26.05.2022
The race is divided into 1,303.38 km, 21 special stages, between the provinces of Sassari and Olbia Tempio. Departure from Olbia on Thursday 2 June and finish on 5 June under the Bastioni di Alghero.
The President of the Automobile Club of Italy Angelo Sticchi Damiani underlined the effective partnership with the Sardinia Region in organizing the Italian leg of the FIA World Rally Championship scheduled from 2 to 5 June. President Solinas and the Regional Tourism Councilor Chessa reiterated the importance of collaboration. The Mayors of Alghero and Olbia, Conoci and Nizzi, greet with enthusiasm the tender technically illustrated by the general coordinator Turitto. The 2022 edition of the Rally Italia Sardegna is ready to start the engines.
This was underlined by the President of the Automobile Club of Italy Angelo Sticchi Damiani, during the presentation of the Italian event which will take place from 2 to 5 June and which involves the entire north of the island. The effective partnership with ACI was reaffirmed by the President of the Sardinia Region Christian Solinas and by Giovanni Chessa, Regional Councilor for Tourism, Crafts and Commerce. The Italian leg of the FIA World Rally Championship was presented at the ACI headquarters in Rome, in via Marsala, the fifth round of the world championship series, organized by the Automobile Club of Italy, for the nineteenth time in collaboration with the Sardinia Region.
As further confirmation of how much the event is expected and rooted on the island of the Quattro Mori, the mayors of Alghero and Olbia, Mario Conoci and Settimo Nizzi, intervened, as well as Giulio Pes Di San Vittorio, President of the Sassari Automobile Club and representative of the region within the ACI General Council, effective and constant link between the competition and the regional institutions. Antonio Turitto, general coordinator of the Rally Italia Sardegna, illustrated the technical aspects of the awaited competition. Four days in which Italy and Sardinia in particular are at the center of the World Rally Championship scene. The race is divided into 1,303.38 km of which 307.91 divided into 21 special stages, all on the dirt roads in the north of the island, between the provinces of Sassari and Olbia Tempio. Departure from the Olbia waterfront area on Thursday 2 June and final finish line under the Bastioni di Alghero, the city where the service park and headquarters are located.
Among the 60 entrants, all the big names of the FIA World Rally Championship were present, with 11 powerful Rally1, hybrid cars of the latest concept, of the world Rally 2 and Rally 3. Many special stages broadcast live on RAI Sport, the whole race will be visible live on wrc.com. The organizational machine sees the involvement of over 1000 people and imposing safety measures, for which 600 route marshals are engaged, over 80 technical intervention vehicles, 130 medical personnel units on 53 rescue vehicles throughout the four days of competition. , with the continued availability of 1 helicopter.
Angelo Sticchi Damiani, President of the Automobile Club of Italy: “The 2022 edition of the Italia Sardegna rally marks the nineteenth year of common journey with the Sardinia Region, in the organization of a race that has earned an eminent place on the international scene. The women and men of the Automobile Club of Italy continue to confirm their organizational and professional skills, just as Sardinia knows how to keep its commitments, through which it shows the firm will to want to continue to grow the race. The beautiful streets and places of unparalleled charm of the island give the event that uniqueness recognized by many. The 2022 edition will again be enriched by the great protagonist who is the public. We are confident that the work and concrete commitment of the organization will also this year deserve the esteem of the top international organizations such as the FIA and WRC promoter. The results increasingly justify the investments necessary to create an event now firmly located at the center of the international scene “.
Christian Solinas, President of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia: “The Region of Sardinia is also focusing on major sporting events to promote tourism and its national and international image. The Rally Italia Sardegna is one of these, being a race that has been taking place on the island for almost 20 years and has always enjoyed considerable success with the public. Sporting events involving a vast territory with a strong tourist vocation can give a new impulse to promotion, making Sardinia increasingly competitive in the world scenario and affirming it as an ‘island of sport’, convinced that, in addition to the undisputed promotional value, it is also a way to spread the positive values of sport “.
Giovanni Chessa, Councilor for Tourism, Crafts and Commerce of the Sardinia Region: “The rich calendar of sporting events, supported in recent years by the Region of Sardinia, has played an important role in promoting the island. With the “Rally Italia Sardegna” we continue to implement a strategy that we have not abandoned even in the difficult period of the pandemic and which also intends to showcase the small towns and inland areas of Sardinia. The presence of sixty crews, representing twenty-four nations, demonstrates the international prestige of this stage of the World Championship and testifies how the Rally represents an adequate stage for the island, also thanks to the wide international television coverage. From 2 to 5 June, the streets of Northern Sardinia will host one of the first events that, after years affected by the health emergency, will bring fans back to appreciate a sporting show in attendance. Sardinia, through sport, wants to confirm that it is ready to restart, in anticipation of a summer season that promises to be undoubtedly successful “.
