XXXIII RALLYE ELBA STORICO - TROFEO LOCMAN ITALY: THE RACE OF RECORD IS READY TO START

22-09-2021 09:00 -

PRESS RELEASE

XXXIII RALLYE ELBA STORICO - TROFEO LOCMAN ITALY: THE RACE OF RECORD IS READY TO START

Starting tomorrow, the challenges will go on until Saturday afternoon, for the valid FIA European Championship race and for the Italian Championship, with the best of Italian and continental “historic” rally racing.
Also on the program is the classic double challenge of the A112 Abarth Trophy, two “regularity sport” “medium regularity” competitions, in addition to the “Memory Fornaca” and the Michelin Historic Rally Cup.
At the start, pilots and co-drivers representing 13 nationalities who will compete on 9 special stages in three days.
The race will be all in the memory of Elio Niccolai, who died prematurely last spring.

CAPOLIVERI (Isola d'Elba, Livorno), 22 September 2021 - Last hours of waiting, then the starting flag of the XXXIII Rallye Elba Storico-Trofeo Locman Italy will wave, caressed by an impressive number of entrants, in three figures, for the seventh appointment of the nine of the FIA ​​European Championship (FIA HSRC) as well as the seventh and penultimate round of the “tricolor” race (CIRAS).

A success of adhesions that went beyond the rosiest expectations of the eve, for the well-orchestrated race by ACI Livorno Sport together with the entire Elban community, which also includes "regularity sport" (VIII Regularity Sport) and "regularity" competitions. media ”(XXXIII Elba Graffiti), qualifying test for admission to the final phase of the" 2021 FIA Trophy for Historic Regularity Rallies ".

At the start there will again be the double challenge of the famous A112 Abarth Trophy, the Memory Fornaca and the Michelin Historic Rally Cup. Two decidedly exclusive catwalks will pass in the queue, those reserved for Porsche and Maserati owners, who will have the opportunity to pass on the streets of the race, the streets of myth.

THE MEMORY FOR ELIO NICCOLAI
This year will be a special edition. It will be that of the orphan of Elio Niccolai, the "father" of the race, who suddenly passed away on May 14th. Orphan of its founding pillar, as such it was of ACI Livorno, the historic Rallye Elba will be strong in the teachings that Niccolai has given over the years, an invaluable heritage that is now well in the hand, heart and mind of it. legacy, Aci Livorno and Aci Livorno Sport. And from this edition the mind and the heart look ahead, both for this event and for the "modern", to keep alive the memory of this figure and above all by carrying on the commitment that Niccolai himself had made many and many years ago with the sport and with the Island of Elba, that of making a unique and priceless territory even bigger with motorsport.

SPORTS REASONS:
THE BEST OF HISTORICAL CONTINENTAL AND TRICOLOR RALLISM IS STARTED
Virtually all the greatest performers of the various championships are registered, ready to challenge each other in three days of great effect. By virtue of this it will not be easy to draw up a prediction, the crossed challenges between the Italians and the protagonists of the continental championship have always given moments of high tension, spectacle and important technical indications. After a 2020 in only "Italian version" because the European championship was canceled due to the pandemic, this year the foreigners are back in force, from the list of members there are 13 different foreign nationalities (Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Norway, Czech Republic, Russia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Hungary), confirms the important role of the race as a visiting card for the territory.
From a sporting point of view, many of those who are at the top of the various continental and tricolor rankings have responded to the call of Aci Livorno Sport, some in a close fight for victory or for important positions, others simply because for them Elba and its streets have a particular charm and flavor. Two hundred and fifteen crews at the start of which one hundred and one will present themselves for the historic rally - seventy-nine crews competing for the Italian Championship and twenty-two for the European competition, including nine Italian crews.
A respectable parterre is the one that lines up in the fourth group. All to follow the tricolor fight with Lucio Da Zanche often among the top of the race, in the past, who commands the absolute and group classification together with the faithful Daniele De Luis, with the Porsche Carrera 911 SC. The duel between Da Zanche and the famous Vicenza-born "Lucky" (winner of the grouping in 2017 and 2020) is awaited, another who has often been inspired on the island. He will always return together with Fabrizia Pons and the Lancia Delta HF Integrale after the recent success obtained on the dirt roads of the “Vermentino Historicu” Rally. Even more exciting adrenaline challenges with the presence of Elia Bossalini from Piacenza, navigated by Sara Genevini, driving the BMW M3 with which he will surely want to enter the positions that matter and, by the great admirer of the island race Salvatore "Totò" Riolo still with the Subaru Legacy together with Alessandro Floris, five-time winner on the island, trying to get back on the absolute podium, after the third place last year.
To these will be added among the best of the fourth group also Angelo Lombardo from Cefalù with Hars Ratnayake on the Porsche 911, the Venetian from Rovigo, Matteo Luise with Melissa Ferro on board the Fiat Ritmo 130 Abarth Tc and also the Sienese Valter Pierangioli flanked by Marco Nesti with the Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4. In addition to Gabriele “Odeon” Noberasco, with a BMW M3. Looking for redemption after the 2020 edition which ended prematurely due to a breakdown, the local Andrea Volpi together with Michele Maffoni, returns to the start on friendly streets with the Lancia Delta Integrale 16V. In a European key, the Spaniard Alonso Villaron absent, already with his hands on the title, to keep an eye on will be the second of the 4th European grouping, the Austrian Alfons Nothdurfter with his Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4.

