Ciocco does not smile on Pistoia. Artino forced to retire in the ford

Rally del Ciocco and Valle del Serchio In chiaroscuro for the Pistoia standard-bearers last weekend. In the Italian Asphalt Rally Championship the long-awaited Toyota Gazoo Racing Italy crew composed of Pistoia native Thomas Paperini paired with Andrea Gabelloni, were forced to retire their GR Yaris Rally2 in the second special stage, due to aquaplaning in a section of the Fabbriche di Vergemoli. An excellent fifth place overall for Pistoia navigator Daniele Michi with Marco Signor at the wheel on a Toyota GR Yaris as for Andrea Marcucci paired with Richard Gonnella on a Skoda Fabia with a thirtieth overall while in thirty-fourth place navigator David Demari dictating the notes to Andrea Simonetti on a Renault Clio RS.

In the Zona Rally Championship, the Art Motorsport 2.0 team from Lamporecchio with driver Luca Artino, engaged in the first round of the Zona Rally Cup 7 on a Skoda Fabia RS with the technical support of the MM Motorsport team and with Leonardo Matteoni on the notes, was forced to retire due to a technical problem related to crossing the famous San Rocco ford, a stretch that also saw several top protagonists of the Italian Absolute Rally Championship exit the scene due to the high water level in the stretch. The other Art Motorsport 2.0 team composed of Noemi Artino and Giancarla Guzzi with the Renault Clio Rally5 of Laserprom 015 also achieved the same result.

Fifth place overall instead for the Pavel Group standard-bearers, at their second outing on the Skoda Fabia R5 EVO, with Daniele Silvestri and Leonardo Marraccini unfortunately penalized in the final, at the end of a hard-fought race that could have certainly ended with a podium. Leonardo Santoni instead made his debut, with Scarpelli at his side with the "RS" version of the Fabia that stopped during the fifth special stage due to a touch, when they were in fifth position. Filippo Puccetti and Mirko Luisotti also had to retire during the third special stage due to going off the road, as did Stefano Gaddini, paired with Innocenti, who, due to a transmission problem during the shakedown, did not even start the race. Pavel Group, in addition to competing as a team, also took part as a Scuderia with Stefano Giannini and Camilla Gaggioli, with their Peugeot 106rally, who finished in fourth place in the N2 class, Luca Sonnoli and Alessandro Scartabelli, with the similar car, second in A6 while Michael Guadagnini, flanked by the expert Federico Grilli, with the Renault Clio Rally5 took second place. Excellent results also for the Pistoia Corse standard-bearers with Ilari Antonio and Gianni Melani with the Peugeot 106 Rally who obtained first place in A5.

Paul Sirigatti