Paolo Andreucci and Anna Andreussi,Peugeot 208 T16 R5, lead day one of the 50th Rally of Salento

Behind the two, Simone Campedelli, Ford, and Umberto Scandola, Skoda.
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Lecce, 3 June 2017 – Everything according to plan, at least for the time being, at the 50th Rally of Salento, race organized by Automobile Club di Lecce with the support of the Scuderia Piloti Salentini. Three were the awaited protagonists, namely Paolo Andreucci, and Anna Andreussi on a Peugeot 208 T16 R5, Simone Campedelli, and Pietro Elia Ometto on a Ford Fiesta R5, and Umberto Scandola with Guido D’Amore on Skoda Fabia R5. These are the three drivers that lead the classification at the end of day one, and that secured the first important points, as the race has coefficient 1,5 for the championship. These points allow Paolo Andreucci to lead his championship lead even though gaps are still not that big. Behind the driver from Tuscany and his co-equiper of Peugeot Italia, who won six of the eight stages today, was Simone Campedelli.

The Italian driver made some mistakes here and there and this pushed him away from the lead of the charts, but the points hauled today placed him to the second position of the Italian championship getting past Scandola. The Veronese Scandola was third today as he endured some electric problem on his Skoda Fabia R5. The sixteen years old Finn Kalle Rovanpera, Peugeot 208 T16 R5, run a low profile race so far. He slipped in the pitfalls of the rally and lost 10’ in the first stage due to a contact and a stop to fix the car at best and get going again. Behind the front runners, Antonio Rusce, X Race Sport, and Ivan Ferrarotti, Movisport, both on Ford Fiesta R5. The two drivers were at the debut in this rally and had to pay off their apprenticeship making some mistakes too many. The leader of the RGT Italian Championship Fabrizio Andolfi Junior closed within the top ten on his Abarth 124 Rally. He pulled away from his rival Totò Riolo, also on 124 Rally, who was stopped by failure on his car. The 2WD championship was led by Broni’s Riccardo Canzian who adapted better to the rally than his rival and current classification leader Kevin Gilardoni. Both are on Renault Clio R3T and therefore are also battling out the single make trophy R3T. In the Italian R1 Championship, Emanuele Rosso, Renault Twingo, closed on top, and was also first of the Twingo R1 Top Trophy, leading the Suzuki Swift R1B operated by Lorenzo Coppe, who was the first of the Suzuki Rally Trophy.

The second and closing day of the rally is scheduled for tomorrow. Six stages are in the programme: the Specchia and Giuggianello to be repeated 3 times for a total of 89.29 competitive km on a partial liason of 259.32 km. Tomorrow’s leg will therefore name the winner of the 50th Rally of Salento. 

 

CLASSIFICATION OF THE 50th RALLY OF SALENTO - DAY 1: 1. Andreucci-Andreussi (Peugeot 208 T16) in 59'30.5;2. Campedelli- Ometto (Ford Fiesta R5) at 14.9; 3.Scandola-D'Amore (Skoda Fabia R5) at 23.3; 4.Rusce- Farnocchia (Ford Fiesta R5) at 1’59.5; 5.Ferrarotti- Caputo (Ford Fiesta R5) at 2’16.1;6. Andolfi-Mangiarotti (Abarth 124 Rally) at 6’08.8;7. Canzian- Nobili (Renault Clio R3T) at 6’17.9; 8.Gilardoni-Bonato (Renault Clio R3T) at 7’26.4 ;9. Montagna-Quarta (Citroen C2 VTS) at 9’16.4;10.Nicelli-Michi (Abarth 124 Rally) at 9’29.9.

CIR Classification: Andreucci 48,75; Campedelli 40; Scandola 39; Perico 18; Ferrarotti Chentre 11,50; Rusce 9,50.

CIR 2WD Classification: Gilardoni 52; Pollara 46,50; Canzian 33.

CIR R1 Classification: Martinelli 52; Strabello 40; Rosso 37; Bravi 29,50; Paris 35; Coppe 31,5; Scalzotto 26; Bravi 21,50.

CIR Constructors Classification: Peugeot 58,25; Skoda 46.