Italian Championships. Two Grande Punto Abarth S2000s at the San Marino Rally with Travaglia and Navarra

Two official Grande Punto Abarth S2000s, in the hands of Renato Travaglia partnered with Lorenzo Granai and Andrea Navarra partnered with Guido D’Amore, are competing in the 36th San Marino Rally and second leg of the Italian Championships due to take place on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 March.
After the opening race of the Ciocco Rally, Travaglia is in third place in the Italian Championships while his team mate Navarra is fifth.
Neither of the Abarth drivers hide their intentions: in fact, at San Marino Travaglia tries for his first victory as official Abarth driver, after winning the Antibes Rally in 2007 with a private Grande Punto S2000; Navarra meanwhile aims to win a race that he has already won on four other occasions.
It will undoubtedly be a competitive race considering the level of competitors that include Piero Longhi (Subaru), Luca Rossetti (Peugeot), Paolo Andreucci (Mitsubishi) and Andrea Aghini (Subaru). There is also a good chance that the young Umberto Scandola will show his worth. The official driver was given permission by the Abarth Team to take part in the San Marino Rally behind the wheel of a Grande Punto Abarth S2000 led by the Procar team.
The San Marino Rally is one of the most traditional races on the international calendar and takes place on an unsurfaced track. A tough rally that puts the robustness of the vehicles through their paces as they face a course that winds through the Marches and Umbria along 892.51km, 191.44km of which have timed speed divided into 15 special trials. The greatest uncertainty is the weather: if it rains, the course can be very muddy in parts. The tyres will therefore play a key role and the Grande Punto Abarth S2000s are fitted with BF Goodrich ones.
There are two rounds planned. The first takes place tomorrow (Friday 28 March) departing from San Marino at 8am and finishing at 9pm with 9 special trials. Saturday 29, the second and last round with 6 special trials, departing at 8am and finishing at 6.30pm.

Rankings in the Italian Drivers’ Championships:
1. Longhi (Subaru Impreza) 5 points; 2. Rossetti (Peugeot 207 Super 2000) 4; 3. Travaglia (Grande Punto Abarth S2000) 3; 4. Cantamessa (Mitsubishi Lancer) 2.5; 5. Navarra (Grande Punto Abarth S2000) 2.; 6. Perico (Peugeot 207 Super 2000) 1.5; 7. Andreucci (Mitsubishi Lancer) 1; 8. Cavallini (Peugeot 207 Super 2000) 0.5


Turin, 26 March 2008