Italian Rally Challenger heads to 1000 Miglia for title fight
The Italian Rally Challenger Championship resumes after the summer break with the 49th Rally 1000 Miglia on 4–5 September, marking the fourth round and a pivotal moment in the season. Organised by Automobile Club Brescia, the event will feature 92 entries including all major championship contenders, several wild-card entries, and international talent. The rally spans over 116 competitive kilometres with a technical and spectator-friendly layout that has established it as one of the season's most anticipated events.
The centrepiece remains the legendary Pertiche stage, a 26 km test that will be tackled twice on Friday, with the second pass run in darkness. Saturday's action shifts to Bione, Marmentino, and Sabbio Chiese–Dall'Era Valerio, the latter serving as the Power Stage on its second pass. The format demands immediate pace and precision from crews, with minimal margin for error from the opening kilometres.
Marco Signor leads the championship with 44 points, piloting a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 with co-driver Daniele Michi for EASI. He arrives as favourite after winning Rally della Marca and collecting two second-place finishes in the opening rounds. Corrado Pinzano sits second on 34 points, sharing a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 with Mauro Turati for PA Racing, while Giuseppe Dipalma holds third with 32 points alongside Roberto Mometti in another Fabia. Dipalma won the first two rounds but missed Rally della Marca, making the 1000 Miglia crucial for his title hopes. Alessandro Re (30 points) and Stefano Albertini (18 points) complete the leading group, with Albertini enjoying home advantage on the Brescia-based event.
The entry list extends beyond the championship regulars. Four-time Italian Rally Champion Andrea Crugnola will contest the event as a test run in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale with Luca Beltrame, preparing for Rally del Lazio. Two WRC+ cars will also compete: a Hyundai i20 WRC+ for Luca Pedersoli and Anna Tomasi, and a Citroën C3 WRC+ for Mattia Colpani and Walter Pasini. The Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Next Generation programme brings five international crews, including Estonian talent Jaspar Vaher with Janni Hussi on a GR Yaris Rally2.
Title races extend across multiple categories. In the Over55 class, Maurizio Mauri leads and can clinch the championship with two rounds remaining. In Rally3, Stefano Roncadori and Luca Silvi can secure the title with two races to spare. The Rally5 category remains tight, with Kevin Caliaro leading by just four points over Michele Barri and Mirko Franzi. In the Two-Wheel Drive class, Nicolò Ardizzone holds a seven-point advantage over Igor Iani, who is absent from the 1000 Miglia.
The rally begins Friday 4 September with a 2 km shakedown at Puegnago del Garda from 07:30. The first stage runs the Pertiche at 15:45, followed by a second pass at 20:33 under floodlights. Between stages, Manerba del Garda hosts a regrouping and public presentation of the championship crews. Saturday features six stages across two loops: Bione (6.13 km), Marmentino (17.35 km), and Sabbio Chiese–Dall'Era Valerio (9 km), with the final Power Stage pass at 16:07. The finish is scheduled for Brescia's Piazzale Arnaldo at 18:00.
With only two rounds remaining after the 1000 Miglia—Rally Città di Bassano on 11 October and Trofeo Villa d'Este ACI Como on 8 November (at 1.5× coefficient)—this event carries disproportionate weight. A strong result here could provide decisive psychological and numerical advantage heading into the finale, while a poor showing could prove difficult to recover from.