ilTornante

Guy Albag and Lorenzo Ferrari dominated the third round of the 2026 Italian GT Endurance Championship at Imola, steering their Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Antonelli Motorsport to victory in the 3-hour race. The pair controlled the race from the opening lap, resisting four safety car periods and multiple full-course yellow phases without surrendering the lead. The win elevated them to the top of the GT3 absolute standings with 56 points heading into the season finale. Albag made a decisive move at the start, passing pole-sitter Jordan Perel to take command immediately. The Antonelli Motorsport crew maintained composure through the race's disruptions, crossing the line at the 100-minute mark to secure bonus points and never relinquishing first place through the chequered flag. The victory marks a significant shift in championship momentum with one round remaining. Spirit of Racing claimed the GT3 Pro-Am class and second place overall with Braschi-Ponzio-Rackstraw in a Ferrari 296 GT3, mounting a strong recovery from fourth on the grid. Stablemates Duran-Perel finished third, just 1.625 seconds behind, after a recovery drive that saw them climb from fifth position. Cola-De La Iglesia-Denes in a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 for Imperiale Racing took fifth overall and retained the Pro-Am class lead by six points. In the GT3 Am category, Ryndziewicz-Altoè-Altoè won with a Ferrari 296 GT3 for Kessel Racing, moving to the top of the provisional standings. The previous leaders, Cuhadaroglu-Fumanelli-Pulcini, were forced to retire early after a race incident. The GT Cup saw Galli-Ferrara mathematically clinch the 1st Division Am title with one round to spare, while Agoglia-Bucci-Cremona took the 1st Division Pro-Am victory and moved into the class lead. The championship will conclude at Mugello on 1 November, where Albag-Ferrari arrive as leaders but with the title still to be decided across all categories.

Five drivers separated by just five seconds set the tone for a closely contested Monte Erice hillclimb, with race day scheduled for Sunday. Luigi Fazzino topped the practice timesheets in his Osella PA30 Evo, posting 3'01"54 on the second timed run, but the field behind him is bunched tightly. Franco Caruso in a Nova Proto NP01 trails by only 76 hundredths of a second, while Francesco Conticelli, also driving a Nova Proto NP01, sits third, 2.41 seconds back. Achille Lombardi (Osella PA30) and Michele Puglisi (Nova Proto NP03) complete the top five, with Puglisi notably competitive despite running a 1150cc engine against the 3000cc machinery of his rivals. Practice conditions were warm and dry, drawing a substantial crowd to the Sicilian mountain course. Race director Fabrizio Fondacci and his deputy Francesco Sanclemente oversaw proceedings with strict safety protocols in place. Organisers expect a full house on Sunday as the event shapes up to be one of the most evenly matched editions in recent years. The 2024 Monte Erice counts towards both the Italian National Hillclimb Championship and the Italian Historic and Classic Hillclimb Championship. In the historic categories, Harald Mössler (Austria, Darek Mk3) led Group 1 practice in 3'50"67, Marcello Calandrino (Porsche 911 Carrera RSR) topped Group 2 in 3'55"39, Salvatore Caristi (Fiat 128) led Group 3 in 3'48"26, and Totò Riolo (PRC A6), the national championship leader, set the fastest Group 4 time of 3'32"00. Automobile Club Trapani, the event organiser, renewed its partnership with Rotary Trapani Erice for the "End Polio Now" campaign. At the finish area, spectators were invited to experience the Monte Erice course via a detailed simulator provided in collaboration with Sim Siciliarally. Race day begins at 08:00 with the first run, followed by a second timed ascent. The provincial road connecting Valderice and Erice will close to traffic from 05:30, with a brief window until 06:45 for essential journeys. Full closure takes effect from 07:00 until the official start.

Entries are now open for the inaugural Slalom Valle di Comino, a national ACI Sport event scheduled for 26–27 September in San Donato Val di Comino, in the Frosinone province of Lazio. The 2.85 km course will be laid out on Provincial Road 94, winding through the Ciociaria region's characteristic hairpin turns and chicanes. The event marks a significant moment for local motorsport, coinciding with the centenary of the Frosinone Automobile Club. Organisers Ianni Rent and Basilicata Motorsport have secured backing from twenty municipalities across the Comino Valley, positioning the slalom as part of a broader territorial promotion initiative that includes the Cento Miglia cultural and tourist route, which visited all twenty localities in April. The competition will serve as the eleventh round of the 23rd Interregional Challenge 26 series. Entries are open to single-seaters, prototypes, rallycross cars, rally vehicles, road cars in Racing Start and RS Plus formulas, historic vehicles, and a dedicated touring car slalom category. The event will be directed by Carmine Capezzera. Italian GT hillclimb champion Lucio Peruggini is listed as a testimonial. Registrations close at 24:00 on Wednesday 23 September via the ACI Sport online portal.

