With almost 100 competing, the “Rally dei Laghi” is ready for the start

The readers of VareseNews already know that next weekend is one of sport, when the 26th “Rally dei Laghi”, the most popular car race in the province, is taking place.

The 2017 rally will also be valid as the first trial in the Italia Zone Cup, and will involve no fewer than 97 teams, ten of which belong to the WRC and R5 classes, which are the most prestigious.

The “Laghi” was presented officially today, Tuesday 21 March, in Palazzo Estense, that is, the location of the start and finish, the award ceremony, and the general headquarters of the event. This trial has received the blessing of both the Town Council and the Chamber of Commerce (and of the Sports Commission), who were represented today by the councillor Dino De Simone and by the president Giuseppe Albertini.

HOW? WHERE? WHEN?

One thing that is new this year is the presence of the rally cars in the centre of the town, also for the technical and sports tests, which are no longer taking place at the AtaHotel, but in Via Bernascone, next to Piazza Monte Grappa, because of the interest on the part of the Chamber of Commerce. The actual race will take place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 March; the first stage entails a demonstration trial in Caravate (Colacem 1, at 3.10 p.m.), which is always very popular, and the “Cuvignone Corto” (at 3.44 p.m.) on the Nasca-S.Antonio-Vararo route. Sunday will begin again with the “Alpe Valganna” (8.50 a.m.), the “Sette Termini” (9.24 a.m.) and the “Cuvignone Lungo” (from Nasca to Cittiglio, at 10.08 a.m.), all of which will be repeated twice, with reorganisation and assistance at Colacem, in the middle of it. The times of the second runs are 1.37, 2.11 and 2.55 p.m. What is new this year is the inversion of the route (after so many years), of both the “Valganna” and the “Sette Termini”: the first will go from Cavagnano to Ghirla, the second from Cugliate Fabiasco to Montegrino. The finishing line and award ceremony will be at the Giardini Estensi, starting from 4.10 p.m.

THE VEHICLES

In an article published yesterday (CLICK HERE), we gave an outline of the participants in all of the main classes that the Rally dei Laghi is divided into. The absolute winner should be one of the ten drivers that have WRC and R5 vehicles, with the former being the favourites, four in particular, namely Simone Miele (Citroen DS3), Andrea Crugnola, Giuseppe Freguglia and Paolo Porro (Ford Fiesta). Among the R5’s, attention should be paid to Giò Dipalma (Fiesta), Pippo Pensotti and Corrado Pinzano (Skoda Fabia). There are slightly fewer top cars than last year. “However, the quality of the best ones is still very high,” said the organiser, Andrea Sabella. “The high costs and the tough competition in WRC and R5, may have convinced some drivers to try to win in other classes, but we’re very satisfied with the participation.”

VN LIVE BROADCAST

The “Laghi” is a tradition, and VareseNews’s live broadcast is beginning to be a regular feature. And of course, also this year, our newspaper will report on the race from a few days beforehand, with a long liveblog (click here for the 2016 rally), on which you can find curious facts, information, photos and, of course, the news in real time, in collaboration with Caffé Chicco d’Oro and the Marazzato Group.

Anyone wishing to join VareseNews in this adventure, by providing sponsorship, can contact our sales office, by writing to marketing@varesenews.it.