10/07/2009: IRC: Basso 3rd after second leg of Rally Russia - Italian Championship: Rally San Crispino starts tomorrow

The Grande Punto Abarth S2000 of Giandomenico Basso and Mitia Dotta holds third position at the end of the second leg of Rally Russia, sixth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. During what has been a very difficult day, the Abarth works driver has been victim of a puncture, which nevertheless didn't prevent him from achieving a good placing.

His team-mate, Anton Alén, co-driven by Timo Alanne, went off the road and was forced into retirement during special stage nine, while he was lying in third position and making progress.

Rally Russia finishes on Saturday after another five special stages totalling 55 competitive kilometres.

On Saturday 11 July will also take place the sixth round of the Italian Championship, Rally San Crispino, where two works Grande Punto Abarth S2000s are entered with Luca Rossetti/Matteo Chiarcossi and Umberto Scandola/Guido D’Amore.

Also on the entry list are the privately entered Grande Punto Abarth S2000s of Emanuele Dati, a very good third overall at Rally San Marino, and youngster Marco Signor.

The main rivals of the Abarth drivers are Paolo Andreucci and Renato Travaglia (Peugeot), Andrea Navarra and Andrea Aghini (Subaru), as well as Piero Longhi (Skoda).

The rally starts from Gubbio at 9:00am and finishes in San Mauro Pascoli at 7:40pm after six all-gravel special stages totalling 154 competitive kilometres.

Rally Russia classification after leg 2:
1. Hänninen-Markkula (Skoda Fabia S2000) 1 hour 11min55.6s;
2. Kopecký-Stary (Skoda Fabia S2000) + 59.8s;
3. Basso-Dotta (Grande Punto Abarth S2000) + 2min47.4s;
4. Flodin-Andersson (Subaru Impreza) + 4min30.0s;
5. Zheludov-Kolomeiseva (Peugeot 207 S2000).