The 68th Monte Erice hillclimb, organised by the Automobile Club Trapani, opened its doors with technical and sporting scrutineering on Friday ahead of racing. The event counts towards the Italian Historic Speed Hillclimb Championship (CIVSA), Italian Mountain Speed Championship (CIVM), and Classic Car Tricolour series. Verification sessions ran from 08:30 to 17:30 in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele in central Trapani, drawing thousands of spectators to view the competing machinery before the uphill battle along the winding route from Valderice to the Erice summit. The evening programme included the awards ceremony for the second edition of the Salvatore Morselli Prize, honouring the late Trapani-based motorsport journalist. Francesca Aiuto secured the award with over 40% of votes cast by a panel of specialist journalists, chaired by Franco Cammarasana of La Gazzetta dello Sport. Three other finalists—Vincenzo Garraffa, Andrea Raiti, and Totò Riolo—also received recognition. A mandatory drivers' briefing followed at 18:30, led by race director Fabrizio Fondacci, to confirm final technical details ahead of competition. Giovanni Pellegrino, president of Automobile Club Trapani, described the weekend as an opportunity to celebrate sport, passion, and regional heritage, noting the event's role in promoting both national motorsport excellence and local tourism while honouring figures such as Morselli who documented the sport's history.

Italian driver Giuseppe Agnello returned from the 32nd edition of the Ilirska Bistrica hillclimb in Slovenia with positive impressions despite a challenging result in the competitive field. The 5-kilometre course, characterised by high speed and a technical mid-section with steep gradients, proved demanding for his Lotus Exige S1, which lacked outright power compared to rivals but performed well on the straights. Agnello, competing for ACN Forze di Polizia, reported steady improvements throughout the weekend, lowering his times across multiple runs. However, a mistake at the first major braking point—a roundabout section—cost him time on one of the timed runs when he was forced to reverse and rejoin the course. The asphalt proved slippery in the opening section despite high temperatures and rubber laid down by earlier competitors. The Bologna-based driver acknowledged that his car's power deficit placed him far down the final classification in Group 5 of the CEM series, facing competitors with both more powerful machinery and greater familiarity with the Slovenian layout. Nevertheless, Agnello highlighted the value of the experience gained during Friday's reconnaissance and his first participation at this event. Agnello praised the atmosphere and camaraderie of the weekend, noting the presence of drivers from across Europe and the encouragement from local enthusiasts. He emphasised that competing in an internationally recognised event delivered rewards beyond the timing sheets, citing the human connections formed with fellow competitors, mechanics and fans.

The Sicilian town of Altofonte will host its tenth edition of the Altofonte Rebuttone slalom on 12–13 September, combined with the inaugural Altofonte Festival dei Sapori & dei Motori (Food and Motors Festival). The dual event, organised by Scuderia Armanno Corse Palermo and backed by the regional government and Palermo Metropolitan City, will be officially presented to media and authorities on Friday 11 September at 11:15 in the municipal council chamber. The slalom competition takes place on Sunday 13 September over three timed runs on a 3.8 km course using provincial roads connecting Altofonte and Piana degli Albanesi. The event counts towards the Sicilian slalom championship and will award the Memorial Gaetano Armanno and Coppa Ninni Mulè trophies. Race director is Manlio Mancuso. Entry closes Wednesday 9 September at 12:00. Early confirmations include Salvatore Catanzaro (Gloria B5 Evo Suzuki, four consecutive slalom wins this season), Francesco Bigione (Gloria B5 Evo Suzuki), and Riccardo Cerniglia (Bogani SN84 Suzuki). The festival component runs Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September in Piazza Falcone e Borsellino, featuring tastings of local extra-virgin olive oil, street food, vintage and modern car displays, folk performances, and guided tours of local churches and historical sites. The organisers have printed over 5,000 bilingual promotional leaflets and arranged shuttle buses from car parks to the town centre. The event is supported by sponsors including Banca di Credito Cooperativo Altofonte e Caccamo. Accommodation in the area is reported to be approaching full capacity. Further details are available at www.scuderiaarmannocorse.com, on Facebook (Altofonte Festival) and Instagram (@altofontefestival).

