The 71 Motul Costa Brava Rally was presented this morning at the Pont de Pedra in Girona, with the presence of the authorities and sponsors. Organized by RallyClassics, this year’s edition of the oldest rally in Spain will take place from March 16 to 18 and will be a record test, surpassing any previous record.
Thus, the entry list closed with an amazing number of 240 participating teams, setting a new historical record.
It should be noted that there was an increase of 60 registered teams compared to the 181 of the previous edition, representing an increase of 33%.
Of these 240 teams, 60% are foreigners, of 20 different nationalities, not only European but also from the United States or Argentina, for example. These data once again illustrate the position of the Motul Costa Brava Rally as a benchmark event in international historic motorsport. As is the tradition at this test, the rally opens the season of the European and Spanish Historic Vehicle Rally Championships. It also scored for the Catalan Championships and included the Legend category of the exhibition.
Moreover, in the first anniversary of the RallyClassics #MotorDona program, the participation of women is also increasing. This year there will be more than 60, data never before seen in this sport.
In the seat on the right, the number of women has already exceeded 20% of the total number of co-drivers. The #MotorDona program wants to promote the participation of women in all areas of classic motorsport. Thus, various positions of responsibility and career management are also managed by women in this edition.
Anna Caula, General Secretary of Sports and Physical Activity of the Generalitat de Catalunya, said that “this test is a good example of one of the most deeply rooted values of sport, teamwork between the institutions, sponsors and organizations.” , we welcome the focus on women’s sport and help provide visibility. We can say, without hesitation, that the #MotorDona program is already a successful formula that we are proud of”, he added.
Show on and off stages
The 71 Motul Costa Brava Rally has two main epicenters, Girona and Fornells de la Selva. On the one hand, the Parking del Pont de Pedret in Girona will host the parc fermé and the starting podiums on Thursday the 16th (in the afternoon, with an autograph sign before the start) and Friday the 17th (in the morning) . This is also where, on Saturday 18th afternoon, the arrival of the participants and the subsequent presentation of the test trophies will take place.
On the other hand, the rally service park will be installed for the third consecutive year in Fornells de la Selva. It will be an obligatory point of passage for fans between Thursday and Saturday, as they will not only be able to see the team’s facilities and the work of the mechanics up close, but there will also be several similar activities every day, centered around the area. of the “village” led by a large tent, with a restaurant offer all day, “food trucks”, musical performances, a virtual rally with simulators or an exhibition of Dakar vehicles.
However, the legend of the Motul Costa Brava Rally falls into the itinerary, which runs through some of the most mythical sections of the country. On Thursday evening, Speed participants will have an aperitif, with a climb to the Santuari dels Àngels. On Friday, there will be two passes in the sections of Els Àngels, Santa Pellaia curt and Salions -Sant Grau, and on Saturday, two more will pass through Osor, Collsaplana and Cladells. In total, the route is 176 kilometers against the clock, divided into 13 sections (12 for Regularity and Legend participants).
Legendary pilots and machines
The large registration of 240 teams promises an amazing 71 Motul Costa Brava Rally, due to the variety of participating vehicles and the presence of several drivers who wrote the history of the rally. The big star of this edition is Miki Biasion, who has a special connection to the event, as the 1983 Costa Brava Rally was his first participation outside Italy and at the wheel of the Lancia Rally 037. The two-time world champion is ran an 037 as a pilot in 1983 and again in 1985, both times with success. The Costa Brava was the start of his climb to the top of the rallies.
The historic driver and trainer from Montpellier Jacques Alméras will also participate, with a Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0, and Tony Fassina, winner of the 1982 Costa Brava Rally, who will drive one of the most mythical cars in history, the Lancia Stratos. Four Costa Brava winners from the past as a historic rally are also competing this year: Marco Bianchini – Giulia Paganoni (Subaru Impreza WRC 99); Walter Chr. Jensen – Erik Pedersen (Ford Escort RS1800); Jean-François Berenguer – Aline Berenguer (Ford Escort RS1800) and “Lucky” – Fabrizia Pons (Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v).
Italian co-driver Fabrizia Pons is the woman with the most victories in the World Rally Championship (WRC), 5, as co-driver Michèle Mouton (4) and Piero Liatti (1). His figure is a strong boost for the RallyClassics #MotorDona program.
Among the more than sixty participating women, there will also be a second co-driver with the most participation with Mouton, Françoise Conconi. Other notable women’s teams are Tiffaney and Michelle’s formats
Perlino (Opel Kadett GT/E) and Fabienne Pommier – Jacqueline Casamayou (Alfetta GTV 2.0) in Speed, as well as various specialists in Regularity.
For cars, the 71 Rally Motul Costa Brava will be a moving museum with the best of the different eras of rallying. In the Speed, Regularity and Legend categories, fans will enjoy the spectacle of unique machines from the Gr. 4, Gr. B (more than a dozen units), Gr. A, Kit Car, WRC… on the roads of the finest . In addition to several units of the Lancia Rally 037, Stratos and Delta Integrale; 25
Ford Escort and 25 Porsche 911, Audi Quattro S1 E2, Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, Ferrari 308 GTB Michelotto, Alpine A110, Fiat 124 Abarth Rally, Subaru Impreza, BMW M3 and many others will be on display.
Also notable is the presence of Team Motul, with four cars participating in Regularity. For the second year in a row, the historic brand that is a specialist in lubricants sponsors the event, reaffirming its association with the world of classic motorsports and competition.
The oldest participating car is the Seat 1400B from Historic Seats accompanied by a rally presentation in Girona. A model that this year will be 70 years old and was born in the same year as the Costa Brava Rally, 1953, its first edition won by a Seat (Fiat) 1400.
Spectator safety is another top priority for RallyClassics. The organizing Club has published a complete guide to the stages for spectators, which is published on its website. The public areas enabled to enjoy the 71 Motul Costa Brava Rally with maximum security are detailed. On March 16 the show starts!
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
