ERC
Home hero Mabellini fastest in Roma ERC qualifying
Andrea Mabellini has got his bid to win his home round of the FIA European Rally Championship off to the best possible start with the fastest time on the Qualifying Stage.
Driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 on Pirelli tyres, Mabellini was fastest through Rally di Roma Capitale’s 6.45-kilometre Fumone Qualifying Stage by 2.0sec ahead of Michelin-equipped ERC points leader Miko Marczyk.
Roberto Daprà, the 2023 ERC4 champion, was third quickest, 2.6sec behind Mabellini after he reported running wide “in some dirty corner”.
“I’m pleased to be back home,” said The Racing Factory-run Mabellini, who will start leg one first on the road. “It will be a tough rally but let’s see how it goes.”
ERC points leader Marczyk was second fastest
© ERC
Marczyk said: “It was okay, we did good changes on the service. It’s just a qualifying run but I think the car is fast for this weekend.”
Simone Campedelli was fourth fastest followed by Jakub Matulka and Boštjan Avbelj as
Dominik Stříteský marked his return to ERC action after missing the rounds in Sweden and Poland by going seventh quickest.
Jon Armstrong was eighth fastest with Simon Wagner hitting back from a roll in testing to going ninth, one place ahead of Mads Østberg.
Back-to-back Rally di Roma Capitale winner Andrea Crugnola was 11th fastest. He said: “I tried to push but honestly it was a difficult stage, easy to make mistakes. My plan was to start a bit more forward but it looks like it doesn’t work.”
Norbert Herczig said changes to his Škoda’s spring and damper settings helped him to the 12th quickest time as Marco Signor, Fabio Andolfi and Roope Korhonen rounded out the top 15.
“I don’t have so much experience on Tarmac but let’s see what we can do,” said Korhonen, part of the Team MRF Tyres line-up.
Double European champion Basso was slowed by tyre damage
© ERC
Meanwhile, double ERC champion Giandomenico Basso finished up in 27th position after he was slowed completing the Qualifying Stage due to a damaged right-rear tyre. The Italian legend had earlier set the pace in Free Practice.
The Rally di Roma Capitale action switches to the Eternal City for the Colosseo ACI Roma super special stage, which is scheduled to begin at 20:05 local time. The event is also a round of the Hankook-equipped FIA Junior ERC Championship and Pirelli-supplied ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy.
