The 29 lineups competing in the 4th round of CIR and first for Gravel Trophy will be racing next week at Rally Italia Sardegna alongside the WRC drivers. The race will also be valid for TRN.
27 May 2014 – Edition 2014 of the Rally Italia Sardegna – the eleventh in its history – announces to be extremely spectacular and open, not only regarding the WRC drivers, but also the Italian Championship drivers. The Tuscan driver Paolo Andreucci comes from the victorious exit at Targa Florio on his Peugeot 208 R5 T16, while Giandomenico Basso, on the GPL powered Ford Fiesta R5, the reigning champion Umberto Scandola, on Skoda Fabia Super 2000, and Andrea Nucita, who comes from three very good races on the Peugeot 207 Super 2000 will be the most likely contenders for the final victory. Andrea Perego on Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X will try to counter-charge, while Stefano Albertini will have the chance to drive the multiple-times winning car Peugeot 207 S2000 of Paolo Andreucci and Anna Andreussi as the rally will not be valid for the Italian Junior Championship. Simone Campedelli will be at the start too after the debut at Targa Florio on Ford Fiesta R5. Luigi Ricci, winner of edition 2013, will be also at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R5 among the big names of the Italian Gravel Trophy in his first round of the season. Eight other lineups will make it to the start in the trophy,among which Nicolò Marchioro on Renault Clio R3, Fabio Gianfico on Mitsubishi Evo IX and Mauro Trentin on Subaru Impreza N14.
The programme in brief follows: 11 timed stages summing up to 140.42 km out of the global 655.74 km, all on gravel exception made for the most awaited opening stage "City of Cagliari” in the Harbour zone of the city, scheduled for Thursday 5 May at 21.06 (local time).
CIR and Gravel Trophy drivers will get back to Alghero in the night and will race on Friday 6 June on an itinerary featuring four of the most classic stages of the rally, after the WRC drivers have gone through them twice. These stages are: "Terranova Nord" of 20 km, "Terranova Sud" of 12.40 km, "Coiluna -Castrazza" of 20.29 km and "Loelle" of 27.30 km. The following day (i.e. Saturday 7 June) the drivers will have to go through their final stage, the long "Monte Lerno" of 59,13 km, that is going to decide the final classification of the rally. The conclusion of the race and the podium ceremony is scheduled for the same day of Saturday at 14.30 in Alghero.
