The race is valid for the second round of the Italian Rally 2014 Championship and for the European Rally Trophy. Twist in today's shakedown as Bryan Bouffier, one of the favourites to the final victory, crashed heavily his Peugeot 207 Rally.
The French Bryan Bouffier – one of the contenders to the final victory – had a violent incident in the shakedown which did not have physical consequences for the occupants of the car but that heavily damaged his Peugeot 207 Super 2000. The mechanics will have to work around the clock to try and put on track again the French driver, which on paper is the only one that can challenge the CIR protagonists. Giandomenico Basso will be trying to win the race and secure some important points for the classification on his GPL powered Ford Fiesta R5, he will be joined by the Veronese Umberto Scandola, on Skoda Fabia Super 2000, by the Tuscan Paolo Andreucci, on the good looking but still raw Peugeot 208 R5 T16, and the Sicilian driver Andrea Nucita, Peugeot 207 Super 2000, who put his name forward after the nice race he run at Ciocco. Alessandro Perico will also have a go at it as he is trying to counter-charge after the early retirement at the rally of Ciocco. Rudy Michelini will take to the world debut the brand new Citroen Ds3 R5, a car that yet has unpredictable potential.
The classic race of Sanremo will also be the second round of the Italian Rally Production Championship. Among the favourites, Ciocco's winner Ivan Ferrarotti as well as Fabrizio Andolfi Junior, both on Renault New Clio R3 – the two drivers will also be protagonist of the single-branded championship – while Alex Vittalini will be racing on Citroen Ds3, and in the Citroen Racing Trophy. At Sanremo it will be worth keeping an eye on the young Giuseppe De Palma, who will be behind the wheel of a Renault Clio R3.
In the Italian Junior Championship the quest for the victory will involve the Peugeot 208 R2 driven by Stefano Albertini, Peugeot Junior Rally Team, that of Giacomo Scattolon, and the new Renault Twingo R2 driven by Luca Panzani, with the latter leading the classification of the Twingo R2 Top Trophy. The small but bold Suzuki Swift will compete for the single-branded Suzuki Rally Trophy and for the Aci Csai R1 Trophy that will take place in the context of the 6th Rally Sanremo Legend.
The programme of the event follows: Start tomorrow – Friday 4 April at 15.00 (local time) from Sanremo's Piazzale Adolfo Rava, next to the former rail station. Day one will comprise six stages for a total of 103.42 timed kilometers. Some classic stages of the race like Vignai, will be repeated twice, and then Apricale , Bivio Coldirodi and Bignone. The very long and tough night stage called Ronde – run on 38.64 km will end the afternoon sector. Day two will take place on Saturday starting from 7.30 and ending in Piazzale Adolfo Rava at 19.54. Six more stages will clock 121 more timed kilometers.
The Live Streaming by ACI Sport is scheduled for Friday 4 April at 15.50 and at 17.20 to document the end of the first and fourth stage. The third appointment will be from Piazza Borea in Sanremo at 12.45.
