Drivers drown at Italian Baja, Joao Dias leads survivors

Everyone arrived in Italy with hopes of building more momentum towards the FIA European Baja Cup. Many left more drenched than an Olympic swimmer.

The Italian Baja, second round of the 2024 season, took competitors through a multitude of river beds and muddy water crossings. Consequently, attrition was especially high with only four of the ten Ultimate cars and just three of six SSVs reaching the finish.

Although it is the premier subcategory, T1+ cars struggled with only one reaching the finish. Benediktas Vanagas had a hydrolock in his Toyota Hilux’s engine after water got into the system, leaving him stranded on an eyot until his team could pull him out. Stefan Carmans‘ Red-Lined REVO T1+, a new vehicle to the European Cup, suffered a litany of issues that began with the starter failing on the first stage, then the power steering the next, and time expiring on the last.

João Ferreira‘s Mini was the only T1+ to complete the race in second, nearly six minutes behind Manuele Mengozzi. While this entrenched him atop the points standings, he certainly would have liked to close that gap or even leave with the win instead. Ferreira won both Selective Sections on the final day but lost too much time during the first leg to a battery problem.

Andrea Schiumarini‘s rear-wheel-drive Century CR6 also experienced setbacks but managed to join Mengozzi and Ferreira on the class podium. Magdalena Zajac was the only other Ultimate finisher.

With the Ultimates having a hard time, side-by-sides ruled the race. João Dias and his Can-Am Maverick set the best time among all competitors, beating fellow Challenger driver Adam Kus for the overall by over a minute while the SSV of Fidel Castillo Ruiz was third. Mengozzi was the highest-placing Ultimate car in fifth and was also the top driver in the national championship.

Tomasz Białkowski, who won SSV at the season-opening Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura in May, retired after his Can-Am Maverick caught fire. Classmate Amerigo Ventura‘s home race ended with a broken steering rack. The SSV of İsrafil Akyüz was disqualified before the race start after his fuel tank, safety harness, window net were found to be noncompliant.

In total, only fourteen FIA cars finished the race.

The Prologue stage on Friday was named the “Giulia Maroni” in honour of the late navigator who died in an accident in January. Maroni was the 2021 Italian Cross-Country Champion who went on to compete in the European Baja Cup and Dakar Classic.

Overall results

FIA

Ultimate

Finish	Number	Driver	Co-Driver	Team	Vehicle	Class	Time	Margin
1	209	Manuele Mengozzi	Mirko Brun	My Racing Autosport	Toyota Hilux Overdrive	T1.1	4:22:22.0	Leader
2	200	João Ferreira	Filipe Palmeiro	X-raid Mini JCW Team	Mini John Cooper Works Rally Plus	T1+	4:27:55.4	+ 5:53.4
3	208	Andrea Schiumarini*	Maurizio Gerini	TH-Trucks Team	Century CR6	T1.2	4:34:11.1	+ 12:59.1
4	205	Magdalena Zajac	Błażej Czekan	Proxcars TME Rally Team	Toyota Hilux	T1.1	4:54:38.9	+ 32:16.9
DNF	201	Francisco Barreto	Carlos Silva	Barata Racing Team	Toyota Hilux	T1+	DNF	N/A
DNF	202	Benediktas Vanagas	Kuldar Sikk	Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics	Toyota GR DKR Hilux	T1.1	DNF	N/A
DNF	203	Michał Małuszyński	Łukasz Kurzeja	Michał Małuszyński	Mini John Cooper Works Rally Plus	T1+	DNF	N/A
DNF	204	Włodzimierz Grajek	Michał Goleniewski	Grajek Rally Team	Toyota Hilux	T1+	DNF	N/A
DNF	206	Stefan Carmans*	Antonius Van Tiel	Red-Lined Motorsport	Red-Lined REVO T1+	T1+	DNF	N/A
DNF	207	Pál Lónyai*	Gyorgy Toth	LP Racing Korlátolt Felelősségű Társaság	LPR Porsche Macan	T1.1	DNF	N/A

