RTG Carrera Italia Daily Dispatch - All days - low res - Flipbook - Page 2
2 to 12 October 2021
Pre start & scrutineering
Sanremo
2 October 2021
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Sholto Gilbertson-Hart enjoying the autumn sun in the equally sunny 1964 Jaguar E-type
Welcome to Sanremo a jewel on the Italian Riviera, where the Mediterranean meets the Ligurian Sea. And
our first foreign foray since we pounded the African dirt way back in pre-pandemic 2020.
It’s been a long, hard road to get here but, with more than a
little light shining at the end of the Covid tunnel, passports
have been dusted off, health declarations made, visas and
carnets filled and stamped and, for some of the crews, all
manner of third country regulations complied with.
Rally Director, Fred Gallagher, knows the roads in these
parts well from his WRC days and, along with Italian rally
maestro Lucio de Mori and Clerk of the Course Mark Appleton,
he has put together what looks to be a superb route.
Ten days of exquisite motoring, which will take us from
the beach to the mountains and back again, via vineyards,
olive groves, and great chunks of the charming Italian
campagna. With the usual Carrera emphasis on great roads
and fine hotels, the crews are already looking forward to a
little dolce vita, as well as the epic driving.
Today 38 exceptionally elegant and mature voitures of
varied vintage - along with their crews - assembled at the
seaside, in the subtropical and palm fringed car park of
the impressive Royal Hotel, to begin the journey. As usual,
waiting for them was the expert Rally the Globe (RtG) sweep
team, this time comprising of Andy Inskip, Charlie Neale,
Russ Smith and Jack Amies. The vehicles lined up, under an
intense autumn sun, where safety and compliance issues
were sorted and checked.
Naturally, there were a few minor mechanical issues to
sort out and, always ready with their tools, the sweeps
immediately set to sorting a loose cooling fan connection
on the Triumph of Mike and Lorna Harrison. Last time we
www.rallytheglobe.com