An unlucky setback for Giandomenico Basso and Mitia Dotta at the Ypres Rally, which is valid for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the European Championship. In the last special speed trial, over 42 km long, while he was aiming for a place on the podium, he bumped his car and suffered a puncture, which cost him almost 2’, putting him back in 6th place.
His team-mate Anton Alen from Finland, with Timo Alanne, was also held up by a puncture, and finished in 12th place.
Young Alessio Pisi, teamed up with Maurizio Costantini in a Fiat Grande Punto Multijet, was forced to retire with problems on the struts of one wheel, when he was leading the diesel-engined category.
The next event in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge is the Russia Rally, which will be held in St. Petersburg on July 10 to 12. Anton Alen won the event in 2007 in a Grande Punto Abarth S2000.
Final standings at the Ypres Rally: 1. Loix-Buysmans (Peugeot 207) in 2 hours 44’40.3”; 2. Vouilloz-Klinger (Peugeot 207) at 58.7”; 3. Rossetti-Chiarcossi (Peugeot 207) at 1’28.6”; 4. Casier-Miclotte (Volkswagen Polo) at 1’34.5”; 5. Snijers-Soensen (Peugeot 207) at 1’44.0”; 6. Basso-Dotta (Grande Punto Abarth S2000) at 3’22.9”; 7. Van der Heuvel-Kolma (Mitsubishi Lancer) at 4’44.7”; 8. Lietaer/Dejonghe (Mitsubishi Lancer) at 6’20.6”.
IRC Drivers championship standings: 1. Luca Rossetti ITA (Peugeot) 26 points; 2. Nicolas Vouilloz FRA (Peugeot) 22; 3. Jan Kopecky CZ (Peugeot) 12; 4. Freddy Loix BEL (Peugeot) 11; 5. Giandomenico Basso ITA (Abarth) 8; 6. Anton Alen FIN (Abarth) 6; 7. Berndt Casier BEL (Volkswagen) 6; 8. Renato Travaglia ITA (Abarth) 5; 9. Juho Hanninen FIN (Mitsubishi) 4; 10. Patrick Snijers BEL (Peugeot) 4.
Turin, June 29, 2008
International
