Roma, Saturday 19 September 2015 – A nice, difficult race that challenged men and vehicles. The 3rd Rally di Roma Capitale, race organized by Motorsport Italia and valid as seventh of the eight round of the Italian Rally Championship, emitted its first verdicts. After leg one, a difficult day that included two loops on the stage Monte Livata "Caput Mundi” of more than 30kms, the classification is led by Umberto Scandola and Guido D'Amore. The Veronese and the co-driver from Liguria on Skoda Fabia R5, have been figthing for a long time Paolo Andreucci, who led on his Peugeot 208 T16 R5 until the third stage when he was slowed down by a puncture, and then Giandomenico Basso and Lorenzo Granai, on Ford Fiesta R5 powered by GPL, that were on top until the sixth stage and then slowed down by a penalty at a time check. Basso managed to close in though keeping the race open. The driver from Veneto was second at 3''1, when 35,40 timed kms are still missing. Paolo Andreucci, fresh Italian Rally Champion since the round of Friuli, is currently third with a gap difficult to fill of 1'04''2 due to the puncture he had halfway through.

The uncertainty and beauty of the race is also witnessed by the name of the stage winners: 3 ss were won by Paolo Andreucci, three by Basso (one ex aequo with Scandola), four with Scandola (one ex aequo with Basso). Behind the pace setters, Nicola Caldani and Sauro Farnocchia, Citroen Ds3 R5, and the young Fabrizio Andolfi Junior. The driver from Savona is continuing his learning on the nearly new to him – he is at the second race -- Ford Fiesta R5. The sixth place is currently occupied by the Swiss Stefano Baccega, on Ford Fiesta R5, followed by Antonio Rusce, on Citroen DS3 R5. In the Italian Junior Championship, the driver from Massa Carrara, Corinne Federighi, together with the co-driver from Saint Marin Alice Palazzi, is leading the charts on Renault Twingo. The leader in Twingo R2 Top Trophy is Federico Bottoni.

The final verdict is awaited for tomorrow, with the second leg that will comprise three lops on the stage of Guarcino "Bonifacio VIII", of 11.80 km, before the finish line set in Ostia Lido, on the Lungomare, in Piazza dei Ravennati at 16. Two live streaming by ACI Sport are scheduled for tomorrow, from ss10 and ss11 at 09:25 and 11:20. The second special on Rai Sport 1 will take place in the evening at 22.45.

ABSOLUTE CLASSIFICATION 3rd RALLY DI ROMA CAPITALE – LEG 1: 1.Scandola-D'Amore (Skoda Fabia R5) in 1:16'40.6; 2. Basso-Granai (Ford Fiesta R5 LDI) at 3.1 ;3.Andreucci-Andreussi (Peugeot 208 T16 R5) at 1'04.2; 4. #NC3-Fannocchia (Citroen DS3 R5) at 3'05.3; 5. Andolfi-Savoia (Ford Fiesta R5) at 3'45.7 ;6. Baccega-Menchini (Ford Fiesta R5) at 3'55.8; 7.Rusce-Barone (Citroen DS3 R5) at 4'24.9 ;8.Roma-Colapietro (Renault Clio R3) at 6'14.4; 9.Casella-Caputo (Peugeot 208 R2) at 10'03; 10.Di Giulio-D'Amora (Renault Clio RS) at 10'42.1.