- In the third race of the Abarth Rally Cup at the Rally Fafe Montelongo in Portugal, part of the FIA ERC European Rally Championship, victory for the young Italian Andrea Mabellini, with Nicola Arena taking a great second place in the ERC2 class with the Abarth 124 rally.
- At the Mugello Circuit, in the fourth round of the Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth, successes for Italy’s Andrea Rosso in Race1, for Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto in Race2 and for Gabriele Minì in Race3, who strengthened his leadership in the championship rankings.
The young drivers are once again standing out in the Abarth championships, both in rallies and on the track. At the Fafe Montelongo Rally in Portugal, Italy’s Andrea Mabellini, with Nicola Arena, came in first in the third race of the Abarth Rally Cup, the one-make championship for the Abarth 124 rally, forming part of the FIA ERC European Rally Championship. A second victory this season for the young Italian driver, following the Rally Roma Capitale, giving him the lead in the Abarth Rally Cup, ahead of his compatriot Roberto Gobbin, with Alessandro Cervi coming in second in the Portuguese race, after a very standard run.
Mabellini takes a great second place in the ERC2 rankings, with a stunning ending that gave him a position in the final special stage. The race was particularly difficult, with constantly changing weather conditions of alternating sunshine and short, sudden thunderstorms, although the Abarth Rally Cup crews did not encounter any difficulties.
Andrea Mabellini (Napoca Rally Team): “it was a very exciting race, in which I learned to run on a fast and difficult track. In the end, I thought I could gain a position in ERC2 so I went a bit faster, which gave me the satisfaction of a good placing”.
The next race in the Abarth Rally Cup is Rally Hungary from November 6th to 8th, forming part of the FIA ERC European Rally Championship.
A great show on the Mugello Circuit as well, with the single-seaters of the Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth, in their fourth event this season, with 30 young drivers at the starting line. In Race1, held on a wet track, Italy’s Andrea Rosso dominated, starting in pole position and leading right up to the checkered flag. There was a major tussle for 2nd place, with Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto who started in 12th place but came in 2nd, ahead of Romania’s Filip Ugran and Minì.
The track was soaked in Race2 as well, with Bortoleto and Minì alternately taking the lead in the early laps. As the track dried out, the Brazilian managed to overcome the Italian. Third place for the Swedish Dino Beganovic, ahead of Rosso, who was penalized for an error at the starting grid.
Gabriele Minì was the true star of the third race, on a dry track. At the start, he managed to overtake Bortoleto and kept the lead until the end, despite several attempts from the Brazilian driver and from Beganovic. This significant victory enabled Minì to strengthen his first place in the championship, which sees three Italian drivers on the podium: Minì (196), Rosso (121) and Francesco Pizzi (117), who came in 4th in Race3 at the Mugello Circuit.
Gabriele Minì (Prema Powerteam): “The results at the Mugello Circuit were very important, but we still have 9 races left and anything can happen”.
The next event in the Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth is scheduled in Monza for October 16th to 18th.
Abarth Rally Cup rankings: 1. Andrea Mabellini (ITA, Napoca Rally), 60; 2. Roberto Gobbin (ITA, Winners Rally Team), 48; 3. Martin Rada (CZE, Agrotec Abarth), 30.
Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth rankings: 1. Gabriele Minì (ITA, Prema Powerteam), 196; 2. Andrea Rosso (ITA, Cram Motorsport), 121; 3. Francesco Pizzi (ITA, Van Amersfoort Racing), 117.
Turin, October 5th, 2020
