Satisfaction on being the most participated race in Italy and Europe. Presentation to follow next Tuesday 27 August at the Castle of Udine at 11.30.
The race is scheduled from 29 to 31 August and will prepare the way to the celebrations to the 50th edition with an encouraging record entry list for this season in Italy and most probably also in Europe despite the economic climate.
The Rally of Friuli Venezia Giulia will be based in Cividale del Friuli, UNESCO heritage, and will have solid technical and sportive themes to debate, a very technical itinerary with thrilling challenges in all the categories. 73 drivers entered the Italian Championship (season record), 46 the Challenge IV and V zone and 68 the Historic Rally.
The 49th Rally of Friuli Venezia Giulia will also be valid for the Italian Rally Championship (after a stand by year), for the European and Italian Historic Rally, for the Europe FIA Center Zone Cup, for the Mitropa Rally Cup, Slovenian Championship and for the IV and V Zone Challenge. Moreover, the single branded Citroën, Peugeot, Renault and Suzuki cups will also take place. This is therefore going to be a big event which will also be the right framework to promote the image of the territory.
The 49th Rally of Friuli Venezia Giulia will be presented to Authorities, press, staff and fans next 27 August at 11.30 (GMT+2) with the usual press conference to be held at the Castle of Udine's "Casa della Contadinanza".
ORGANIZER SATISFIED
Giorgio Croce, president of the Organizing Committee, is very happy on the renewed appreciation of the race managed by Scuderia Friuli ACU: "We should start thanking drivers, co-drivers and teams one by one for their appreciation towards us, our race and our territory. In a economically difficult moment that is widely penalizing motorsport, scoring numbers like ours is something big. This means that what we have done in the past did not let down expectations of drivers as we try to devise races thinking at drivers; I also think that part of the credit goes also to the fact that we – quite luckily – have a land with roads that seem to be specifically designed to house a racing competition but also to the relationship we managed to build with the national and international sporting realities. This year we partially changed the name of the race as we aspire to be ambassadors of the whole region; I think that our dream is coming true with this edition that also opens the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the race in 2014. This is also thanks to the efforts of the numerous volunteers working at the event, of the institutions and of our supporting partners. Good rally to everyone!".
THE ITINERARY, "LIGHT” VERSION TO KEEP COSTS DOWN PROMISING "SPARKS”
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)
