Dakar Classic 2023
JARI-MATTI LATVALA (TOYOTA CELICA ST 165), SIMONE BRUSORI (PORSCHE 911 RS) AND LUCA PEDERSOLI (CITROEN DS3 WRC) ARE THE WINNERS OF THE 20TH EDITION OF RALLYLEGEND.
MAURO ARGENTI (PORSCHE 911S) WINS THE RALLYLEGEND HERITAGE.
“MORE BEAUTIFUL AND ENTERTAINING THAN I COULD IMAGINE” SAID THE WORLD CHAMPION KALLE ROVANPERA.
Republic of San Marino. “They told me Rallylegend was a beautiful and an entertaining event. Now, I can say that it is much more beautiful and entertaining than I imagined. The atmosphere, the fantastic public, the wonderful cars, the great passion for rallies… I have never been to such an amazing event“. Happy and a bit dazed by four days of full immersion in Rallylegend, Kalle Rovanpera, from the arrival stage, greets the crowd that cheers for him warmly next to the yellow Toyota Celica ST 185 of 1991 from the Latvala “collection”.
Also Juha Kankkunen and Miki Biasion have a big smile on their faces as they hug him (seven world rally titles all together), together with Vito Piarulli and Paolo Valli who are tired but also very happy at the end of the most beautiful Rallylegend ever.
Great celebration also for Jari-Matti Latvala, the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT team principal, who competed in the Classic category. And, of course, he won. Very happy with the bottle of sparkling wine, because a true champion always tries to win even when the race is not official but just for fun. “When I came to Rallylegend, a decade ago, I thought I was in a unique and original event. Today has become a big rally party also and I am happy to have been here again” Latvala declared at the end.
The Classic category was won by Jari-Matti Latvala with Janne Ferm in a 1967 Toyota Celica ST 165, with held back the attack attempts of “Zippo”, with Denis Piceno and the 1996 Subaru Impreza, which finished in second position with the Subaru Impreza of the Best Impreza project. Simone Romagna and Cristina Caldart (Lancia Delta Integrale from 1990) in the third position of the podium. Marco Bianchini is the fourth and the first of the San Marino’s drivers with Giulia Paganoni (Lancia Delta 16V 1988), for a few seconds ahead of Rui Madeira with Silva (Subaru Impreza) and Gustavo Trelles with Del Buono (Subaru Legacy).
In the Historic category the driver Simone Brusori from Bologna, with Enzo Zafferani from San Marino (Porsche 911 RS from 1981), repeated last year success at Rallylegend, dominating from the start to the end and finishing with a wide advantage over the French Valliccioni-Raffaelli on BMW M3 of 1986 and on the third Alessandro Bonafè with Pontini on Porsche 911 Sc of 1981.
In the fourth place Loris Baldacci and Stefano Magnani from San Marino on a Ford Escort RS of 1980.
In the WRC category Luca Pedersoli with Anna Tomasi in the 2011 Citroen DS3 took the lead in the final moment of the first stage, then increased the advantage over the 2017 Ford Fiesta WRC Plus of the Swiss “Il Valli”, with Cirillo, while the other Swiss crew Puricelli-Medici (Citroen DS3 from 2011) kept the third place until the end.
In the Heritage category, the driver Mauro Argenti from Bologna with Roberta Amorosa (Porsche 911 S of 1969) dominated the Rallylegend from the start to the end, winning the race ahead of Dino Fabbrica and Massimo Leonardi, on a 1974 Porsche 911 3000. In third position Roberto Nicelli with Cassinelli on a 1977 Opel Kadett GTE.
A separate chapter, as usual, the great show of the Legend Stars and CK Legend with very important figures such as Kalle Rovanpera, his father Harri, Markku Alen and Miki Biasion, with two Lancia 037s painted in Martini livery, Jimmy Mc Rae (Colin’s father), Tonino Tognana with the Ferrari 308 GTB, Federico Ormezzano, Tony Fassina with the Lancia Stratos, together with many other drivers with amazing cars. The high standard show in the special stages delighted the joyful public.
P.S. THE LEGEND: A LOT OF ADRENALINE AND EMOTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC.
An adrenaline-pumping show on the route of the special stage “The Legend”. Among the most important events of today we highlight Andrea Dovizioso who fulfilled his desire to drive a Lancia 037, one of the most iconic models such as the “Safari” version, but also the greeting to the public in a stop after the ” Pirelli jump”, by Kalle and Harri Rovanpera, Miki Biasion and Renè Arnoux.
A SUPER TWENTIETH EDITION OF RALLYLEGEND
“Rallylegend found the embrace of an immense audience, to whom we wanted to offer an unforgettable event. We hope to have achieved our goal; together with a tireless staff we have worked hard for many months. The comments of many fans who are happy to be here in San Marino, the amazement and compliments of champions and VIP such as Renè Arnoux, Kalle Rovanpera, Arturo Merzario, Malcom Wilson, who did not know the atmosphere, the passion and the enthusiasm circulating at Rallylegend, make us understand that we organized a really great show. One more time. This show was also possible thanks to the fundamental backing of the Government of the Republic of San Marino, once again by our side with total and convinced support” said with a single voice Paolo Valli and Vito Piarulli, who set up one of the most beautiful and richest editions of Rallylegend ever.
