The 2024 of the Messina rally raid driver Antonio Ricciari began last weekend in Taormina at the Aci Sport Sicilia event with the awarding of the “Sicilian Excellence” award, a recognition obtained thanks to the extraordinary result achieved by Ricciari in the 2023 Dakar where he achieved a brilliant 15th place overall and third place in class in the Dakar Classic category.
In recent weeks the Sicilian driver has started preparing to participate in the first race of the Italian “Cross Country Baja” championship on 15 and 16 March in Pordenone. For Ricciari it is a return to the national tournament in which he took part some ago with a Suzuki car.
“The objective is to conquer one of the important places on the podium in the Italian championship, but it won’t be easy – declared Antonio Ricciari – in the race I will meet numerous high-level opponents who will not be easy to beat. For me, the return to racing in Italy will not only be an arduous commitment, but also a way to test the potential of the car with which I will compete and my physical conditions in view of another decidedly more demanding and more important return, that of the Dakar 2025, again in the Classic category.”
The Italian Cross Country Baja championship in which Antonio Ricciari will compete will be made up of a series of races that will take place in Italy and one abroad in Hungary, the races are scheduled until November; between the end of 2024 and the beginning of next year the Dakar 2025 will take place in Saudi Arabia and here too the Sicilian driver’s objectives are important.
Antonio Ricciari will present his programs for the new competitive season on Thursday 7 March at 6.30 pm at the Tennis and Sailing Club.