Taking on the IRC with Basso and AlenThe return of the Abarth brand continues to bring new challenges. The 'Scorpion' philosophy, which is conveyed in all the brand's activities with passion and tradition, continues to excite sports car lovers everywhere.
As envisaged
by the plans to revive the brand, the Abarth & C. Spa company has set up new premises in the Mirafiori complex in Turin, bringing together the manufacturing, design and management functions for the whole company, as well as the staff of the Racing Team who were formerly housed in the historical plant in the nearby town of Chivasso.
This fully-fledged industrial structure was put up in record time, just eight months, and stands in an area of more than 23,000 square metres, where all the brand's activities are concentrated. It employs more than 100 people.
The inaugural ceremony is also an excellent opportunity to present the 2008 season of the Abarth Racing Team. After the brilliant results achieved in last year's rally season, which marked the Scorpion's official return to the racing world, the team will tackle 2008 with the same guts and determination.
It will start with the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, to be contested with two official Grande Punto Abarth S2000s. The two cars will be driven by Giandomenico Basso with his navigator Mitia Dotta, and by Finnish driver Anton Alen teamed up with Timo Alanne.
Basso, 34 years old, started his career in Fiat single-make trophies, winning the Fiat Cinquecento Trophy in 1998 and the Fiat Punto Abarth Trophy in 2003, results that opened the way to a professional career.
In 2006, he won the European Championship and the International Rally Challenge with the Fiat Grande Punto, and last year he won the Italian Drivers' title, helping Abarth to take the manufacturers' title. Last year Basso also won the Madeira Rally (Portugal), which is valid for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
Anton Alen, the son of the celebrated driver Markku Alen, who was an official Fiat Abarth driver from 1974 to 1989, joined the Abarth Team last year and immediately showed his skill at the wheel, winning the Russian Rally, valid for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, with authority. A case of a passion and a great talent that have been passed down from father to son.
This year, there will be 10 races in the IRC championship (following the cancellation of the Safari Rally because of the current political unrest in Kenya) and it will start on April 4 with the Istanbul Rally in Turkey. This will be followed by races in Portugal (May 9-10), Belgium, with the Ypres 24 Hours (June 27-28), Russia (July 11-12), the Portuguese island of Madeira (August 1-2), the Czech Republic with the Barum Rally (August 22-23), Spain (September 12-13), Italy with the San Remo Rally (September 25-27), Switzerland with the Valais Rally (October 24-25) and the concluding event in China (November 7-9).
The Grande Punto Abarth Super 2000 swept the board in its first two seasons (2006 and 2007), winning the first edition of the International Rally Challenge, the 2006 European Championship, two Italian Drivers' titles (in 2006 and 2007), one Italian Manufacturers' title (2007), and Italian S2000 Championship (in 2006, when this category was excluded from the overall title), the Spanish Championship and the Madeira Regional Championship (Portugal).
The Grande Punto Abarth S2000 and its official drivers have won a total of 21 races over two years in the IRC, Eurorally and Italian championships. There were also 13 victories in 2007 by private drivers, many of which during prestigious events such as the Antibes Rally (won by Renato Travaglia) and the Condroz Rally in Belgium, won by Francois Duval. We also mention the excellent second place of Turkish driver Volkan Isik in the 2007 European Championship.
The Grande Punto Abarth S2000 will also be competing again in the Italian Rally Championship, with two cars driven by Andrea Navarra and Renato Travaglia. Finally, Umberto Scandola is a pilot from the Abarth Team that will carry out development tests as well as several prestigious international competions.
Source: Abarth
