The highly anticipated Italian Gravel Rally Championship (CIRT) for 2025 is now underway, commencing with the Rally Città di Foligno on March 8 and 9. The event will see a diverse lineup of 75 teams, including both modern and historic cars. A total of 22 crews are competing in the Gravel category, alongside 10 promising young drivers from the CIAR Junior. The rally will feature nine special stages, covering a total of 76.38 timed kilometers. The lineup includes Italian and European champions, dirt racing specialists, and the renowned “flying Finns,” setting the stage for a CIRT filled with unparalleled excitement and spectacle.
The Italian Gravel Rally Championship continues to attract top talent from across Europe, drawn to Italy’s challenging dirt roads. The 2025 season sees an even more impressive array of competitors, including top dirt racers, foreign challengers, and youthful talents. The season kicks off with the Rally Città di Foligno, the first of six events. This rally not only marks the beginning of the gravel championship but also counts towards the Italian Absolute Junior Rally Championship (CIAR), the Zone 6 Rally Cup, and the Italian Historic Gravel Rally Championship. Seventy-five teams have registered, ready to take on the nine demanding stages set for the event.
As the CIRT 2025 unfolds, 22 competitors registered for the championship are among the entrants in Foligno. The field is a mix of national and international titleholders, young drivers, multiple car brands, and tire suppliers, with five international teams adding to the competition. Alberto Battistolli, the 1997-born Vicenza native and reigning CIRT champion, returns with the number 1 car. After winning the last two rallies in 2024, he switches to a Skoda Fabia RS with Pirelli tires, prepared by Delta Rally for Movisport, with Simone Scattolin navigating. Tommaso Ciuffi, last year’s runner-up, returns with his technical setup unchanged, ready to challenge for the title once more.
Paolo Andreucci, a 14-time Italian champion, is another notable returnee, aiming for his fourth CIRT title after a year’s absence. He will compete in a Citroen C3 with MRF Tyres, navigated by Rudy Briani. Newcomer Fabio Andolfi, joining the CIRT with a Hyundai i20 Rally2 and backed by Hyundai Rally Team Friulmotor and Michelin tires, is set to make a strong debut. Another competitor to watch is Jaakko Lavio, the Finn with a promising track record, who will race a Michelin-shod Fabia RS with navigator Antti Haappala.
This season also features an increased number of international drivers, with five European racers at the starting line in Foligno. Among them are Mille Johansson, the young Swedish champion of the European Rally Championship Junior, and Benjamin Korhola, a Finn known for his prowess on dirt. The German competitor Liam Muller, along with Angelo Pucci Grossi and several others, is also eyeing the podium, contributing to what promises to be an exceptionally competitive and unpredictable season.
The Italian Absolute Rally Junior Championship also kicks off in Foligno, supported by Motorsport Italia and Pirelli. Ten young Italian talents will compete over six rounds for a prize of 75,000 euros and the opportunity to represent ACI Team Italia internationally. All junior competitors will race in Renault Clio Rally5s, tested in a collective session near Foligno.
The rally weekend promises to reinvigorate the gravel tracks around Foligno and Nocera Umbra with a 76km route that revisits last year’s stages. The competition begins on Sunday morning and includes three stages repeated three times, culminating in an awards ceremony in Foligno’s Piazza della Repubblica. The ceremonial start is scheduled for Saturday evening in the same square.
The CIRT calendar for 2025 also includes events such as the Rally della Val d’Orcia, Rally Adriatico, and others, promising a season filled with high-speed action and strategic racing, continuing the legacy of past champions.