Udine, 09 August 2013 – As work is getting more intense, days get longer to prepare everything ahead of the 49th Rally of Friuli Venezia Giulia and the organization staff of Scuderia Friuli ACU is starting to count entries for the round set between August 29th to 31st where the protagonists of the Italian Rally Championship, the European and Italian Historic Rally, the Mitropa Rally Cup as well of the Slovenian Championship and IV and V Zone Challenge will be competing.

The event changed its name from this year to give an higher impact in terms of territory communication and confirmed to be quite a crowded round due to the long list of validities. The range of validities will include the European Historic Rally (9th of 11 rounds), the comeback of the Italian Rally Championship (6th out of 8 rounds) after a stand-by 2012 due to the rotation devised by the Federation. The race will also be valid for the famous Mitropa Cup (fifth round), for the Slovenian Rally Championship, for the IV and V Zone Challenge and for the Citroën, Peugeot, Renault and Suzuki Trophies

The "historic” and modern cars will join forces to create an exciting spectacle on the very technical itinerary of a unique event, a "must” for street races.

CIVIDALE DEL FRIULI AS HEADQUARTER
On a purely technical note, the Rally will move its base to Cividale del Friuli, whose Longobard Itinerary has been recognized by UNESCO as Humanity Heritage. This will become the beating heart of the event, housing the headquarters as well as Service Park and Regrouping. The Rally of Friuli Venezia Giulia will be anyway bound to the town of Udine: the Spectacle stage will be back from Piazza I Maggio, which will bring the spectacle of rally to one of the most exclusive showcases at international level.


THE ITINERARY: AN EVERGREEN CLASSIC
The race will take place from Friday 30 and Sunday 31st August and will unfold in 11 Stages that will go through the historic as well as a modern itinerary; it will feature 151,880 timed Km on a total of 449,960 (the "historic" fraction will be slightly shorter). The itinerary has been changed from 2012 edition due to the validity for the Italian Rally Championship. It fill feature some very famous stages that have been shortened or joined together to devise an interesting rally also in economic terms due to the difficult times. This race has never been run on the format "2 stages run 3 times”, but this year things have changed also to cut organization costs without compromising on the technical challenge though.

The ss itinerary follows the settings of the past few editions with stages located in the valleys of Natisone and Torre. The chosen stages, agreed with the local councils are:

1) "SUBIT " of Km.14,080 starting from Borgo Mattielig, inversion in Bocchetta S. Antonio and descent to Fraccadizze with finish line at the first house on the right hand side as done in 2011.

2) "ERBEZZO " of Km. 7,480, classic downhill stage starting before the village of Calla and ending at the doorsteps of Loch. The stage is the same run in 2011 but it has been shortened in the initial part.

3) "CITTA' di UDINE" of Km 1,600 (Udine Piazza I° Maggio) already run in 2010 and 2011.

4) "MASAROLIS" of Km 14,960 starting at the junction of Reant and ending after the village of Gradischiutta, going through Madonna del Domm, Bocchetta S. Antonio and the descent of Canebola. This stage is the same run in 2010.

5) "TRIVIO " of Km 20,7600 (start in San Leonardo and finish line in Tribil Inferiore) classic stage of the Oriental Alps, always run except for 2010 and 2011 when the tract of Oborza that was closed due to maintenance work. This stage was run in the same configuration in 2007.

THE PROGRAMME
Scrutineering are scheduled for Thursday 29 August, the shakedown for the morning of Friday 30 August. The sportive challenge will start on Friday at 12.01 (GMT+1) from Cividale del Friuli, first with historic cars while "modern" cars will start competing at 13,45. The first day will feature 4 Stages among which the aforementioned "Città di Udine" in the afternoon with chequered flag starting from 18.30 for the drivers of the Historic European Championship and at 20.30 for the Italian Rally Championship drivers.

The final day will be on Saturday 31 August. Historic cars will open the way at 8.01 and will be followed by the modern cars at 9.30. Six more stages will follow to get to the final flag that will be waved in Cividale del Friuli from 17.15 for historic cars and 19 for the others.

(Press Release by 49th Rally Friuli Venezia Giulia's Press Office)