Fiat Auto UK has returned to the World Rally Championship with enthusiasmand excellent times, with the drivers exceeding even their own expectations.
The Super Special on Thursday 16 September started off promisingly for thethree Fiat Stilos, with competitive times set by both local drivers, LeonPesticcio (22 Bridgend) and Chris Davies (19 Abergavenny) and Italian AndreaPerego (23).
The near production standard 187bhp Fiat Stilo mixed well with theconsiderably more powerful Super 1600 cars, as well as the larger four wheeldrive machines with their obvious advantages in the inclement conditionsduring the first three days of the rally.
These conditions ultimately proved too much for the Stilos, designed for thefriendlier conditions of the British Rally Championship. Competing againsta field largely comprising world rally cars, the three Fiat Stilos rantowards the end of the field, meaning the front runners had severely churnedand rutted most of the stages.
In an attempt to benefit from better weather conditions, the rally has movedto September, but the result was not as desired, with extremely heavy raincausing further deterioration of the stages with the resultant roadconditions causing problems for many of the competitors throughout theweekend.
Rising to the challenge, Pesticcio and Davies set scintillating times overthe first four stages on Thursday and Friday before the conditions cut shortthe World Rally Championship debut of the Stilo. Perego surprised everyone,including himself, with some exceptional stage times in the Welsh forests, aterrain unfamiliar to him, having never competed outside of Italy. Therocky roads curtailed his British debut, when a damaged pipe caused hisengine to lose its coolant.
To increase the show for the spectators, new regulations, known asSuperally, allow cars to be restarted the following day after beingrecovered and repaired. Both Pesticcio and Davies took advantage of this,departing with refreshed enthusiasm from a saturated Felindre on Saturdaymorning.
“We got off to a fantastic start on the Super Special on Thursday night andthen followed that up with some good runs on Friday morning,” saidPesticcio.
“However, Superally gave us another chance to show what the Stilo really cando and go back onto the stages to put on a good spectacle for the homesfans.”
Pesticcio’s team-mate, Davies, was similarly thrilled about having thepotential to follow up some impressive stage times posted before hisretirement:
“Friday started really well for me. I was determined to set off steadily andgradually gather pace throughout the event; we’d been putting in some quicktimes and the Stilo was running well before we went out.”
Unable to re-start, Perego was philosophical:
“Running behind so many four wheel drive cars is tough. The wet conditionsmeant the stage surfaces quickly changed and at the back, we had the worstof it.
‘I was still really enjoying myself and to be part of this rally is afantastic experience. I look forward to returning next year.”
Returning to the stages on Saturday morning Pesticcio and Davies continuedto drive competitively, posting excellent times. However, the conditionscontinued to deteriorate following rutting from the leading cars and poorovernight weather conditions.
Despite his best efforts in the tough conditions of Saturday, Pesticciorally ended early when a rock punctured the fuel tank. The leak was onlydiscovered at the refuelling zone before the Super Special stage when thedecision was made not to continue.
Said Davies, “The conditions this weekend in Wales have been extreme.Following damage to the brakes on Saturday, I returned to the stages onSunday before the car jammed in first gear. I’ve had a fantastic weekendand it’s been great to get the experience, learning Wales Rally GB.