Sparks are announced for the numerous crews of the third Grouping. In the tricolor race the battles will be in the spotlight the performances of Luciano and Lorena Chivelli with the Fiat 127 Sport, at the top of the tricolor ranking, who will have to contend with a very determined and fast local driver, Massimo Giudicelli (VW Golf GTI), winner of the 'last year on the home tests paired with Paola Ferrari. Also Giacomo These from Bergamo are ready to say about him with an Opel Ascona, shared with Giovanni Morina. Also looking for points will be Adriano Beschin, the current leader of the Michelin Historic Rally Cup 2021 with the Porsche 911 and Valtero Gandolfo, in a Fiat 127Sport 70HP, who currently share the fourth grouping square. The expert Mauro Lombardo on the Porsche 911 SC is also at the start. In the continental race, if the title is already in the hands of "Zippo" Andrea Zivian, the Alexandrian still wanted to present himself to the Elban challenge with his Audi Quattro, and among the possible protagonists there will be the Austrian Karl Wagner, on Porsche 911, a great admirer of the island and its rallye, third in the standings motivated to pocket heavy points.

Without doubt the most anticipated driver of the second group at the Rallye Elba remains the Sienese Alberto Salvini. With the number one on the sides of his green Porsche 911 RS and strong from two consecutive successes in 2019 and 2020, Salvini will return to race on Elba, always together with Davide Tagliaferri, in a Porsche 911 RS, determined to give continuity of success. The two protagonists of this intense season in CIRAS will not fail to give him a hard time, Marco Bertinotti from Biella together with Andrea Rondi on Porsche Carrera RSR and Davide Negri with Roberto Coppa, always on a 911 RS who respectively command the group classification ahead of Salvini. Ready to take up the gauntlet Dino Vicario with the Ford Escort 2000 and Edoardo Valente with the always fascinating Lancia Rally 037. The English Ernie Graham (Ford Escort Rs 1.8) will then be proposed, paired with his wife, competing for the European series, as well as the inevitable Friulian Paolo Pasutti with the Porsche 911 RS, and the Hungarian Laszlo Mekler on the Alfa Romeo Gta 1750. Also worth keeping an eye on is the performance of the Czech Vojtěch Štajf, fourth in the continental ranking with his Opel Kadett GTE.

