Luca Rossetti and Eleonora Mori, Citroen C3 R5, win the 55th Rally del Friuli Venezia Giulia

The Citroen driver relaunches the challenge on the home turf and is second in the Championship. On the final podium also the Skoda Fabia R5 of Crugnola-Ometto and Basso-Granai. Simone Campedelli (Ford) was only sixth.
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Udine, Saturday, August 31st , 2019 – Rallies come and go but the situation in the Italian Rally Championship is still uncertain. With two rounds only to go, namely, the Rally Due Valli in Verona and that with higher coefficient, the Tuscan Rewind on the amazing gravels on the outskirts of Montalcino, it is impossible to understand who will have the upper hand in this 2019 campaign.

The 55th Rally del Friuli Venezia Giulia, rally organied by Scuderia Friuli ACU, has given heavy verdicts like the victory of Luca Rossetti and co-driver Eleonora Mori, on Citroen C3, the second place of Andrea Crugnola and Pietro Ometto on Skoda Fabia run by Gass Racing – result obtained in the last test, the third step of the podium of Giandomenico Basso and Lorenzo Granai on another Fabia, but mostly the sixth place of Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton, on Ford Fiesta, due to a double puncture. These results changed the classification of the championship and Orange1 Racing’s driver will now have to do his best to make up for the points lost in Friuli.

The rally confirmed Rossetti – who won for the third time in Udine – and C3 at their top and put their name forward to challenge Giandomenico Basso in the title campaign. The latter obtained a strong result despite some issues to his car. This result allowed Crugnola to strenghten his lead in CIRA, the Italian series reserved to drivers, that he virtually has in his hands.

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After a long break, Alesasndro Perico was back to the streets of Friuli. He has been among the top five for a long time but had to retire towards the end of the rally. Antonio Rusce and Sauro Farnocchia climbed up to P4 on Skoda Fabia R5. Following a slow start, they managed to score important points for the CIR Asphalt classification and were followed by the local hero Marco Zanier with Marika Marcuzzi at the notes on Renault Clio W. The top ten was rounded off by some of the best crews in the fight for several Italian titles. The seventh place went to Tommaso Ciuffi, who was at his first outing in Udine on the works Peugeot 208 R2. The driver from Firenze claimed yet another win in a triumphant season in CIR 2WD leading Davide Nicelli and Jacopo Trevisani. Marco Pollara was eight overall after a good fight with Giuseppe Testa. The latter put in great times and closed his effort in P10. Among the Under 25 drivers, Michele Griso was ninth overall and won this round valid for the Peugeot Competition Trophy for the R2 cars. In the Italian R1, the victory went to Daniele Campanaro and Irene Porcu on Ford Fiesta. They were followed by Simone Rivia, who took the victory in the Suzuki Rally Cup after fighting with the Swift of Corrado Peloso.

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55th RALLY DEL FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA | FINAL CLASSIFICATION: 1. Rossetti-Mori (Citroen C3 R5) in 1:33'18.4; 2. Crugnola-Ometto (Skoda Fabia R5) at 13.7;3. Basso-Granai (Skoda Fabia R5) at 14.5; 4. Rusce-Farnocchia (Skoda Fabia R5) at 4’56.8; 5. Zannier-Marcuzzi (Renault Clio W.) at 7’58.8; 6. Campedelli-Canton (Ford Fiesta R5) at 8’17.7;7. Ciuffi-Gonella (Peugeot 208 R2) at 8’42.0;8. Pollara-Siragusano (Ford Fiesta R2) at 8’48.3;9. Griso-De Guio (Peugeot 208 R2) at 9’09.0; 10.Testa-Bizzocchi (Ford Fiesta R2) at 9’32.2.

CIR CLASSIFICATION: Basso 74,50; Rossetti 61,50; Campedelli 56,75; Crugnola 52,25

CIR 2WD CLASSIFICATION: Ciuffi 75; Nicelli 44

CIR JUNIOR: Pollara 60,25; Testa 54,25; Vita 37; Mazzocchi 28

CIRA: Crugnola 60; Michelini 42; Rusce 38

CIR CONSTRUCTORS: Citroen 64.25; Ford 63.5