Sebastian Dallapiccola, a rising star born in 2004, pulled off an incredible victory to clinch the 2024 Italian Suzuki Rally Cup. Navigated by Fabio Andrian, Dallapiccola delivered a flawless performance at the season finale – Rallye Sanremo – earning the title by just a single point. In a season-long battle, Dallapiccola overtook season leader Giorgio Fichera, who ran into technical issues, securing the championship in dramatic fashion.
A final push for glory
The championship came down to the wire in Sanremo. With only one special stage left, Dallapiccola trailed behind Alessandro Forneris/Mattia Rodighiero by 1.5 seconds. Determined to win, the 20-year-old produced a spectacular final stage, gaining 8.3 seconds over the 10km course to snatch victory. In one fell swoop, Dallapiccola claimed the Sanremo rally win, the Suzuki Rally Cup, and the Italian R1 Championship.
Meanwhile, Forneris finished second by just 3.8 seconds, but the result allowed him to surpass veteran Roberto Pellè for third place in the overall championship standings.
Technical issues end fichera’s campaign
Fichera, driving alongside Enzo Colombaro, was leading the championship heading into Sanremo. However, a turbo issue derailed their campaign, causing them to drop down the order and miss out on the podium. Despite a spirited recovery effort in the final stage, Fichera’s deficit proved too large to overcome, and he finished fifth, narrowly behind Lorenzo Varesco by just 3.3 seconds.
Racing Start podium
In the Racing Start category, Jean Claude Vallino/Sandro Sanesi delivered a remarkable performance, taking the Sanremo win and securing the Racing Start title after a tough season-long battle with Varesco and Niccolò Bottega. Vallino’s ability to overcome faster competitors to finish on the Sanremo podium highlighted his potential and added further prestige to his victory.
The youthful podium at Sanremo, with all drivers under the age of 23, signals a promising future for the sport. Dallapiccola’s win was not only a personal triumph but also a sign of the success of the Suzuki Rally Cup’s mission to nurture young talent.
Organisers reflect on a successful season
“For those of us who organise a trophy like this, focused on developing young drivers, this season has been a tremendous success,” said Massimo Nicoletti, head of Emmetre Racing. “Having a 20-year-old champion and an all-under-23 podium at a legendary event like Sanremo is an enormous achievement.”
Dallapiccola echoed the sentiment: “Winning the R1 Championship, the Suzuki Rally Cup, and Sanremo all at once is a dream come true. After setbacks at Due Valli and Lana, I gave everything in this race, and it paid off. My rivalry with Fichera has been fantastic, and though I feel for him, I believe we put on an amazing show. This series offers a real chance for newcomers to enter rallying in a competitive yet affordable way.”
Suzuki rewarded participants with a prize pool of €125,000, divided across categories. The overall winner took home €18,000, while the Racing Start champion earned €6,000. Cash prizes extended to the top 10 overall and the top six in the Boosterjet class, with additional rewards for the best under-25 drivers, female crews, and navigators. Individual event winners also received prizes, including €1,500 for the Rally Cup victor and €1,000 for the Racing Start category winner.
Final Standings – Italian Suzuki Rally Cup 2024
01: Sebastian Dallapiccola – 145 pts
02: Giorgio Fichera – 144 pts
03: Alessandro Forneris – 132.5 pts
04: Roberto Pellè – 118 pts
05: Jean Claude Vallino – 76 pts
06: Lorenzo Varesco – 74.5 pts
07: Davide Bertini – 66 pts
08: Marco Santero – 47 pts
09: Stefano Vitali – 37 pts
10: Niccolò Olivieri – 33 pts
Racing Start Final Standings
01: Jean Claude Vallino – 71 pts
02: Lorenzo Varesco – 67 pts
03: Stefano and Maurizio Vitali – 42 pts
04: Niccolò Olivieri – 32 pts
05: Marco Soliani – 31.5 pts
Looking ahead
With young drivers dominating the Sanremo podium, the 2024 Italian Suzuki Rally Cup showcased the emergence of the next generation of rally talent. This result reflects the series’ aim to provide affordable, high-quality competition for newcomers, helping them pursue their rally dreams and gain valuable experience. As the season concludes, the future of rallying looks brighter than ever.