Sanremo (IM), Wednesday, October 4th, 2023 – The 38th Sanremo Historic Rally is about to start, with its drivers behind the wheel of classic cars ready to traverse the scenic roads of the Ligurian Riviera, with its rich heritage of historic motorsports. This highly anticipated event will feature the main contenders of the Campionato Italiano Rally Auto Storiche 2023, reaching its season's conclusion, and the FIA European Historic Rally Championship, of which this is the second-to-last event. Twelve nations will be represented over the two-day event in Sanremo, organized by the Automobile Club Ponente Ligure with the support of the Regione Liguria, the Province of Imperia, and the Municipality of Sanremo. Eleven special stages, covering a total distance of 133.32 kilometers, will be faced across Saturday - October 7th - and Sunday - October 8th.

INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE | There will be 72 crews taking part in the event. 46 of them will compete for the Italian Championship. Twelve nations will be represented, including Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Belgium. They will be ready to compete in the two legs scheduled on Saturday and Sunday.

CATEGORY 4: Several crews are competing in Category 4. Among the drivers there is Valter Pierangioli, who will once again be joined by Arianna Ravano in a Ford Sierra Cosworth 4X4. Riccardo Mariotti and Sandro Sanesi will compete in a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth. Gianfranco Cunico returns to the Italian Championship tarmac after his appearance at the Rally Storico Campagnolo last May; this time he will compete in a Porsche 911 Carrera SCRS with Luigi Pirollo as co-driver. Maurizio Pagella will also be on the starting line with Roberto Brea in a Porsche 911 SC, as well as the Hungarian duo Mekler and Edit Laszlo in a Lancia Rally 037. Another strong contender is "Lucky," who has already stood out in the Campionato Italiano Rally Terra Storico and currently is leading Category 4 in the European standings, with Fabrizia Pons as co-driver in a Lancia Delta Integrale.

CATEGORY 3: The final classification of Group 3 will also be determined in Sanremo, currently led by Natale Mannino. After an unfortunate experience on Elba Island, Mannino will try to climb to the top of the standings in a Porsche 911 SC with Giacomo Giannone as co-driver. Also in contention is Riccardo De Bellis, joined by Christian Soriani in a Porsche 911 SC, second place in the category standings. Team Bassano representatives Enrico Volpato and Giuseppe Massimo Giudicelli will be racing, with Enrico driving a Ford Escort RS alongside Samuele Sordelli, and Giuseppe in a Volkswagen Golf GTI with Simone Bottega as co-driver.

CATEGORY 2: Leading the way in Category 2 will be Lucio Da Zanche, the recent overall winner of the second-to-last round at the Rallye Elba Storico. Da Zanche, a five-time Sanremo winner, will be aiming for his third seasonal victory on the roads of Ligurian with Daniele De Luis as co-driver in a Porsche 911 Carrera RS. Paolo Pasutti and Giovanni Battista Campeis will also be in a Porsche 911 Carrera RS, competing in the FIA European Rally Championship Category 2. Nicola Salin will partner with Paolo Protta. Alyssa and Valter Anziliero will be in a Ford Escort RS, while Giovanni Emanuele Nucera will make his return to the CIRAS for its final round, driving a Porsche 911 RSR with Mirco Gabrielli as co-driver. Matteo Musti, already crowned Italian champion thanks to his fifth-place finish last September in the Elba race, will be absent.

CATEGORY 1: Once again, Antonio Parisi and Giuliano Palmieri will be the main contenders, both driving Porsche 911 S. Following their victory on the Elba roads, Palmieri, representing Team Bassano, is ready to challenge for the top spot in the standings alongside Lucia Zambiasi to secure the title for the second consecutive year. Parisi, joined by Giuseppe D'Angelo, will also compete in Category 1, attempting to secure the top position in the standings, which he currently leads with 142 points. Giuseppe Marcello Pollara will also be present in Saremo, driving another Porsche with Andrea Sarah Tardito as co-driver.

 

SCHEDULE | The final event of the Campionato Italiano Rally Auto Storiche will begin with the shakedown on Friday, October 6th, at 4:30 PM in San Romolo. The competition will heat up on Saturday, October 7th, with the start set on Corso Imperatrice in Sanremo at 11:00 AM. From there, the main contenders from both the national and European series will face the first 7.76 kilometers of the Special Stage #1, "S. Bartolomeo - Bivio Calderara" (SS1 - 12.33; SS4 - 17.07). They will then continue along the routes of "Cavaronica - S. Bernardo" (SS2 - 13.21), "Colle d'Oggia" (SS3 - 13.44), and "San Bernardo" (SS5 - 17.55) before entering the Service Park, which will conclude the first leg of the rally. The following day - Sunday, October 8th - the competition will continue with the remaining six Special Stages of "Langan" (SS6 - 10.48; SS10 - 15.20), "Semoigo" (SS7 - 11.51), "Bignone" (SS8 - 12.12), "Coldirodi" (SS9 - 12.37), and "Bajardo" (SS11 - 16.28). The final arrival is scheduled for 5:35 PM on Corso Imperatrice in Sanremo.

Last year, Lucio Da Zanche won the 37th edition of the Sanremo Rally Storico, driving a Porsche 911 RS from Group 2, co-driven by Daniele De Luis.

 

CIR AUTO STORICHE | TOP 3 AFTER ROUND 7:

Overall: 1. Musti (Porsche 911 SC) pt. 187; 2. Luise (Fiat Ritmo 130 Abarth) pt. 162; 3. Mannino (Porsche Carrera RS) pt. 162

1°Cat.: 1. Parisi (Porsche 911 S) pt. 142; 2. Palmieri (Porsche 911 S) pt. 140; Giuliani (Lancia Fulvia HF) pt. 78

2°Cat.: 1. Musti (Porsche Carrera RS) pt. 187; 2. 3. Da Zanche (Porsche Carrera RS) pt. 109; 3. Nucera (Porsche 911 SC) pt. 102

3°Cat.: 1. Mannino (Porsche 911 SC) pt. 162; 2. De Bellis (Porsche 911 SC) pt. 132; 3. Giudicelli (Volkswagen Golf GTI) pt. 127

4°Cat.: 1. Luise (Fiat Ritmo 130 Abarth) pt. 162; 2. Pierangioli (Ford Sierra Cosworth) pt. 90,5; 3. Mariotti (Ford Sierra Cosworth) pt. 72

 

CIR AUTO STORICHE 2023 CALENDAR: 3-5 marzo 13° Historic Rally Vallate Aretine | 14-16 aprile 6° Rally Storico Costa Smeralda | 5-7 maggio Targa Florio Historic Rally | 2-4 giugno 18° Rally Storico Campagnolo | 23-24 giugno 12° Rally Lana Storico | 14-16 luglio 27° Rally Alpi Orientali Historic | 15-16 settembre XXXV Rallye Elba Storico | 6-8 ottobre 38° Sanremo Rally Storico

 

[Photo: Da Zanche-De Luis in the Porsche 911 RS and Parisi-D'Angelo in the Porsche 911 S during 37° Sanremo Rally Storico]