Sicilian driver Giorgio Fichera claimed victory at the 1000 Miglia, propelling him to the top of the Suzuki Rally Cup standings after a flawless performance. The second spot went to Dallapiccola/Andrian, who capitalized on the retirement of Pellè/Franceschini to move up in the rankings. Forneris/Cavagnetto finished third, 29 seconds behind, while Varesco/Bottega secured their third win of the season in the “Racing Start” category.
The stage was set for a showdown, and the Suzuki Rally Cup at the 1000 Miglia didn’t disappoint. It was a race filled with fireworks, tight competition, and constant changes at the top, as three top-seeded crews battled it out over the legendary stages. In the end, Giorgio Fichera, with co-driver Enzo Colombaro, claimed his second win of the season, earning the victory after an intense duel. Fichera took the lead after the second stage and never relinquished it, defending his position from his trophy rivals. The battle for victory quickly became a three-way fight, with Fichera holding off Sebastian Dallapiccola and Roberto Pellè.
Dallapiccola, co-driven by Fabio Andrian, fought hard over the two days, even taking the Power Stage points and posting impressive times. But in the end, he had to settle for second place, just 8.7 seconds behind Fichera. The critical moment of the race, which impacted the entire season, came in SS9 when Pellè, paired with Luca Franceschini, was forced to retire after going off the road while pushing for victory. Pellè’s retirement adds drama to the Suzuki Rally Cup, as all three contenders have now used up their seasonal discards. The final showdown at Sanremo promises to be a thrilling conclusion. Fichera leads with 120 points, while Dallapiccola and Pellè are tied at 103 points, with another under-25 driver close behind.
Alessandro Forneris, with co-driver Luigi Cavagnetto, benefited from Pellè’s retirement, delivering another solid performance. Although he didn’t find the pace to challenge for victory, he made no mistakes, securing another positive result. In fourth place was Davide Bertini, paired with Luca Vignolo in another Suzuki Swift Sport Hybrid, who stayed consistent throughout the event. Simone Rivia and Matteo Maini finished sixth, with a larger time gap.
“RACING START” – Everything to Play For
The Boosterjet standings saw a major shakeup, with Lorenzo Varesco and Nicolò Bottega taking a clear victory, leaving the championship calculations wide open. Varesco’s third win of the season now ties him with Jean Claude Vallino, the series leader, who, with co-driver Sandro Sanesi, finished third in class. The two crews are now neck and neck, with Vallino holding a slim 13-point lead. In second place was the Vitali family team, composed of Stefano and Maurizio Vitali, who are now close to securing third overall in the standings.
Suzuki Rally Cup in Detail
- Suzuki Swift Sport Hybrid: Complies with National Rally5 Hybrid Technical Regulations, featuring a Quaife epicyclic differential, standard ECU, and six-speed gearbox. It was the first hybrid car allowed to compete in Italian rallies.
- Suzuki Swift BoosterJet 1.0 Fiche No. 0042: Follows Rally5/R1 Class specifications.
- Suzuki Swift Sport 1600: Built to the National Ra5N Class regulations.
- Suzuki BoosterJet 1.0 (Swift/Baleno): Complies with Racing Start specifications.
All models are known for their lightweight, reliability, and sensitivity to tuning, offering drivers the chance to showcase their skills. The cars allow experienced crews to excel and provide younger drivers with an opportunity to learn rally techniques. All Suzuki Rally Cup cars are equipped with Toyo tires to ensure a level playing field.
A Rich Prize Pool
Suzuki has put up an impressive prize fund of €125,000 for Rally Cup participants, distributed across classifications and categories. The overall winner will receive €18,000, while the “Racing Start” champion will take home €6,000. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 10 overall finishers, the top 6 in the “Boosterjet” category, the top 3 under-25 drivers, the top 2 female crews, and the top co-driver. In addition, each event offers a prize pool, with €1,500 for the overall winner and €1,000 for the “Racing Start” winner.
Suzuki Rally Cup 2024 Standings
1. Fichera – 120 pts
2. Dallapiccola, Pellè – 103 pts
4. Forneris – 95 pts
5. Vallino – 57 pts
6. Bertini – 54 pts
7. Santero – 47 pts
8. Vitali – 41 pts
9. Varesco – 35 pts
10. Olivieri – 33 pts
Suzuki Rally Cup 2024 Racing Start Standings
1. Vallino – 80 pts
2. Varesco – 67 pts
3. Olivieri – 43 pts
4. Vitali – 34 pts
5. Poggio, Soliani – 21 pts