JUNIOR WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP BALDACCI THIRD AT THE CATALUNIA RALLY

The Fiat Punto Abarth driven by Mirco Baldacci and Giovanni Bernacchini fell from first to third place in the Catalunia Rally, the final event in the Junior World Rally Championship, when it went off the road at the end of the second leg. The race and the title went to Spanish driver Dani Sordo in a Citroen, while Baldacci, who won the Corsica Rally with the Punto, closed the Championship in 7th place. His team-mate Luca Cecchettini concluded the race in 8th place, and took tenth place in the Championship.

Baldacci ran an exciting race. In the early stages he fought with Sordo and Wilks for first place. Then, when Sordo was penalised for having replaced his engine before the start, Baldacci found himself in the lead, a position he maintained until he left the road 3 km before the end of the last timed stretch of the second leg. He started the third leg in third place and tried to move up to second, but the particular type of special speed trials made any recovery very difficult.

Torino, 30 ottobre 2005

Catalunia Rally results
1. Sordo-Marti (Citroen C2) in 3 hours 47' 27.7"; 2. Katajamaki-Alanne (Suzuki Ignis) at 5' 00.9"; 3. Baldacci-Bernacchini (Fiat Punto Abarth) at 5' 22.7"; 4. Aava-Pugh (Suzuki Ignis) at 9' 00.2"; 5. Prokop-Gross (Suzuki Ignis) at 9' 50.2".

Junior World Rally Championship standings
1. Sordo 53 points; 2. Wilks 35; 3. Meeke 32; 4. Aava 32; 5. Andersson 30; 6. Katajamaki 31; 7. Baldacci 26; 8. Betti 17; 9. Prokop 13; 10. Cecchettini 10.

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