FONTE: UFFICIO STAMPA NOTUL RALLY COSTA BRAVA – The 72 Rally Motul Costa Brava has become this weekend the epicenter of the best historic motor racing in Europe.
The seventy-second edition ended on Saturday night at the podium in Girona, after two days through the most legendary stages of the country. The event has once again beaten its own record, with 247 teams and an unrivalled range of the most legendary vehicles in rally history.
The spectators have really enjoyed it, on the stages and the Fornells de la Selva service park, where there was a great atmosphere during the two days of the race. The organization of RallyClassics has been exemplary in an event of great logistical complexity.
Year after year, the Rally Motul Costa Brava has grown until becoming the leading rally for historic vehicles in Europe. It is also an unbeatable starting point for the FIA European Historic Rally Championship and the Spanish Championships of this specialty. This year, the participation in the Sporting category has been around 170 teams, an extraordinary number, while in Regularity there have been around seventy teams, to which we must add 7 cars in the Legend category.
The overall victory went to the French team of Julien Saunier and Marie Noëlle Ratier (Porsche 911 SC 3.0), who also dominated the European Championship classification from start to end. It is a great achievement given that this was the first participation in the Rally Motul Costa Brava for both driver and co-driver.
The seventy-second edition was also a boost for the #MotorDona program promoted by RallyClassics. This year there were 70 women participating in the rally, 15% of the total number of participants, which reaches 28% among the total of co-drivers.
The #MotorDona program wants to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion in the world of classic racing, also within the organization and in the tasks of mechanics, engineers, team leaders or marshals.
All of this is possible thanks to the participation of all the institutions, sponsors, volunteers, and teams.
Alex Romani, president of Club RallyClassics: “We can put an excellent mark on this edition of the Rally Motul Costa Brava, based on what the drivers and federations have told us. It has been a memorable Costa Brava, which has moved thousands of people through the different stages of the rally. Never had so many people been seen on the stages or in the assistance park; we have made a world-class classic motorsports event. I want to especially thank the effort and involvement of the organization’s 500 volunteers; the Rally Motul Costa Brava cannot have a better team. I also want to remember Josep Maria Molas and Vicenç Nubiola, who have left us these days and who were also part of the family of classic enthusiasts”.
girona
FONTE: UFFICIO STAMPA “ZIPPO”, ANDREA ZANOVELLO – Dopo la riuscita serata di presentazione del programma sportivo, inizia per il pilota dell’Audi quattro la settimana del via alla rincorsa al titolo europeo 2024. Venerdì e sabato prossimi è di scena in Spagna il Rally Motul Costa Brava
Vezzano sul Crostolo (RE),11 marzo 2024 – Oltre un centinaio i presenti che si sono contati giovedì 7 scorso alla serata di presentazione del programma stagionale di “Zippo”, ospitata nella particolare ambientazione del Cowboy’s Guest Ranch di Voghera. A far bella mostra nello spazio antistante il locale erano i due esemplari di “quattro”; oltre a quella che sarà utilizzata in gara dal portacolori della Scuderia Palladio Historic assieme a Nicola Arena, era presente anche il secondo esemplare riconoscibile dalla livrea Rally Costa Brava 1984 realizzata per rievocare la gara nella quale Michele Cinotto ed Emilio Radaelli vinsero proprio utilizzando una vettura dai “quattro anelli” e con la quale saranno presenti all’imminente gara catalana grazie all’attenzione degli organizzatori che ne rievocheranno il successo quarant’anni dopo.
Durante la presentazione perfettamente organizzata da Lorenzo Delucchi è stato illustrato ai presenti, tra i quali vi erano anche alcuni sponsor del pilota reggiano, il programma sportivo che si svilupperà da marzo a novembre partecipando alle nove gare a calendario del Fia European Historic Rally Championship; tra gli ospiti anche il Presidente di ACI Pavia, Marino Scabini ed il titolare del Cowboy’s Guest Ranch, Roberto Ottolini, oltre al suo copilota Bruno Massei e alla navigatrice modenese Umberta Gibellini nel cui passato sportivo ci sono anche gare e successi con le Audi condivise con Paola De Martini.
L’attenzione si sposta ora sull’atteso Rally Costa Brava dove “Zippo” e Nicola Arena partiranno col numero 1 sulle fiancate dell’Audi quattro e si ritroveranno a duellare con un parterre di notevole livello dal quale spiccano nomi di piloti che daranno lustro alla gara e filo da torcere al duo che parte con l’intenzione di bissare la bella vittoria ottenuta lo scorso anno.
Dichiara “Zippo” nel pre gara: “Siamo pronti, Nicola ed io, ad iniziare il lungo cammino che da qui a novembre ci porterà a rincorrere il terzo titolo europeo di categoria ma con uno stimolo in più rispetto al passato visto che da quest’edizione sarà assegnato anche il titolo assoluto all’equipaggio che avrà totalizzato il maggior punteggio considerando tutte le nove gare senza scarto alcuno. Sarà quindi imperativo iniziare col passo giusto sin dal primo round di venerdì e sabato prossimi a Girona”.
