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ENTRANTS’ RECORD FOR THE 2006 RALLY D’ITALIA
SARDEGNA
81 crews chose the Italian round of
the World Rally Championship. Among
those defying the best world drivers
there will be also “Gigi” Galli and also
Anton Alen, entering the race with a
Subaru Impreza Sti and Alessandro
Bettega racing in the Fiesta Trophy.
Thousands reasons to be here, thousands
reasons to follow the 2006 Rally
d’Italia Sardegna from May 18th to 21st,
that has also a high level entrants’
list. A high level because the best
World Rally drivers and the best world
rally cars are racing here and also
because of the quantity, 81 crews (last
year there were 70 and two years ago 74)
entered the race, 22 nations and 12
different manufacturers. A real record
for the 2006 World Rally Championship
that gives the idea of the big interest
arisen around the Italian round of the
World Rally Championship , and also the
good health of the Italian rally
movement because of the large number of
Italian drivers that entered the rally.
As said before everyone is going to race
here starting with the World Rally
Champion and actual championship leader
Sebastien Loeb together with Daniel
Elena on a Xsara of the Kronos Total
Citroen Team and the other driver of the
same team the Spanish Xavier Pons and
co-driver Carlos Del Barrio. Sebastien
Loeb leader of the 2006 World
Championship so far and winner in
Mexico, Spain and Tour de Corse as well
as winner of last year edition of Rally
d’Italia Sardegna will be of course one
of the favourites. Another Citroen Xsara
of the Kronos Team will be at the start
with Daniel Sordo, revelation of this
first part of the 2006 season, third
overall in the championship standing
thanks to a second place in Catalunya
and a third place at the Tour de Corse.
The Spaniard obtained a fourth place on
the gravel of Rally Mexico and now he
has to prove his qualities also on the
gravel roads of Sardinia.
The fierce antagonist of the actual
World Rally Champion will be once again
Marcus Gronholm, navigated by his
brother-in-law Timo Rautiainen, on a
Ford Focus of the BP-Ford World Rally
Team. The Finnish won the first two
rounds of the 2006 WRC, Rally Montecarlo
and Rally Sweden, and is so far second
in the Championship standing. With the
same team another Finnish Mikko Hirvonen,
last year one of the protagonists of the
Rally d’Italia Sardegna.
Also the Subaru World Rally Team will be
racing in Sardinia with two cars. The
Norwegian driver Petter Solberg,
connoisseur of the Sardinian gravel
roads where he won in 2004, and the
Australian Chris Atkinson will try to
confirm in Italy the growth of their
cars after a not very lucky start of the
season.
This season instead started well for
Manfred Stohl and Henning Solberg,
Petter’s brother, that will be racing
with the 307 Wrc of the OMV Peugeot
Norway Rally Team .
Among the protagonists is awaited the
participation of Matthew Wilson, son of
the Ford big boss Malcolm Wilson, and
the Finnish Kosti Katajamaki with a
Focus of the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford
World Rally Team.
Last but not least among the official
teams is the Red Bull – Skoda Team, that
will line up two Fabia Wrc driven by two
well-trained drivers the Finnish Harri
Rovampera and the Austrian Andreas
Aigner.
On another Skoda Fabia Wrc, managed by
the First Motorsport Team, will be at
the start also the Belgian driver
François Duval.
All of them will have to face up to
“Gigi”Galli a driver that showed several
times his driving ability and that this
year is particularly motivated, he will
be at the start of Rally d’Italia
Sardegna with a Peugeot 307 prepared by
Bozian and supported by Pirelli.
“Racing among my own country fans at
Rally d’Italia Sardegna gives some
particular sensations – said the driver
from Livigno – I want to do well and I’ll
do my best to achieve a good result. I’m
confident and I believe I will be among
the main protagonists”.
Rally d’Italia Sardegna is the 7th round
of the 2006 FIA WRC and the 5th round of
the FIA Junior World Rally Championship.
The Super 1600 at the start of this race
will be eighteen and the driver to beat
will be the actual leader of the
Championship standing the Estonian Urmo
Aava ( Suzuki Swift S1600), his major
rivals will be the Swedish Andersson (Suzuki
Swift S1600), the Brits Chris Meeke, the
Czech Prokop and the French Tirabassi (Citroen
C2 S1600).
It’s important to point out also the
participation of Anton Alen (Subaru
Impreza) and Alessandro Bettega (Ford
Fiesta ST) both sons of two famous
drivers. Now it is up to them to show
during the race to have the same class
of their fathers Markku and Attilio.
The Italian crews will be 36 a real
record. Among them stands out Riccardo
Errani (Skoda Octavia) and the 14
entrants of the Subaru Cup.
There will be also a big group of
Sardinian drivers, 14 crews. Among them
stand out Marrone and Caragliu (Mitsubishi
Lancer) top drivers among the Sardinian
drivers last year and 10 drivers of the
Porto Cervo Racing Team.
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