Super 2000 lined up by Racing Lions and had to retire from the race. Third place in the absolute classification for Emanuele Zecchin as he made his Peugeot crossing the finish line at 2'22"3 from the top.
Behind the top three drivers classified the protagonists of the Italian Production Championship: Alessandro Bosca, Renault Clio R3, ended forth absolute – first of the Renault Clio R3 Production Trophy – proceeding the Sicilian Andrea Nucita on Citroen Ds3 and in turn protagonist in the Citroen Racing Trophy. Sixth absolute and first of R2 was the Italian multi-champion Paolo Andreucci who is driving a car of a minor category, the Peugeot 208 R2, managed to set very interesting chronos at times often placing himself high in the stages' classification harvesting at the end of the day a very good eighth place.
In the Italian Rally Junior Championship – the series reserved to very young drivers – Andrea Crugnola run a stunning race as absolute protagonist in the Twingo R2 Top, as did Fabrizio Andolfi Junior and Giacomo Cunial on Citroen C2 of Vieffecorse wearing ACI CSAI's colors.
The first leg ended the rally of the Suzuki Rally Cup Group B. The victory went to the Piedmont's driver Andrea Vineis who led Paolo Amorisco.
Classification after leg 1. 1. Perico- Carrara (Peugeot 207 S2000) in 1h27'23"6; 2. Scandola-D'Amore (Skoda Fabia S2000) at 20" ; 3.. Zecchin - Vettoretti (Peugeot 207 Super 2000) at 2'22"3 ; 4. Bosca- Aresca (Renault Clio R3) at 3'01"7; 5.Nucita - Princiotto (Citroen Ds3 ) at 3'19"4; 6. Andreucci - Andreussi (Peugeot 208 R2) at 3'28"7; 7. Gasperetti - Ferrari (Renault Clio R3) at 3'31"6; 8. Ferrarotti - Fenoli (Renault Clio R3) at 3'33"6; 9. Tosini - Peroglio ( Renault Clio R3) at 4'14"2; 10. Niboli - Mometti (Peugeot 207 Super 2000) at 4'26"4
The final day of the rally will begin tomorrow at 8.00 (GMT+1) and it will afterwards reach its conclusion at 13.00 with live coverage on Rai Sport 2 from Brescia's Piazzale Arnaldo. The leg will feature two passages on the challenging 14.52kms of the stage "Cavallino", a quite tough path that can still reserve some stings in the tail.