The 11th Monte Erice Storica hillclimb, scheduled for 4–6 September 2026, has reached a record entry of 107 competitors, cementing its status as one of the most popular rounds of the Italian Historic Car Speed Championship (CIVSA). Organised by the Automobile Club Trapani, the event will serve as the seventh round of CIVSA and will also count towards the Italian Classic Car Championship and the Sicilian Historic Hillclimb Championship. The Trapani weekend will run in parallel with the 68th Monte Erice, reserved for modern cars and counting towards the Italian Mountain Speed Championship South and the Sicilian Hillclimb Championship. The dual format has established Erice as a centrepiece of the season, blending historic machinery, technical challenge and strong participation. The course covers 5,730 metres of the SR 1 Immacolatella road, one of Italy's most celebrated hillclimb venues. Saturday will feature two reconnaissance runs, while Sunday's two timed runs—directed by Fabrizio Fondacci and Francesco Sanclemente—will award championship points. Among the headline contenders, Salvatore "Totò" Riolo, winner of the 2025 edition and a dominant force in the 4th Grouping, returns with the aim of defending his title. Other notable entries include Tiberio Nocentini (Chevron B19 Cosworth) and Harald Mössler (Daren Mk3) in the 1st Grouping, and Giovanni Cassibba (Osella PA 20/S BMW), the leader of the Auto Classiche championship, seeking to extend his advantage. The 3rd Grouping promises close competition among Fiat X1/9 runners, BMW Silhouettes and various touring car classes. The event schedule begins Friday 4 September with technical and sporting checks in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (08:00–17:30) and a driver briefing at 18:30. Saturday's two reconnaissance runs will be followed by the decisive two-run competition on Sunday. The record entry underscores Monte Erice's growing importance in the Italian historic motorsport calendar.

The Michelin Le Mans Cup enters its decisive phase with a 2-hour race at Silverstone's Grand Prix circuit on Saturday, 12 September 2026. The event marks only the second time the British venue has hosted the series and arrives with multiple championship crowns potentially within reach, with just two rounds remaining before the season finale at Portimão. The grid will be notably strong, featuring 45 cars, 90 drivers, 31 teams and representatives from 29 nations. British representation is substantial, with nine domestic drivers and four home-based teams spread across the three categories: LMP3, LMP3 Pro/Am and GT3. With a maximum of 52 points still available across the final two races, Silverstone could prove decisive in determining several champions. LMP3: Peugeot and Frost eye title clinch The LMP3 class will be the most populated category with 24 entries. Leaders Enzo Peugeot and Danial Frost, driving the Duqueine-Toyota no. 85 for R-ace GP, arrive with a 30-point advantage following their second victory of the season at Spa-Francorchamps. A win at Silverstone would mathematically secure both the drivers' and teams' titles for 2026. Closest challengers are Arthur Rogeon and August Raber on the Ligier-Toyota no. 12 Brutal Fish by Campos, second on 57 points after victories at Le Mans and Spa. Lucas Fluxá Cross and Matus Ryba (no. 19 Brutal Fish by Campos) sit third with 50 points, while Colin Queen and Giovanni Maschio (no. 50 23Events Racing) remain in contention on 45 points. British representation in LMP3 includes Maxwell Dodds with ANS Motorsport, who scored his first pole position in the series at Spa. Jude Peters will race with Team Virage, Haydn Chance with M Racing, and Isaac Barashi with 23Events Racing. Nielsen Racing returns with two cars, while Vector Sport RLR fields one entry. ANS Motorsport will make a driver change, with Australian Jack Taylor replacing Arthur Pavie in the no. 6 Ligier. LMP3 Pro/Am: Defending champions seek confirmation Eleven cars will contest the Pro/Am category, where defending champions Eric De Doncker and Gillian Henrion lead with the Ligier-Toyota no. 98 Motorsport98. Following their third victory at Spa, they hold a 27-point margin and can secure the title if they maintain this advantage over their nearest rivals. Steve Parrow and Mikkel Gaarde Pedersen (Ligier no. 66 Rinaldi Racing) sit second on 70 points but remain without a win this season. Third-placed Jacek Zielonka and Léo Sami Robinson (Ligier no. 62 Bretton Racing) scored at Barcelona and sit on 64 points. The category will feature Indian cinema star Ajith Kumar, competing in the Ligier no. 16 Ajith RedAnt by Virage alongside Frenchman Romain Vozniak. P4 Racing will be the sole British team in the Pro/Am class, with Andrew Ferguson and Louis Hamilton-Smith seeking to recover from a difficult first half of the season. GT3: Hasse Clot returns to lead Ten GT3 cars will compete, with Valentin Hasse Clot returning to the Aston Martin no. 10 Racing Spirit of Léman after missing Spa. The Frenchman, partnered with Philipp Sager, holds a 21-point lead in the class standings. British driver Oscar Lee Ryndziewicz will be among the weekend's key figures. He arrives on the back of a perfect Spa performance—pole position and class victory in the Ferrari no. 21 Kessel Racing—and will race at home alongside Italian Giacomo Altoè. Thomas Canning will also represent Britain, driving an Aston Martin Vantage for Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn with Swiss team owner Claude Bovet. The GT3 grid will feature competitive machinery across Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin and McLaren entries. Defending champions Eliseo Donno and Alessandro Cozzi return in the Ferrari no. 51, while David Cleto Fumanelli and Lorenzo Ferdinando Innocenti (Ferrari no. 17 Kessel Racing) bring strong form after wins at Le Castellet and a second-place finish at Spa.