Dodici sono le prove speciali, suddivise in due tappe di sei ciascuna, per 160 chilometri cronometrati sui 610 del percorso totale; la prima scatterà alle 9.30 di venerdì 15 marzo da Girona per concludersi alle 20.50. Alle 7.30 dell’indomani lo start della seconda con l’arrivo previsto alle 18.10 a cui farà seguito la cerimonia delle premiazioni sulla pedana d’arrivo.
Immagine: Diessephoto
Ufficio Stampa “Zippo”
Andrea Zanovello – www.azetamedia.com
FONTE: UFFICIO STAMPA RALLY COSTA BRAVA – Presented in Girona, the 72 Rally Motul Costa Brava is once again beating its own record with 247 participating teams, more than 60% of which are foreigners, from 20 different countries.
The tributes to the Audi Quattro and Lancia Stratos, the female participation increase within the #MotorDona program and a list of competitors full of great names of motor racing: axes of the best
historic rally in Europe.
From 14th to 16th March, Girona, Fornells de la Selva and the legendary stages will endear the whole atmosphere to the public, with the best drivers and cars.
It will be a historic edition. This has been the main message at the presentation of the 72 Rally Motul Costa Brava at the Pont de Pedra in Girona. With the presence of the authorities, federations and sponsors that make it possible, the oldest rally in Spain grows bigger and better than ever.
From 14th to 16th March, the seventy-second edition of the rally will offer the best show and atmosphere of the historic vehicles. To come straight to the point, the 72 Rally Motul Costa Brava will be one of the best editions ever and one of the biggest in its long history.
For the second consecutive year, the Rally Motul Costa Brava has beaten its own entry list record, reaching 240 teams in competition as well as 7 teams in the Legend exhibition category. Above all, the 160 vehicles participating in the Sporting category stand out, an extraordinary fact that reaffirms the status of the Costa Brava as a major event in the international field. In the Regularity category, about 80 vehicles will compete.
Another record is the increase in the participation of foreign teams. More than 150 teams, 63% of the total, will move to Girona from 20 different countries including places as far away as the United States, Argentina or Antigua and Barbuda, as well as fifteen European countries.
For Alex Romani, president of Club RallyClassics, “Rally Costa Brava is already a fully internationally consolidated brand. In addition to offering a unique show for motor racing fans and being the rally with the most participation of the FIA European Historic Rally Championship, it helps to promote tourism in low season in the province of Girona. We can’t be happier in the preview of this seventy-second edition”.
Regarding the female participation, the #MotorDona program continues to grow. Created by RallyClassics in 2022, it aims to give visibility to female talent and participation in the world of classic motor racing. This year, 70 women will participate in the 72 Rally Motul Costa Brava, including drivers and co-drivers. Thus, 15% of the total participants are women, which reach 28% of the total with the co-drivers. Besides, the #MotorDona program also promotes the involvement of women in other aspects of the rally, both within the organization and in the tasks of mechanics, engineers or team managers.
A museum in action
One of the most attractive aspects of the 72 Rally Motul Costa Brava is the spectacular variety and quality of the
vehicles, which make the event a true living museum of the rally history.
It is already traditional for RallyClassics to dedicate each new edition of the Costa Brava to a key episode of its
rich legacy. This year, the seventy-second edition recalls the historic victory of Michele Cinotto and Emilio
Radaelli on the 1984 Rally Costa Brava driving an Audi Quattro A2. The Italian drivers will participate in the
Legend category with a replica of that same car from 40 years ago.
Cinotto and Radaelli will be the stars of the tribute to the Audi Quattro, to be held on Thursday 14th on the
podium in Girona. Ten units of this legendary vehicle, of all versions and evolutions that competed in the first
half of the 1980s, will participate in the Costa Brava.
The Quattro will not be alone as in the same act there will also be a tribute to the Lancia Stratos on the 50th
anniversary of its first World Rally Championship in 1974, with the presence of the four cars that will participate
in this edition.
The 72 Rally Motul Costa Brava will also allow fans to enjoy an avalanche of legendary vehicles in action. For
example, there will be two units of the Lancia Rally 037 (the successor of Stratos); more than twenty BMW M3;
forty Porsche 911, twenty-five Ford Escort or five Renault 5 Turbo, among many more. All those will be Group
4, Group B and Group A historic vehicles and even Kit Car. From this last era there will be four cars, including the
two Seat Ibiza Kit Car from the brand’s collection which this year celebrates the 40th anniversary of Seat Ibiza.
A program full of activities
The 72 Rally Motul Costa Brava will set up on Thursday 14th in the afternoon with the tribute to Audi Quattro
and Lancia Stratos. This will be the starting point of the two legs, on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th. These two
days, the Fornells de la Selva service park will be the setting for various activities for the public, who will also be
able to see the teams closely.
The itinerary of the rally consists of three different stages every day, which will be driven twice. Els Àngels, Santa
Pellaia Curt and Salions-Sant Grau Curt will be Friday’s stages; Osor, Collsaplana and Cladells will be Saturday’s
stages. Altogether, 160 km against the clock. All these stages, except Salions-Sant Grau, were part of the Rally
Costa Brava itinerary of 1984.
Legendary roads, with perfect tarmac and not excessively fast: the ideal roads to enjoy the driving and the show
of historic vehicles. This is the key to success of the Rally Motul Costa Brava; this year, bigger and better than
ever.
Rally information already available on the RallyClassics website
Press contact: comunicacion@rallyclassics.org