JUNIOR WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP BALDACCI TAKES THE TOUR DE CORSE IN A FIAT PUNTO ABARTH

The Fiat Punto Abarth driven by Mirco Baldacci and Giovanni Bernacchini won the Tour de Corse, the penultimate event in this year’s Junior World Rally Championship, ahead of the Citroen C2 of Spaniard Daniel Sordo, and the Suzuki Ignis driven by Finn Kosti Katajamaki. Baldacci took the lead at the end of the second leg, when Sordo’s Citroen C2 suffered electrical problems while in the lead, and in the third leg he could concentrate on maintaining his generous advantage of more than 3’ over the other cars.
The second Fiat Punto Abarth, driven by Luca Cecchettini and Massimo Daddoveri took an excellent sixth place. The tortuous paved roads of Corsica highlighted the excellent handling and reliability of the Fiat Punto Abarth Super 1600. The car began racing in 2000 and this is therefore its sixth season; it is particularly competitive on asphalt, even against the latest models, and above all in demanding conditions that really put the mechanicals to the test.
The next event in the Junior World Championship is the Catalunya Rally, which will be run in Spain next weekend.

Turin, October 23, 2005

Tour de Corse results (Junior World Rally Championship)
1. Baldacci-Bernacchini (Fiat Punto Abarth) in 3’ 56' 29.6"; 2. Sordo-Marti (Citroen) at 2' 28.6"; 3. Katajamaki-Alanne (Suzuki) at 4' 08.2"; 4. Aava-Sikk (Suzuki) at 8' 18.9"; 5. Reutenbach-Williamsson (Citroen C2) at 8' 24"; 6. Cecchettini-Daddoveri (Fiat Punto Abarth) at 9' 00.1".

Junior World Rally Championship standings:
1 Sordo (Citroen) 43 points; 2. Wilks (Suzuki) 35; 3. Meeke (Citroen) 30; 4. Andersson (Suzuki) 30; 5. Aava (Suzuki) 27; 6. Katajamaki (Suzuki) 23; 7. Baldacci (Fiat) 20; 8. Betti (Renault) 17; 9. Cecchettini (Fiat) 9; 10. Prokop (Suzuki) 9.

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