Marco Pollara and Giuseppe Princiotto won the 26th edition of the Nebrodi Rally, a test valid for the Sicilian Rally Championship and for the ACI Sport 9th Zone Italian Rally Cup, achieving a success built with authority by winning 9 of the 10 special tests along the Nebrodi district on a Skoda Fabia. For the driver from Prizzi, this is the fifth personal success in the competition organized by CST Sport, while the navigator from Sant’Angelo di Brolo celebrated his second consecutive success on his home roads.
At the wheel of the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, Pollara and Princiotto imposed their own pace right from the start of the race despite small technical problems with the car right from the shakedown, managing to maintain the lead and manage the advantage until the final finish line in Sant’Angelo di Brolo, in front of a large crowd of spectators who enthusiastically followed the entire event. Behind them, Dario Salpietro and Francesco Galati from Messina finished, protagonists of an absolutely remarkable performance on their debut on a Rally2 car. The crew was able to best interpret a particularly demanding race, achieving a brilliant second overall position which confirms the qualities already highlighted in previous seasons.
Third place for Filippo Ferraro – Cono Bruno, also on Skoda Fabia, completing a podium entirely monopolized by the cars of the Bohemian company. They were the authors of a regular and concrete race which allowed them to conquer the podium after the penalty suffered by the Oieni-Nania crew who had maintained the gap until SS8.
The 2026 edition of the Nebrodi Rally confirmed once again the strong link between the event and the territory, attracting thousands of enthusiasts along the route and registering an important presence in the area’s accommodation facilities. A result that consolidates the role of the race as an effective tool for promoting tourism and valorising the excellence of the Nebrodi, as well as a reference event in the Sicilian rally scene. A real shame for the other protagonists of Rally2, the talent from Palermo Alessio Profeta, who returned to the premier class with Rosario Merendino at the helm, and the Messina natives Giuseppe Oieni – Ludmilla Nania, also making their debut on a Skoda, forced to stop when they were in top positions.
At the foot of the podium was the home crew Filippo Bellini, flanked by Alessandra Gregorio. The driver from Patte, making his debut on the Skoda Fabia Rally2, had to become familiar with the new car in the early stages of the race, then managing to progressively improve until he achieved a positive fourth position overall, in addition to the record among the Over 55s.
Fifth place for the Pattesi brothers Nunzio and Roberto Longo, who despite the reduced number of races contested, the experience gained over the course of their career and the consolidated harmony in the cockpit allowed them to enter the top positions, completing the five Skoda Fabias in the top five overall positions. Sixth position for Alessio Pollara and Gaspare Benenati, increasingly in tune with the Renault Clio Rally3, a car that the young driver interpreted with increasing confidence over the course of the weekend, showing a constant pace and putting on a show on the special stages.
Seventh overall went to the experts Carmelo Galipò, reference of the Over category, navigated by Antonino Marino also on a Skoda, once again protagonists of a careful and regular race. Strengthened by their experience, they were able to best interpret a particularly demanding competition, maintaining a constant pace on the special tests and managing to place themselves firmly in the top positions of the overall ranking, confirming the competitiveness and solidity that have distinguished them for years.
Eighth position at home for Salvatore Lo Vano and Giovanni Lo Neri, followed in ninth position by the Peloritans Giovanni Celesti and Fabio De Domenico. Closing out the top ten were the Sanpietrini Giuseppe and Kevin Schepisi, confirming the absolute dominance of the Czech company’s cars in the top positions of the final ranking. To complete the picture of the protagonists of the weekend, the verdicts of the various classes also arrived, characterized by close challenges and often limited gaps. In Rally4 success for Francesco De Gregorio and Giuseppe Scaffidi, protagonists of a constantly growing race culminating with a brilliant comeback which allowed them to get the better of the tight battle with Claudio Greco and Giuseppe Pergolizzi, both with Peugeot 208 turbos. A duel that remained open until the last special tests and which represented one of the most interesting reasons for the competition.
In the Rally4-R2B class, success for the Nisseno crew Carlo Nicoletti and Salvatore Cangemi, protagonists of a performance of character. The crew was forced to deal with some technical problems suffered in the last special test on Saturday, a circumstance which resulted in a penalty and complicated the plans from a ranking perspective. On the final day, however, Nicoletti and Cangemi were able to react with determination, catching up with Mattia Tirintino and Rocco Lapoli, also on a naturally aspirated Peugeot 208. Among the Renault Clio Rally5, success for the Agrigento drivers Domenico Morreale and Giuseppe Scolaro, the result of an effective second day after a complicated start. In the N3 class, the expert Giovanni Catania and Alessandro Anastasi returned to victory, protagonists of a convincing performance on the Renault Clio, which allowed them to prevail over their opponents by a wide margin.
Angelo Sturiale and Giulia Gentile from Santa Teresa took the RS Plus with a splash in their trusty Renault Clio Williams. For Enrico Falsetti and Roberto Giuttari on Peugeot 106, authors of a solid and constant performance which allowed them to conquer the category record on the demanding special stages of the Racing Start event in Messina.
In the Sicilian Historic Car Rally Championship race, the success of the 4th Grouping with the best overall performance goes to Gabriele Fiumara and Giovanni Marino from Messina on a Renault 5 Turbo. In the 2nd Grouping, a solo success for the Palermo drivers Angelo Cinque and Fabrizio Fici on a Fiat 128, while in the 3rd Grouping, success for Luigi and Giovanni Marino on an Autobianchi A112 Abarth, they successfully completed their participation in the classic Messina event.