Their battle, the second all-Italian quarter-final in as many days, concludes week four of ERC Greatest Driver voting ahead of the eagerly anticipated semi-final week from next Monday (27 November).
Whoever wins out of Tabaton and Travaglia will become the second Italian semi-finalist after Giandomenico Basso – European champion in 2006 and 2009 – knocked out his compatriot Dario Cerrato in Wednesday’s showdown.
Tabaton tamed a Group B Lancia Delta S4 to land his first ERC title in 1986 and was Lancia Integrale-powered when he made it a European championship double in 1988.
Countryman Travaglia took his maiden ERC crown in 2002 before triumphing again in 2005, year two of the ERC’s Super 1600 era and the second season following the championship’s move to a streamlined calendar format, which remains in place today.
Basso will take on Tabaton or Travaglia in the second semi-final after triple ERC champions Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Sobiesław Zasada go for a place in the ERC Greatest Driver finale in the first of next week’s knock-out contests.
Kajetanowicz, who only driver in history to win three ERC titles consecutively, booked his semi-final spot by beating Luca Rossetti. His fellow Pole Zasada, who still competes aged 93, made it through from the quarter-final stage with victory over Belgian Patrick Snijers.
Sixteen drivers were originally selected for the ERC Greatest Driver vote with FIAERC.com taking a data-based approach to pick out 12 drivers who have won the coveted European Rally Championship at least two times. Four wildcards, based on their impact during a certain ERC era, were also selected. The ERC Greatest Driver, according to your votes, will be revealed on 1 December.
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