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.

The 68th edition of Monte Erice, a hillclimb event organised by the Automobile Club Trapani, will take place this weekend with safety as the central focus. Verification runs begin on Friday, with competitive action scheduled for Saturday and Sunday across the Valderice and Erice stages. The event counts towards the Italian Historic Speed Hillclimb Championship, Italian Mountain Speed Championship, and Italian Historic Speed Hillclimb Classic Championship. Race director Fabrizio Fondacci outlined an extensive safety operation involving approximately 100 marshals stationed across 35 positions along the course, plus additional personnel at start, finish, paddock and closed park zones. Fire and rescue services include eight personnel operating four vehicles, supplemented by SOS Valderice emergency cover. Two equipped fire service modules and two water cisterns—provided by the municipalities of Valderice and Erice—are positioned along the route. Six recovery vehicles and off-road units are deployed to assist stranded competitors. Spectators have been issued strict guidelines to ensure safe event operations. Parking areas must be respected, with access roads kept clear for emergency vehicle movement. The road will close to public traffic at 05:30 on both Saturday and Sunday, though workers may transit until 06:45. After that time, the course is sealed to all vehicles, including drivers staying in Erice. Spectators must remain within designated zones marked by orange barriers or tape, maintaining safe distance from the roadway. Sitting behind straw bales or in non-designated areas is prohibited. All attendees must follow marshal and police instructions, and lighting fires, using portable stoves, or creating any hazard is strictly forbidden.

Registration is now open for the ninth Coppa Faro, a hillclimb event scheduled for 7–9 October in Pesaro, Italy. The deadline for entries is 3 October. The event will serve as the eighth and final round of the 2024 Italian Historic Automobile Hillclimb Championship (CIVSA 26). The Coppa Faro follows its established 3.8 km course, which begins at the scenic Baia Flaminia and winds through the San Bartolo Park before reaching the lighthouse overlooking Pesaro. The event is organised by Alessandro Rinolfi, the creator of the Coppa Faro, with P&G Racing handling event management and Intercontact s.r.l. managing administrative duties. The organisers have prioritised safety measures for both drivers and spectators along the route. The event is scheduled to begin on 9 October.

The 68th Monte Erice hillclimb will take place from 4–6 September 2026, organised by the Automobile Club Trapani. The event will serve as a qualifying round for the Italian Mountain Velocity Championship, the Italian Historic Mountain Velocity Championship, and the Italian Classic Mountain Velocity Championship, alongside the 11th Historic Monte Erice edition. A total of 260 competitors have entered across 153 modern cars and 107 historic vehicles—a new record for the historic category, surpassing the previous high of 97 entries. The 5.7 km course runs along the SR 1 Immacolatella–Erice road, starting at km 1+200 and finishing at km 6+930 near Viale delle Pinete, with an elevation gain of approximately 410 metres. Friday 4 September will host technical and sporting checks in Trapani's Piazza Vittorio Emanuele from 09:00–17:30, followed by a drivers' briefing at 18:30 in Erice. Saturday 5 September features official reconnaissance runs beginning at 08:00, while Sunday 6 September comprises two competitive runs with the same start time. Results will be posted after each class and group finishes, with prize-giving at Piazza Porta Trapani in Erice after the protest period closes. A significant innovation for 2026 is expanded media coverage. For the first time, the event will be broadcast live on television via Sestarete (channel 81 on Italian digital terrestrial), YouTube on the official NaxosProracing channel, and across Facebook pages including Naxos Proracing, VideoSportAM, and Automobile Club Trapani. This marks the first occasion the Saturday reconnaissance runs will receive live coverage alongside Sunday's racing. Official timing, documents, and classifications will be available through the online race bulletin and via the Sportity app using password Monterice2026. The weekend will also feature a territorial component, with the Villaggio del Gusto food and produce showcase running during Friday's checks in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, highlighting local specialities from the Trapani province. Race direction has been entrusted to Fabrizio Fondacci, with Francesco Sanclemente as assistant race director. The dual-race format on Sunday will require competitors to balance aggression with consistency on a track known for its technical demands and narrow margin for error.