Orlandini takes third overall

 in Rally Region Junín

Twenty-three year old Raul Orlandini finished third overall during last weekend’s Rally Región Junín, fourth round of the 2008 Codasur Championship and fifth of the 2008 Peruvian Rally Championship, one minute 35 seconds behind second place Nicolas Fuchs and two minutes 11.5 seconds behind rally winner Federico Villagra.

With the result, Orlandini takes eight points for second place in the national championship rally and still keeps third spot in the drivers’ fight, just two points behind Ernesto Jochamowitz and 15 points behind points’ leader Fuchs with only two rounds to go in the calendar.

The 2006 Peruvian Rally Champion had a huge spin on SS2 and SS11, losing around 25 seconds each time, but went to score several second, third and fourth fastest times on the difficult roads through the stunning mountains of the Mantaro River Valley on board of his iconic orange-coloured EVO IX.

“We had a big spin on the mud on the first morning and on the first stage of day two which cost us a lot of time,” said Orlandini. “After that we decided to take it easy to try to score as many points as possible and we did. A victory would have been nice but I’m happy taking eight points home.”

“There are still two rounds to go and anything can still happen especially in Rally Premio Ciudad de Arequipa where we compete in asphalt which is my speciality.”

Orlandini will now not only be preparing for the next event of the series but also for this year’s Incas Rally (11-21 September) where he will be targeting his first victory on the classic event next to co-driver Ive Bromberg, the same one who helped his late father Raul win his fifth and last Incas Rally in 2005.

Next round of the Peruvian Rally Championship takes place in the historic city of Arequipa located 1020kms south of Lima. It is the only asphalt event of the calendar and it is organised by the Automobile Club of Arequipa (16-17 August).


Related Motorsport Articles

84,520 articles