PRESS RELEASE n.10 Paolo Andreucci and (Fiat Punto Procar) lead the first leg of the 38th edition of Rally del Salento, valid for the European and the Italian Championships of this year. Longhi (Subaru) is second, preceding Dallavilla (Renault). Cantamessa (Mitusbishi), Navarra (Subaru) and Travaglia (Peugeot) follow. On Saturday 19th June the second and decisive leg will be run. Trofeo Stilo Abarth: Perego wins, preceding Medici and Chemin. Perego thus consolidates his leadership.

Lecce, 18th June 2004œ He skilfully defends his position on the wet, he starts an attack on the dry tarmac gaining a good lead over the others. Paolo Andreucci, the 2003 Italian champion, with his co-driver Anna Andreussi œ on Fiat Punto Abarth 2004 œ leads the first leg of the 38° Rally del Salento. After 13 out of the 24 Special Stages, the driver from Garfagnana, Procar/Pirelli team, precedes of 38“1 Piero Longhi on Subaru Impreza Sti (Aimont/Pirelli team). The temporary classification of this first part of the competition proclaims on the third position of the podium Andrea Dallavilla on Clio Super1600 Renault (Power car/Pirelli team). Longhi e Dallavilla are separated by 3“1. The first leg of the 2004 —Salento“ was characterised by three rounds of four special stages in the area of Capo di Santa Maria di Leuca: variable weather conditions with heavy showers of rain at the beginning, followed by wind gusts that swept aways the clouds. After midday, the sun apperared and the second and the third rounds were run on dry tarmac. Positive start for the all-wheel drive cars (Mitsubishi e Subaru), while the second part of the day was dominated by the Super1600, faster and lighter (Fiat, Renault, Citroen, Peugeot). Leading most of the Special Stages, Andreucci imposed an untenable rhythm in the second part of the leg. Longhi (Trt), fast and constant, tails the Italian champion but he has to face Dallavilla. Because of the slow punture of a tyre, Dallavilla lost two ranks (he was second in the general classification) catching up Cantamessa in the final part. Luca Cantamessa (team RalliArt Italy/Gass racing) got two punctures but he keeps a good position in the general classification (4th) and in the N group classification (2nd). The leader of the Italian championship, Andrea Navarra (Subaru Impreza), is fifth in the general classification. Travaglia on Peugeot 206 Super1600 is sixth in the general classification and third in his class (Michelin tyres). Confident on the wet tarmac, tomorrow he will start an attack, Navarra precedes him of 14“9. (Fiat Punto-Trico-Michelin) was not lucky: the drive shaft broke on the 12th SS: he‘s seventh in the general classification (at 4“2 from Travaglia). Stefano Bizzarri (Punto-Procar, 1° Trofeo Fiat Punto) is eighth: in the final phase he was able to overtake his team fellow Matteo Gamba (1° Under 27). (Citroen Saxo), after bumpings and punctures, is tenth in the general classification. Andreucci won 4 SS (7.a, 8.a, 11.a e 13.a), Dalla villa won 2 SS (4.a e 12.a), Cantamessa 2 (2.a e 10.a), Longhi 2 (1.a e 6.a), Sottile 1 (3.a) e Navarra 1 (5.a). 31 crews out of the 42 controlled concluded the first leg. Tomorrow the crews will compete in the second and final leg which is made up of 12 SS (118 km). On Saturday 19th June at 8.30 pm., in Piazza Mazzini in Lecce, the prize-giving ceremony will take place.

The leader of the forth competition of the TROFEO FIAT STILO ABARTH was the 23-years old driver Andrea Perego and his co-driver Claudio Vischioni. Supported by the Hi Tec team, from the Movisport stable, showed off skill and determination in the final phase of the race, starting an untenable attack to the most accredited competitors. Among them, we notice Davide Medici, second in the Fiat classification, and Christina Chemin was third at 17 tenths from Medici. Forth rank for Matteo Beltrami who preceded Dino Romano and Alex Bertuzzi. Exciting final stage of the competition for the Fiat drivers: Perego broke the hub in the last stage, Medici suffered from problems to the engine and the gearbox, Chemin knocked the left front of the car and Feltrami had problems to the ignition and the clutch. Thanks to this brilliant result, Perego consolidates his leadership.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER THE FIRST LEG 1.Andreucci-Andreussi (Fiat Punto Abarth S1600) 1.40‘52“9; 2.Longhi-Fappani (Subaru Impreza Sti gr.N) at 38“1; 3.Dallavilla-Canton (Renault Clio S1600) at 41“2; 4.Cantamessa-Capolongo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo8) at 1‘13“6; 5.Navarra-Fedeli (Subaru Impreza Sti) at 1‘28“9; 6.Travaglia- Zanella (Peugeot 206 S1600) at 1‘43“8; 7.Basso-Dotta (Fiat Punto Abarth S1600) at 1‘48“0; 8.Bizzarri-Bosi (Fiat Punto Abarth) at 2‘28“0; 9.Gamba-Ruffini (Fiat Punto Abarth) at 2‘53“1; 10.Rossetti-De Luis (Citroen Saxo S1660) at 3‘00“6.

TROFEO FIAT STILO ABARTH FINAL CLASSIFICATION 1.Perego-Vischioni 1.37‘36“2; 2.Medici-Benedetti at 14“3; 3.Chemin-Pizzol at 16“0; 4.Beltrami-Boero at 1‘42“8; 5.Romano-Pastorelli at 3‘17“4; 6.Bertuzzi-Fortunato at 5‘34“4; 7.Fanari-Cioffi at 7‘46“9.