Giandomenico Basso and Mitia Dotta, in a Grande Punto Abarth S2000, won the 2009 European Rally Championship. With their second place at the Rallye du Valais, they have extended their lead over Pole Michal Solowow (Peugeot) to 22 points.
Basso and Dotta win their second continental title, having already been crowned in 2006, still at the wheel of a Grande Abarth Punto S2000.
Aged 36, Giandomenico Basso, from Cavaso del Tomba (TV), spent all of his career with Abarth. He first showcased his talent by winning the 1998 Trofeo Cinquecento. He also took the 2007 Italian championship and the 2006 IRC driver’s title.
This season, he won five races: 1000 Miglia Rally, Bulgaria, Madeira in Portugal, ELPA in Greece and Antibes in France.
The Grande Punto Abarth S2000 has proved competitive on the various surfaces featured all season long: from the winding asphalt roads of the 1000 Miglia Rally, Madeira Rally and Rallye du Valais to the fast roads of Bulgaria and Antibes, not to mention the rough gravel of the ELPA Rally in Greece.
At the last event, held in Switzerland, Basso drove with the aim of scoring enough points to clinch the European title. He nevertheless finished in a remarkable second place.
European Rally Championship standings: 1. Giandomenico Basso (I, Abarth) 122 points; 2. Michal Solowow (PL, Peugeot) 100; 3. Corrado Fontana (I, Peugeot and Mitsubishi) 78; 4. Krum Donkev (BG, Subaru) 43; 5. Luca Betti (I, Peugeot) 34.
Rallye du Valais classification: 1. Hotz-Ravasi (Peugeot 207 S2000), 2hr 53min29.8s; 2. Basso-Dotta (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) + 53.7s; 3. Solowow-Baran (Peugeot 207 S2000) + 5min27.7s; 4. Gonon-Arlettaz (Subaru Impreza) + 6min34.5s; 5. Bouffier-Gilsoul (Citroën C2) + 11min20.8s.
Turin, 31 Octobre 2009
International
