Paolo Andreucci and Rudy Briani returned to the top step of the podium in style at the XVI Rally della Val d’Orcia, clinching their first win of the 2025 season in the Italian Rally Terra Championship. Driving a Citroën C3 fitted with MRF Tyres, the 14-time Italian Champion delivered a masterclass on Sunday, setting four fastest stage times (“scratches”) and sealing a dominant victory.
Finishing just 6.6 seconds behind in second place were Tommaso Ciuffi and Pietro Cigni in a Skoda Fabia RS, followed by Alberto Battistolli and Simone Scattolin—also in a Fabia RS—who completed the podium 12.5 seconds adrift of the winners.
In the ACI Sport 4WD Cup, Matteo Fontana and Alessandro Arnaboldi took a convincing win in their Ford Fiesta Rally3. Meanwhile, Marco Zanin and Elia De Guio secured their maiden victory in the Two-Wheel Drive category, piloting a Peugeot 208 Rally4.
A Sunday to Remember for Andreucci
Radicofani (SI), 30 March 2025 – As the sun rose over the rolling hills of Tuscany, Paolo Andreucci took control of the rally with a flawless Sunday performance. The rally legend from Garfagnana, expertly guided by co-driver Rudy Briani, proved once again why he’s a force to be reckoned with—combining consistency, speed, and strategy to take the win at one of Italy’s most iconic gravel events.
Organised by Radicofani Motorsport, the Rally della Val d’Orcia features some of the most legendary dirt stages in the country. This year’s edition offered a thrilling two-day contest, with vastly different conditions on each day. Saturday’s action was marked by heavy mud and rain, setting the stage for an early battle between Finland’s Korhola-Temonen (Hyundai i20) and local heroes Ciuffi-Cigni.
Ciuffi led the first three stages but dropped 15 seconds after SS4, slipping down the leaderboard. Sunday brought a dramatic turn when Korhola retired due to a mechanical issue on the opening stage, handing Andreucci the lead. From there, the Italian veteran was untouchable—winning four stages and fending off Ciuffi’s relentless pursuit.
Ciuffi gave it everything, even after his earlier time loss. Despite a mistake on SS7, he kept the pressure on Andreucci until the final stage, ultimately settling for second place—an excellent result in terms of championship points.
Podium Battles and Rising Talent
Defending champion Alberto Battistolli, with co-driver Simone Scattolin, bounced back from a tough Saturday to claim third place. After struggling with form on the first day, Battistolli changed approach on Sunday and delivered a much stronger pace, closing the gap and setting the fastest time on the final stage.
The fight for the top spots was fierce, as the podium in Radicofani—crowned in front of a large and passionate crowd—highlighted the exceptional depth and competitiveness of this season’s Italian Rally Terra Championship. With every round producing different contenders, the series continues to thrive with a mix of seasoned veterans, international talent, and exciting young drivers.
Just off the podium in fourth was Swedish ace Mille Johansson, the reigning European champion, alongside Johan Gronvall in a Skoda RS running Hankook tyres. Though still adjusting to a new technical package, Johansson’s performance—especially a stage win on SS3—indicates promising improvements compared to his run in Foligno.
Fifth place went to Giacomo Costenaro and Justin Bardini in another Fabia RS. Returning to the CIRT and new to this car, Costenaro impressed with pace just tenths off the leaders. He finished just 32.6 seconds behind Andreucci.
ACI Team Italia’s young star Giovanni Trentin, co-driven by Alessandro Franco, finished sixth despite setbacks—including a puncture and limited experience with his Fabia RS. Rounding out the top 10 were Pucci Grossi-Cardinali, who struggled with an overly aggressive tyre choice; Germans Muller-Hirsch, unhappy with their car’s setup; Farina-Raccuia in just their second Rally2 event; and Hoelbling-Fiorini.
Category Highlights: Fontana and Zanin Shine
In the ACI Sport 4WD Cup, Matteo Fontana and Alessandro Arnaboldi took a commanding win in their Ford Fiesta Rally3. The duo, also competitors in WRC3, showed strong pace and might have challenged for an overall top 10 without an unfortunate puncture.
Meanwhile, the Two-Wheel Drive category saw Marco Zanin and Elia De Guio celebrate their first victory. Driving a Peugeot 208 Rally4, they put in a stellar performance and marked themselves as a crew to watch going forward.
Overall Rally della Val d’Orcia Results
01: P. Andreucci/R. Briani (Citroën C3 Rally2) – 51m 06.7s
02: T. Ciuffi/P. Cieto (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 06.6s
03: A. Battistoli/S. Scattolin (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 12.5s
04: M. Johansson/J. Gronvall (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 24.3s
05: G. Costenaro/J. Bardini (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 32.6s
06: G. Trentin/A. Franco (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 51.8s
07: A. P. Grossi/F. Cardinali (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 1m 33.4s
08: L. Muller/A. Hirsch (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 1m 34.9s
09: F. Farina/S/ Raccuia (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 evo) + 1m 39.7s
10: L. Hoelbling/F. Fiorini (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 1m 46.5s