RTG Carrera Italia Daily Dispatch - All days - low res - Flipbook - Page 4
2 to 12 October 2021
Day 1
Sanremo to Alba (228.6 km)
3 October 2021
There was no time to hang around looking at this
shimmering vista though, because at 9.01am sharp Rally
Director, Fred Gallagher - whose flag collection rivals that
of Nelson’s semaphore department - waved his Bandiera
d’Italia or, if you prefer il Tricolore to send the cars away
from the art nouveau / belle epoch splendour of the hotel.
Perhaps for some of the crews the immortal words of
Charlie Croker rang in their ears “Just remember this - in this
country they drive on the wrong side of the road”. Last out of
the gate, Enrico Paggi and Federica Mascetti, definitely knew
which side of the road to drive on. With the home crowd
behind them, we don’t expect them to be languishing at the
back of the field for very long in their Alfa Romeo which,
surprisingly, is one of only two Italian cars on the event.
After a quick run along the rapidly warming coast the
road book turned the cars up into the thankfully cooler
hills and on to the Time Control in San Romolo followed
quickly by the first Regularity. Here we shared the broken
woodland landscape of the Alpi Liguri with some well
seasoned truffle hunters, and fellow petrol heads ripping
through the hills on their trail bikes.
Once through this section, and with their times duly
recorded by Andrew Kellitt and Audrey Rudd, the rally
plunged back down towards the coast before returning to
the hills again for the mid morning Time Control just south
of Badalucco. This was a good opportunity for the crews to
take on some cool drinks and allow their engines to rest
for a while ahead of the next section. The Regularity over
the Colle d’Oggi was a tough one with some impressive
climbing to be done followed by a long descent. The back
markers saw a little rain on the downhill, as the clouds
rolled in, making some of the corners a little slippy.
The next Time Control, in Ponte di Nava, served us an
excellent lunch - which, by now, everyone had earned setting the crews up for what was to be a busy afternoon
which included another two Regularities. One at Battifollo
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Keen to get the show on the road, the rally was
up bright and early today. As the sun broke over
the horizon the 38 crews made their way to the
impressive Royal Hotel restaurant for some
panoramic views, cappuccino and whatever else
took their fancy at the breakfast buffet.
Leading off - Bertie and Charlotte van Houtte, 1938 Frazer Nash-BMW
Richard and Catherine Phillipson, 1974 Austin Mini
Hugh and Lesley Apthorp, 1931 Bentley 4½ Blower
www.rallytheglobe.com