26/05/2016 – The Italian Rally 2016 Championship finally meets gravel roads, the good ones, the fast, tricky and extremely technical stages of the 23rd Rally Adriatico, race organized by PRS Group and valid as fourth round of the Italian Rally Championship and as second round of the Rally Gravel Trophy.
The start is scheduled for tomorrow evening from the Foro Annonario of Senigallia. The challenge will then continue on Saturday and Sunday on the gravel roads of Marche. Twelve stages will get races challenge each other on 121,29 timed kms inserted in a global itinerary of 445,20 kms.

The race will see all the bes drivers of Italian Rally at the start and a lot of gravel specialists for a total of 59 entered crews. The race is going to be quite tough and it is difficult to make predictions, as the Italian Rally Championship protagonists will be facing the gravel for the first time in this season. Technical values on the field will have to be discovered then, even though the usual names are the favourites for the final victory at the moment. The first possible protagonist is nine time Italian Champion Paolo Andreucci, on the works Peugeot 208 T16 R5 with Anna Andreussi at the notes. Giandomenico Basso, GPL powered Ford Fiesta R5 and Lorenzo Granai will try and challenge him, as Umberto Scandola and Guido D'Amore, on Skoda Fabia R5. The real novelty is the presence of Simone Campedelli and Danilo Fappani on another GPL Ford Fiesta run by BRC. This is going to be another exam for the Italian driver that has so far achieved less than what his driving skills would allow. An eye will definitely have to be kept on Simone Tempestini, the young Italian driver with Romanian license, as well as on the Italo-Swiss Stefano Baccega, both on Ford Fiesta R5. The expert Denis Colombini will also be present even if not taking part to the championship on Skoda Fabia R5. In the Italian Rally Junior, the young talents of the Italian rally are called to a great challenge. The two favourites to the final win are Marco Pollara and Giuseppe Testa, both on Peugeot 208 R2. Among the protagonists, Bernardi and Andrea Mazzocchi, will also compete on two Peugeots 208 R2. In the Women trophy, Beatrice Calvi on a 208 R2 will try and fend off the attacks moved by Corinne Federighi on Renault Clio R3C.
In the 2WD, the challenge involving Ivan Ferrarotti's Renault Clio R3C and Luca Panzani on Citroen DS3 R3T will live another episode. Kevin Gilardoni, Gianadrea Pisani and Sergio Marchetti will also hunt for heavy points for the championship. In the Italian R1 Championship, eight crews will be competing in the Suzuki Swift Sport R1B battling for the Suzuki Rally Trophy.

The spectacle announces to be even more exciting in the Gravel Trophy that will live its second round. A lot of protagonists will be present, starting from classification leader Andrea Dalmazzini, on Peugeot 207 S2000. He will have to face the challenge of the other gravel specialists like Luigi Ricci (Subaru Impreza), Mauro Trentin (Peugeot 208 T16), Giacomo Costenaro (Peugeot 207 S2000), Pablo Biolghini (Peugeot 208 T16), Luciano Cobbe (Ford Fiesta R5) and Giovanni Manfrinato (Mitsubishi Lancer R4). Also present Nicolò Marchioro (Peugeot 207 S2000), who was a protagonist at Liburna, lthe Ford Fiesta R5 of Graziano De Santis and Gianmarco Donetto, Alessandro Bruschetta (Subaru Impreza), Andrea Succi and Giuseppe Messori, both on Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, Mattia Codato (Subaru Impreza). Tommaso Ciuffi on Peugeot 208 R2, Marcello Sterpone on Citroen Saxo and the Renault Twingo R2 fighting for the single brande trophy led by Jordan Brocchi  , Jacopo trevisani and Daniele Pellegrini will also be present.

In the picture: the podium of Rally Adriatico 2015