All to follow in Capoliveri also the battles in the first Group: in the tricolor race between the leaders and winner in 2020 Nicola Salin sailed by Paolo Protta and the Piedmontese Antonio "Nello" Parisi together with Giuseppe D'Angelo, both on a Posche 911 S. For the European title, Parisi himself will compete in a direct confrontation with Carlo Fiorito on the BMW 2002 Ti.
CHALLENGES A112 Several times in the past decisive race for the awarding of the title, this year the Rallye of Elba will give the A112 trophies the opportunity to race in two separate races based on as many scheduled stages. Nourished and fierce, the list of members (twenty adhesions) opens with the current leaders Pietro Baldo and Davide Marcolini who in Capoliveri will try to keep the command and, perhaps, be able to increase that advantage of ten points that they have over Franco Beccherle the which returns to Elba after several years and will be joined by Roberto Benedetti. Immediately behind, title holders Giacomo Domenighini and Vincenzo Torricelli looking for points to stay in the race, also target of Stefano Bartoloni and Giorgio Leporati who will start behind the charged champions. It will then be up to Giorgio Sisani and Cristian Pollini who propose themselves in search of an encore after the victory in Arezzo last July and Massimo Gallione and Luigi Cavagnetto will see each other again, followed in the list by Ivo Droandi and Carlo Fornasiero. Great expectations also for Filippo Fiora's return to the race after two years of hiatus together with his teammate Carola Beretta who takes up the notebook three years later from the last time. Unmissable in Elba Giuseppe Cazziolato again joined by Karishma Rosa Bernardins, followed by Marcogino Dall'Avo with Manuel Piras at the notes and by another of the trophy veterans, Francesco Mearini from Arezzo, flanked by the inseparable Massimo Acciai. There will also be another of the pillars of the Series, Fabio Vezzola who finds the local “Lo Ciao” ​​on the right seat. The two stages of Elba await the return to the race of Marco Gentile and Marina Frasson, behind whom there will be Jacopo Biasion, the son of the "legendary" Miki, the official Lancia, Opel and Ford driver and already twice World Rally Champion. back at the wheel after his debut at the Rally Campagnolo, with Gloria Maroso sailing it.

COMMUNICATION OF THE TERRITORY AND THE IMPORTANT ECONOMIC VALUE
A unique territory for a unique race. It could be a slogan to talk about the Rallye Elba, a race that has always identified the territory and that has always been an ambassador for it not only at national level. Tourism and sport hand in hand, for the Island of Elba which despite being a place of great tourist attraction for its beauties, its people have always understood the Rallye as one of the peculiarities, certainly to be included in the "package" of offer to stay on the island. As the "modern" race opens the tourist season in spring, the "historic" one closes it at the end of September, concrete examples of the joint between tourism and sport.

THE "TRADITION" PATH
The Rallye Elba Storico is one of the best known Italian races in the world, which is why every year ACI Livorno Sport always works with commitment to give new stimuli and encourage the participation of drivers and teams. Three days of challenges have been conceived again, with a total of 9 Special Stages, "historic" tracks, which have seen exciting and epic sporting feats on more than one occasion.
The course, of course, is derived from tradition, for this year special stages have been taken from the 2020 and 2019 editions, a mix certainly of indisputable technical value. For the first stage we have chosen to travel the streets in the eastern part of the island, for the second we will focus on the central-western area, therefore around the famous "Monte Perone", a choice certainly inspired to make the comparison fascinating and compelling. sporty but also and above all so as not to be too invasive with the territory and not to give difficulties to the daily life of the inhabitants.
The Rallye has 133,350 competitive kilometers, which is 30.04% of the entire distance which is 443,940.

THE TENTH YEAR IN CAPOLIVERI
From 2011 the general logistics passed from Marina di Campo to Capoliveri, finding a functional and extremely exclusive location. On the strength of these certainties, ACI Livorno Sport designed the 2021 edition with nothing changed as regards the logistics: the headquarters of the event is confirmed, in Capoliveri, at the functional and exclusive facilities of the Hotel Elba International, an exclusive location overlooking the Gulf of Porto Azzurro, where the Race Direction, the Secretariat and the Press Room will be organized. The Service Park area will also be organized in Porto Azzurro.

COMPETITION PROGRAM

Thursday 23.09.2021

20:00 Departure Ceremony
21:00 Departure of Stage 1 / CO 0
10:25 pm Entrance to rearrangement 2 / CO 1C - Closed Park

Friday 24.09.2021
08:30 am Outgoing reorder 2 / CO 1D
19:05 End of Stage 1 / CO 4C - Closed Park

Saturday 25.09.2021
07:50 am Departure of Stage 2 / CO 4D
17:30 Final arrival and award ceremony

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PRESS OFFICE
MGTCOMMUNICATION - Alessandro Bugelli studio
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Source: Press Office