All roads lead to Roma: Italy route unveiled

Scheduled to take place from 22-24 July, the sixth event of the ERC season also marks the rally’s 10th anniversary.

And to celebrate the milestone edition, organiser Motorsport Italia is hard at work finalising arrangements for an all-new super special stage around Rome’s Colosseum.

The 1.70-kilometre test will form the rally’s opening stage from 20h08 CET on 22 July and is one of 13 planned over a competitive distance of 187.14 kilometres. 

Other notable stages include the monster 32.50-kilometre Cave – Subiaco test, due to run twice on 24 July, and the 6.45-kilometre Fiuggi run, which will count as the rally-deciding Power Stage when it’s repeated at 16h08 CET.

Fumone will host Free Practice, the Qualifying Stage and shakedown on a 4.02-killometre route on 22 July. 

The first car is due to start Free Practice at 08h00 CET. Meanwhile, Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome is once again the setting for the spectacular ceremonial start on the banks of the River Tiber. Fiuggi, the picturesque town to Rome’s south-east famed for its natural springs, will form the event’s hub as home to the SkyGate Service Park. 

Motorsport Italia boss Max Rendina said: “The itinerary is one of the nicest of all times. It includes some very technical and challenging tests and we cannot wait to unveil the new opening test at the Colosseum. Devising and setting up Cave-Subiaco has been a real gamble and I believe it will make the difference, but also the leg on Friday will be quite challenging. 

“Rally di Roma Capitale is going to be even more selective and spectacular than in the past and winning it will be a huge honour. Rome and the city centre are going to [host] an unmissable opening stage: we want to leave another important mark.”

Rally di Roma Capitale route overview
Following the eagerly anticipated Friday-night Colosseum stage, Saturday’s action featuresd three repeated stages. The first stage, Roccasecca-Colle San Magno, offers a short, sharp 5.50-kilometre blast and is followed by the 29.08 kilometres of Santopadre-Fontana Liri. Guarcino-Altipiani (11.85 kilometres) rounds out the morning and afternoon loop with three visits to the SkyGate Service Park scheduled during the day.

Six more stages (three repeated tests) form Sunday’s itinerary starting with the new Fiuggi stage, which covers a distance of 6.45 kilometres and counts as the Power Stage when it’s repeated in the afternoon. Affile-Bellegra (7.34 kilometres) and Cave-Subiaco (32.50 kilometres) are also run twice ahead of the finish in Fiuggi from 17h00 CET.

Regulations are available by clicking here, while entries can be submitted via the FIA’s online platform.