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SHOWN IN MILAN
THE RALLY D’ITALIA SARDEGNA 2008
The Italian Round of the WRC,
organized by the Automobile Club
d’Italia, will take place in Sardinia on
May 15th – 18th.
Less than a month,
this is the countdown to the 2008
edition of the Rally d’Italia Sardegna,
that has been introduced in Milan at the
Automobile Club during a press
conference. Mark Deans, Director of the
Ford Europe Motorsport, Marcus Gronholm,
winner of the 2007 RIS edition, Gaetano
Thorel President of Ford Italia, Angelo
Sticchi Damiani President of the
Organising Committee and Antonio Turitto
RIS General Manager were all present at
the Meeting. Moderator of the event was
the well known journalist Italo Cucci.
The President of the Organizing
Committee Ing. Angelo Sticchi Damiani,
has read a welcoming letter of Mr.
Enrico Gelpi, President of the
Automobile Club d’Italia. In his welcome
message, Gelpi has underlined the effort
of ACI for the Rally d’Italia Sardegna.
“ To get the best results – says the
message – many qualified and passionate
people work together at the event.
Thanks to this great effort and to the
passion in its duty, ACI can daily carry
on a promotional activity for the
motoring sports, trying to attract young
people with even more enthusiasm and
interest in practice”.
The President, ex rally’s driver, has
also reminded that the activity of ACI
can be considered as a real support to
all the National Sporting Automotive
Events in all its levels. During his
speech Sticchi Damiani has underlined
the economical importance of the rallies
for the territories that decide to host
them. Sardinia is a clear example of his
mind: since years, RIS has helped to
discover those hinterland areas in order
to support the de-seasonable’s process
of the touristic flows.
The RIS General Manager, Antonio Turitto,
has declared that in 2007, TV broadcasts
have well supported the growing of the
WRC and, as a consequence, of the Rally
d’Italia Sardegna. This year they will
try to improve the already appreciable
2007’s result, through a live TV
broadcast of the last Special Stage that
will be raced in front of the enchanting
panorama of the Costa Smeralda. Mr.Deans,
General manager of Ford Europe
Motorsport, has underlined the role of
the rallies as good occasions to prove
the N production’s cars. This is why
Ford is involved with the WRC since
years, getting excellent results, as the
manufacturer’s championship in the last
two sporting seasons. Deans has
underlined the fact the seven, official
and related Teams, WRC Ford Focus will
race at the RIS. Three of these will
belong to the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World
Rally Team with Mikki Hirvonen, Jari
Matti Latvala and Khalid Al Qassimi.
Gaetano Thorel, President of Ford Italia
has underlined the effort of Ford in
occasion of the Rally d’Italia Sardegna
2008. Effort expresses through the first
presentation of the new Ford Kuga that
will officially take place during the
rally event. “With Ford Kuga – developed
on the same structure of Focus – we play
a main role in the crossover sector, the
only one that is continuously increasing
and developing in Italy and Europe. Kuga
is a car thought for those one who want
a beautiful car with a strong
personality, without compromises. After
the S-Max, the Mondeo and the recent
presentation of the new Focus, we are
going on with the renewing of all our
products, all kinetic design”.
THE RALLY D’ITALIA SARDEGNA 2008
The Rally d’
Italia Sardegna, the sixth Leg of the
2008 WRC and third Manche of the Junior
Championship, will take place in
Sardinia on 15th /18th May. The Head
Quarter will be placed in Olbia, while
the Starting and the Arrival Ceremony
will be organised in the charming
location of Porto Cervo. The Italian Leg
of the World Rally Championship,
organised by the Automobile Club
d’Italia, will be developed through
three Days and 17 Special Stages.
The new Itinerary
will be similar to the last editions,
but many technical difficulties have
been introduced. All the Special Stages
will be raced through the Monte Acuto
area, as it was last year, inside the
forestall site. The first racing day,
for example, will start by a new edition
of the Monte Corvos stage, in the nearby
of Buddusò; going on with the second
Special Stage that will be developed
inside the forest of Crastazza, in the
nearby of Bitti. This Stage will be
longer, in its final part, than it was
the last edition. The third chrono, the
Terranova’ s one, has been planned on
the already used Terranova and Monte
Olia’ s road but crossing the SS 389.
The second racing day will start with
the Punta Pianedda Stage, that will
start and arrive in the nearby of the
Loelle’ s nuraghe. It will be a very
fast stage raced inside the Loelle site
but driven through some new roads
without forgetting the classical passage
close the plantation of cork-trees in
the Buddusò area. The second chrono will
be characterised by the spectacular jump
of Monte Lerno, while the third one will
be that one of Su Filigosu. The final
Leg has been modified: the two Special
Stages of Monte Olia and Sorilis, that
will be developed in the homonymous
forestall sites, will be characterised
by a medium average speed.
The last chrono will be completely new
and will take place in the Liscia Ruja
area, the fascinating and enchanting
scenario of the Cala di Volpe’s Gulf.
354 km, on a total
amount of 1.045 km of racing roads, will
be timed and hosted by the territory of
the Sardinian Forestall Board,
fundamental partner of the Organisation,
while the provinces involved in the
event will be three: Olbia-Tempio, Nuoro
e Sassari. The Service Park, located in
Olbia – Cala Saccaia – will be operative
at the beginning, at half way and at the
end of each Leg. The Head Quarter and
the Press Room will be hosted at the
Hotel Melià, as it was last year.
One of the most
important change is the fact that, for
the first time, the Race will be totally
developed in the same area – says the
Clerck of the Course Lucio De Mori –
between Monte Lerno, Monte Acuto and
Monte Olia surroundings. This is very
important because it allows the
Organisation to better manage all the
race’s details. In addition spectators
will not have to move too much on the
territory in order to follow the race
itself.
RACE’S IDENTIKIT
DAYS
Day 1: Friday 16th May 2008 - 6 S.S. for
a total of 371,02 km which 131,56 are
chrono timed.
Day 2: Saturday 17th May 2008 - 6 S.S
for a total of 410,68 km which 134,60
are chrono timed.
Day 3: Sunday 18th May 2008 - 5 S.S. for
a total of 258,65 km which 78,57 are
chrono timed.
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