Giulio Pes di San Vittorio, President of AC Sassari and representative of the region within the ACI General Council: “The union of forces and intentions between the Automobile Club of Italy and the Region of Sardinia have completely involved the territory of the north of the Region. All the municipalities concerned made themselves available with enthusiasm and perfectly shared the importance of the event in every respect and how many beneficial effects it produces. According to a study by the University of Sassari in 2019, the economic impact on the territory is estimated at over 8 million euros. The return of the public this year will further amplify the induction of the event. Over the years we have increasingly appreciated how the same municipalities are looking for ACI and the Region to apply to be an active part of the rally and make its permanence in Sardinia more and more secure. Montacuto, Buddusò or Pattada, like other centers, created collateral events during the days of the Rally. All this is the result of the work of the entire Region and in particular of the Councilor for Tourism in full collaboration with the organizational staff of ACI “.
Mario Conoci, Mayor of Alghero: “Alghero embraces the world championship again, confident that it will still be an extraordinary and engaging event. Thanks to the ACI, this great event brings the world championship headquarters back to a unique setting, with the headquarters, the service park and the race direction located between the quays of the marina, the Barcelona seafront and the ancient fortifications of the city. This year Alghero also takes on the role of testimonial of an ambitious program that looks to the future with the “Rally Green”, a first step of a very broad perspective in which the Municipality of Alghero takes part as a protagonist. The Rally Italia Sardegna will again be characterized by the collaboration and synergy between Riviera del Corallo and Gallura, as part of a proven project that favors the promotion of the territories and of the whole of Sardinia. Alghero and Olbia have set aside anachronistic parochialism: there is enthusiasm and a desire to do well. An opportunity of such great importance on a planetary level will also be a great promotional opportunity: during the Rally Italia Sardegna 2022, Alghero will become a window on Sardinian excellence, on everything that best represents the island and its unique ability to excel. in the food and wine, naturalistic, industrial and artisan fields “.
Settimo Nizzi, Mayor of Olbia: “We are happy to host the nineteenth edition of the Rally Italia Sardegna in our city. In fact, the ceremonial departure and the special opening, already scheduled two years ago, but blocked due to the pandemic, will be held in Olbia. Re-experiencing the great ferment that involves the city in the days of the event and seeing the enormous response from the public at the world event can only be a source of pride for our administration. We thank the organizers for still believing in the potential of Olbia, confirming that our location is ideal for hosting events of this magnitude. We hope for a great participation not only by sports enthusiasts, but by the entire population and tourists who have chosen our destination as their holiday destination, so that this sporting occasion becomes a party for Olbia, just as it is. been in the past. We therefore welcome this wonderful event, which once again has a program full of emotions. A great return for a restart dedicated to sport and entertainment “.
Antonio Turitto, General Coordinator of Rally Italia Sardegna: “RIS turns 19 and has come a long way since its first edition back in 2004. What has never failed, which still animates the team of people who work together to organize the appointment is the taste of the challenge and the goal of creating an event capable of telling a story. The tender found a solid strength in the marked sensitivity towards environmental sustainability recognized at every level and for which we continue to work. This year the history of sport and entertainment is entrusted to the inaugural special stage in Olbia located on the seafront and in a sort of enclave of woods and countryside in the heart of the city. In Alghero we will find the large and varied service park, also in the city center, and the podium which, as tradition dictates, will witness the dive into the sea of the winner and his entire team at the end of the 21 special stages of the Rally Italia Sardegna 2022 . We are grateful to our partners who share our goals and with whom we continue along the path we have undertaken “.
Race Director Lucio De Mori also sent a note in support of the safety standards applied: “In all these years we have never had any cancellation of special stages, we must continue on this path. We will have 500 commissioners a day on special stages together with the usual components of the safety convoy, with a greater number of stewards to support. There will also be a double radio network, one for safety to intervene at any time for the best positioning of spectators on the special stages, and the other to follow the progress of the race. We are also setting up the route so that we can pass on basic information on safety and what to do and where to watch the specials to the spectators. “
ACI Sport TV (228 Sky) and the social channels of the Italia Sardegna rally, ACI and ACI Sport, after the presentation, will broadcast the presentation and each phase of the Italian race.