The penultimate round of the season is set to take place in Brescia, with 141 crews competing over 115 km of tarmac across 11 stages. The first chance to claim the titles for the Overall classification, Junior, and R1 will be on September 13-14. Crugnola-Ometto have the opportunity to secure the title, but Campedelli-Canton and Basso-Granai will aim to prevent them from clinching the championship.
The Sparco Italian Rally Championship heads to one of the most thrilling events of the season—the 1000 Miglia Rally—on Friday, September 13, and Saturday, September 14. As the penultimate round, this race is crucial for the national title and could determine the championship winners before the final showdown in Sanremo in mid-October. The 47th edition of the event, organized by the Automobile Club Brescia, offers a classic route with 115.50 km of timed stages over 11 sections, within a total distance of 521.31 km. The competition will feature 141 teams, with 38 in Rally2 cars and 26 in Rally4, along with local drivers participating in the penultimate round of the 3rd Zone Rally Cup. Additional contenders will compete in the GR Yaris Rally Cup and the Suzuki Rally Cup.
Event Schedule
The rally kicks off on Friday morning with free practice and qualifying for the Rally2 cars at 10:00 on a 2 km section in Puegnago sul Garda, followed by the shakedown for other categories. The Montichiari Exhibition Center will serve as the headquarters and Service Park, with the rally starting at 15:36. The day’s action begins with the Power Stage on SS1 “Valle Sabbia Dall’Era Valerio” (2.54 km – 16:50), broadcast live on ACI Sport TV and RAI Sport. This is followed by the “Treviso Bresciano” stage (9.10 km – 17:19) and the longer “Pertiche” stage (19.30 km – 20:17), which will run in reverse this year. These stages will determine the standings before the overnight break.
Saturday’s program includes two loops of four stages, beginning with a repeat of “Treviso Bresciano” (SS4 at 9:11). The extended Power Stage “Mastanico” (6.93 km – SS5 at 9:55 and SS8 at 14:54) will also be live on RAI Sport. The short “Bione” stage (4.20 km – SS6 at 10:26, SS9 at 15:25) and the longer “Marmentino” (16.95 km – SS7 at 11:08, SS10 at 16:07) will lead into the final challenge, a repeat of “Pertiche” at 16:51. The event will conclude with the awards ceremony at Piazzale Arnaldo, scheduled for 18:46. ACI Sport TV will provide extensive coverage, including live broadcasts from qualifying, the stages, and the final ceremony.
Three Contenders for the Absolute Title
All eyes will be on car no. 1, driven by Andrea Crugnola and co-driven by Pietro Ometto. Leading the CIAR Sparco standings with 84.5 points, the duo in the Citroen C3 Rally2, equipped with Pirelli tyres and prepared by FPF Sport, have an excellent chance to clinch the Absolute title. A win—potentially their fifth of the season—would secure Crugnola his fourth national championship. However, even a second-place finish could suffice if their rivals fail to score points in the Power Stage. Crugnola and Ometto have a strong track record at the 1000 Miglia, with two second-place finishes and a win in 2022.
To keep the title race alive, their two main challengers must win: Simone Campedelli with Tania Canton (68 points) and Giandomenico Basso with Lorenzo Granai (57 points), who are second and third in the standings. Campedelli has been consistent this season, always finishing on the podium but still seeking his first victory. Driving a Skoda Fabia RS from StepFive Motorsport, also on Pirelli tyres, Campedelli returns to the 1000 Miglia after a 12-year absence. Giandomenico Basso, a four-time winner of the 1000 Miglia (’04, ’07, ’09, and ’12), holds the record for the most stage wins (36). This year, Basso is driving a GR Yaris Rally2 and is the only other driver besides Crugnola to have won a race this season, with his victory in Piedmont. However, he comes into this round after two disappointing results, with a retirement at Due Valli and a fourth-place finish in Rome.
Local Drivers to Watch
Apart from the top championship contenders, several local drivers could influence the outcome. Stefano Albertini and Danilo Fappani, driving a Skoda Fabia RS, are strong favourites, having won the 1000 Miglia four times (’17, ’18, ’21, ’23) and finishing second once in their last five appearances. Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi, fresh from a second-place finish at the European Rali Ceredigion, are also among the favourites for this home event. Mabellini currently sits seventh in the CIAR Sparco standings.
Further competition comes from Slovenian driver Bostjan Avbelj and Damjian Andrejka, who won the CIR Promozione in Rome, and Giacomo Scattolon, competing in a Citroen C3. Both drivers will be fighting for valuable positions in the national standings, with Avbelj and Scattolon separated by just 1.5 points. Other notable entries include Paolo Andreucci and Andrea Nucita, both lower in the standings but strong contenders in the CIAR Sparco. Andreucci, a multi-time champion, returns in a Citroen C3 after retiring in Rome, while Nucita, who missed the Rome round, is back in a Hyundai i20 with Michelin tyres.
Junior Championship and Two-Wheel Drive Battle
The 1000 Miglia Rally could also determine the Italian Absolute Junior Rally Championship. Matteo Doretto and Marco Frigo, with three wins in four races, lead the Junior standings with 69 points. They need to either win or finish second and score an extra point in the Power Stage to claim the title. Their closest rivals include Francesco Dei Ceci with Nicolò Lazzarini, and Marco Zanin with Fabio Pizzol, who will be aiming to push the title race to the final round in Sanremo.
In the Two-Wheel Drive category, the title will be decided in Sanremo due to the series’ regulations allowing a maximum of six participations. Current leaders Pisani-Moriconi and second-place Christopher Lucchesi will not compete in Brescia, leaving the door open for other contenders like Giorgio Cogni and Stefano Strabello to gain ground.
GR Yaris Rally Cup and Suzuki Rally Cup
The GR Yaris Rally Cup is heading into its penultimate round, with 12 Toyota R1T 4×4 cars competing. Leading the standings is Thomas Paperini, who will face rivals such as Salvatore Lo Cascio and Fabrizio Andolfi Jr. In the Suzuki Rally Cup, a battle for the RC5N group continues, with Roberto Pellé leading the standings, followed closely by Giorgio Fichera and Sebastian Dallapiccola.
This weekend promises to be an intense and pivotal moment in the Sparco Italian Rally Championship as the fight for the title comes to a head at the 1000 Miglia.
