Marcello Rizzo and Sofia D’Ambrosio wrote their names in the roll of honor of the 23rd Tirreno-Messina Rally, protagonists of a perfect performance that led them to success after scoring the best scratch in all nine timed sections of the race.
The driver from Messina, at the wheel of the Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2, imposed his own pace from the start in the challenge organized by Top Competition, with the collaboration of the Automobile Club Messina and the support of the Metropolitan City of Messina and the municipality of the Peloritan capital, the fifth round of the ACI Sport 9th Zone Rally Cup, held on the roads close to the strait.
Behind the winners, Andrea Nastasi, a driver from Trapani who is very attached to this race, and Giuseppe Stassi, also on the Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2, completed the podium, protagonists of a race always in the top positions, while the third step of the podium went to Alessio Pollara from Prizzi from Palermo together with Gaspare Beninati, capable of entering the overall challenge with the Renault Clio Rally 3.
A challenge that brought the charm of the night back to the Messina rally, with the departure from Piazza Duomo, where the public greeted the start of the crews in the suggestive setting of the city centre. There were also numerous enthusiasts present along the special stages, testifying to the strong bond between the event and the territory and to the organizational success of Top Competition, which was impeccable in terms of safety thanks to the work carried out throughout the weekend by the course marshals and race officials. Also greeting the crews at the start were the President of Aci Sport SPA Luigi Battistolli and the two-time world rally champion, Miky Biasion in his role as President of the Rally Commission. On stage the organizers, the AC Messina Regional Delegate Massimo Rinaldi, the Aci Sport Sicilia Trustee Sergio Imbrò and Giuseppe Zagami Vice President of the Rally Commission.
Rizzo-D’Ambrosio built their success with a very solid performance, gained on a technical and selective route that required maximum attention in driving and managing the race, which confirmed great selectivity.
In fact, several announced protagonists of the day before had to deal with unforeseen events that affected their final result, making the continuity demonstrated by the crews on the podium even more important.
The voice of the protagonists
“Arriving in Piazza Duomo as a winner is the best for someone from Messina – declared Rizzo – We are happy with how we managed the race, not only with the result, but also with the pace we had, the performance. The team was perfect”.
Nastasi commented: “A beautiful race, as always very demanding, and it is an honor to be present and climb onto the second step. We are satisfied and happy.”
Pollara underlined the intensity of the competition: “It was tough because in any case I had never raced at night and so it was a new experience for me. We are fresh off a race won with the Skoda, so adapting to this car wasn’t immediately easy, but then I started to have fun and entertain. It’s a result that with a Rally 3 fills us with joy.” In Pollara the third overall prize, dedicated to Luca Costantino, an ever-present figure of great sporting importance whose physical lack has been repeatedly highlighted by the entire environment. There was a unanimous feeling among the crews of sharing the difficult moment that we were going through in the area. At the finish line the city authorities joined in celebrating the winners, with the presence of the Sports Councilor Stello Vadalà and the Events Councilor Massimo Finocchiaro.
Just below the podium were Maurizio Rizzo, another native of Messina, and Massimo D’Angelo on the Citroën DS3. They fought in the middle of the night to grab fourth place, to capitalize on a truly important placing that does justice to the crew and car. Fifth place for Michele Coriglie from Santa Teresa who, with Fulvio Lombardo on the Peugeot 208 GT, established himself among the 2-wheel drive thanks to an all-out attacking performance. Sesti were Claudio Greco and Giuseppe Pergolizzi, also with the “Turbo” version of the French brand Rally4. The young local driver collected important points both for the category and for the Under 25 ranking, which places him even further ahead in the Zone Rally Cup. Seventh place for Giuseppe and Simone Messina, a father and son team from Rometta, who performed well with an excellent progression upon returning to the races with the third Skoda Fabia placed and used for the first time by the expert driver. Eighth and third between the supercharged Peugeot GTs Rosario Cannino and Michele Castelli. The talented driver from Palermo from San Giuseppe Jato has not found the right feeling to aim for success in the category, also due, in his opinion, to the absence of almost a year from the races. The Top Ten is completed by Marco Nicoletti with Sergio Raccuja and Michele Cortese with Paolo Guttadauro, drivers from Nisse first and second in the R2B Rally category reserved for “aspirated” cars, both Peugeot 208 VTi.
In the other classes Giuseppe Gangemi and Giuseppe Presti won the Peugeot 106 in Racing Start Plus 1600, while the always concrete Angelo Sturiale and Giulia Gentile won the 2000 with the Renault Clio. Successes also for the young Santaresi native Carmelo Garufi and Diego Cardone in Rally 5 on Renault Clio, Giovanni Alessi with Maurizio Denaro in A6 on Citroën Saxo and for Samuele and Mattia Cannarella on Peugeot 106.
Among the historic cars, Luigi and Paola Marino prevailed on Autobianchi A 112 of the 3rd Group, while among the classics, Giovanni Lisa and Andrea Gricia on Toyota Yaris prevailed
RANKING 23rd TIRRENO-MESSINA RALLY:
1. RIZZO-D’AMBROSIO (Skoda Fabia RS) in 41’15.7;
2. NASTASI-STASSI (Skoda Fabia RS) at 44.3;
3. POLLARA-BENINATI (Renault Clio Rally3) at 1’24.4;
4. RIZZO-D’ANGELO (Citroen DS3) at 1’53.8;
5. CORIGLIE-LOMBARDO (Peugeot 208 GT) at 2’26.0;
6. GRECO-PERGOLIZZI (Peugeot 208 GT) at 2’46.7;
7. MESSINA-MESSINA (Skoda Fabia RS) at 2’54.7;
8. CANNINO-CASTELLI (Peugeot 208 GT) at 2’57.4;
9. NICOLETTI-RACCUIA (Peugeot 208 VTI) at 3’03.8;
10. CORTESE-GUTTADAURO (Peugeot 208 VTI) at 3’12.8;