Unhealthy-Country – Italy hosts the title contenders

Competitors on the Italian Baja (September 9-11) is space to be intense as the fight for titles escalates on the penultimate round of the FIA World Cup for Unhealthy-Country Bajas and the newly created European Cup. Cancelled closing Twelve months attributable to the pandemic, the Italian Baja items yet one other abnormal say as the crews head to the rocky riverbeds around the host metropolis of Pordenone, approximately 80 kilometres from Venice in the northeast of Italy.

Over yet again, the most important contenders across all lessons will trot head to trot over the two-day match, with FIA World Cup front-runners Yasir Seaidan and Alexey Kuzmich main the 32 crews on the provisional entry listing over the originate ramp. The Saudi Arabian/Russian pairing own led the standings since claiming victory on the third of the nine round series and a string of top results sees the MINI crew now combating for a maiden title.

Yazeed Al Rajhi and Michael Orr own on the opposite hand been pushing exhausting and the Toyota crew has closed the outlet to their rivals over the previous occasions. They’re undoubtedly 16.5 factors adrift of the lead in the FIA World Cup standings, nonetheless are additionally in the thick of a battle for European Cup honours with correct half a level advantage. Al Rajhi has tasted victory in Italy, the Saudi Arabian driver claiming the discover in 2014.

Krzysztof Hołowczyc and Lukasz Kurzeja are additionally ones to detect, the Poles in handsome contain after again-to-again victories on the previous two rounds. They’re hounding down Al Rajhi/Orr in every Cups and ought to unruffled be shopping for a hat-trick of wins to severely terminate the outlet in the World Cup standings and overhaul their rivals for the live space in the European Cup. Hołowczyc is one other to own stood on the live step of the Italian Baja podium, the MINI driver winning in 2010.

Miroslav Zapletal, co-pushed by Marek Sykora, is fourth in the World Cup classification, correct 13 factors further adrift of Hołowczyc in his Ford F150 Evo after some top results precise by draw of the season. The Czech driver heads Erik van Loon in the standings, he and Frenchman Sébastien Delaunay fielding one other Overdrive Hilux in Italy. After a duration of rehabilitation following a wrist and shoulder nervousness, Benediktas Vanagas made a unheard of return to competition on the previous round in Poland, the assign he and navigator Filipe Palmeiro done third overall in their Hilux. Michał and Julita Małuszyński will as soon as extra be competing in X-Raid’s MINI John Cooper Works Rally, the Poles shopping for better luck after retiring on their home round.

T3 has attracted six rivals, headed by Saudi Arabian driver Dania Akeel. She is pushing exhausting for the class World Cup title and additionally continues to fight for the European Cup, her nearest rival being Santiago Navarro, the Spaniard topping the standings on equal factors in T3 and additionally a top finisher in Italy closing Twelve months. Jesus Fuster does on the opposite hand continue to hunt them every down, the Herrator HRX3 driver third in the European Cup and well precise by draw of the title fight.

Four title contenders in the T4 class will as soon as extra trot head to trot in Italy, with Mshari Al Thefiri heading Saleh Abdullah Alsaif by correct 13.5 factors in the FIA World Cup. Going into the match off the again of three podium placings in the class, Alexandre Re is third and the Portuguese Can Am Maverick driver has a precious lead in the European Cup. Frenchman Claude Fournier holds fourth in the World Cup standings and desires to procure his early season contain to preserve in the fight.

RALLY DATA

LEADING ENTRIES

ITALIAN BAJA – TIMETABLE & MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

FIA World Cup for Unhealthy-Country Bajas – Classifications:
https://www.fia.com/occasions/world-cup-unfriendly-nation-bajas/season-2021/classifications

FIA European Cup for Unhealthy-Country Bajas – Classifications:
https://www.fia.com/occasions/fia-european-cup-unfriendly-nation-bajas/season-2021/classifications

Photo: Italian Baja