* – Not competing for European Baja Cup points

Challenger

Finish	Number	Driver	Co-Driver	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	302	João Dias	João Pedro Ré	Santag Rally	Can-Am Maverick X3	4:08:18.4	Leader
2	301	Adam Kus	Marcin Pasek	GRallyTeam	GRally OT3	4:09:11.3	+ 1:12.9
3	304	Paulo Jorge Rodrigues	João Filipe Ferreira Miranda	Santag Rally	Can-Am Maverick X3	4:21:47.5	+ 13:39.1
4	300	Alexandre Pinto	Bernardo Oliveira	Old Friends Rally Team	Can-Am Maverick X3	4:23:08.2	+ 14:49.8
5	308	Andrea Castagnera*	Elisa Tassile	Andrea Castagnera	Can-Am Maverick X3	4:37:43.8	+ 30:35.5
6	306	Richard Aczel*	Allan Harryman	Richard Aczel	Arcane T3	5:03:56.5	+ 55:48.1
DNF	303	Fernando Álvarez	Xavier Panseri	GRallyTeam	GRally OT3	DNF	N/A
DNF	305	Roberto Rodríguez Gamboa	Herman Rodríguez Gamboa	Herrador Factory Team	Herrator Inzane 901	DNF	N/A
DNF	307	Federico Buttò*	Alberto Marcon	Federico Buttò	Can-Am Maverick X3	DNF	N/A
DNF	309	Miklós Trébitsch*	Sandor Trébitsch	Bedu Racing	Bedu Pro X3	DNF	N/A
DNF	310	Jean-Denis Piccini*	Gilles Mondesir	Jean-Denis Piccini	Can-Am Hybrid T3	DNF	N/A

SSV

Finish	Number	Driver	Co-Driver	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	401	Fidel Castillo Ruiz	Fausto Mota	Ahúja Racing	Can-Am Maverick X3	4:10:24.4	Leader
2	402	Miquel Prat Martínez	Ion Del Cid Odriozola	Miquel Prat Martínez	Yamaha YXZ1000R	4:30:45.1	+ 20:20.7
3	404	Yağız Birinci	Evangelos Sotirchos	Yağız Birinci	Can-Am Maverick X3	4:47:22.1	+ 38:57.8
DNF	400	Tomasz Białkowski	Dariusz Baśkiewicz	Kamena Rally Team	Can-Am Maverick X3	DNF	N/A
DNF	403	William Buller	Daniel Jordão	William Buller	Yamaha YXZ1000R	DNF	N/A
DNF	406	Amerigo Ventura*	Erika Mingozzi	Quaddy Racing	Yamaha YXZ1000R	DNF	N/A
DNS	405	İsrafil Akyüz	Tepe Mert	İsrafil Akyüz	Can-Am Maverick X3	DNS	N/A

Stock

Finish	Number	Driver	Co-Driver	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	500	Fernando Barreiros	Antonio Rui Manuel Pereira	Fernando Barreiros	Isuzu D-Max	7:00:58.0	Leader

National

CCR

Finish	Number	Driver	Co-Driver	Team	Vehicle	Class	Time	Margin
1	209	Manuele Mengozzi	Mirko Brun	My Racing Autosport	Toyota Hilux Overdrive	T1	2:53:45.3	Leader
2	208	Andrea Schiumarini	Maurizio Gerini	TH-Trucks Team	Century CR6	T1	2:54:25.7	+ 40.4
3	701	Alfio Bordonaro	Stefano Lovisa	888 Team by Ito Motorsport	Suzuki Grand Vitara	T1	3:10:20.0	+ 16:34.7
4	710	Elvis Borsoi	Stefano Pelloni	Elvis Borsoi	Mini John Cooper	T1	3:10:46.6	+ 17:01.3
5	706	František Brutovský	Alexandra Gabriela Miklós	MING Racing Sports	Ford F-150 EVO T1+	T1+	3:15:19.2	+ 211:33.9
6	959	Lorenzo Traglio	Sandra Castellani	Tecnosport	Nissan R50	THS	3:16:32.9	+ 22:47.6
7	950	Giuseppe Ananasso	Robert Musi	Giuseppe Ananasso	Suzuki Grand Vitara	TH	3:28:38.7	+ 34:53.4
8	958	Simone Grossi	Daniele Manoni	Simone Grossi	Land Rover Defender	TH	3:32:13.6	+ 38:28.3
9	952	Alberto Gazzetta	Andrea Pizzato	Rally & Co	Suzuki Jimny	TH	3:37:35.7	+ 43:50.4
10	954	Filippo Andreetto	Francesco Proietti	R Team	Mitsubishi Pajero	TH	3:43:12.0	+ 49:26.7
11	955	Mauro Cantarello	Marco Mantovani	Mauro Cantarello	BMW X3	TH	4:20:12.6	+ 1:26:37.3
12	702	Emilio Ferroni	Daniele Fiorini	Emilio Ferroni	Suzuki Grand Vitara	T1	9:52:14.3	+ 6:58:29.0
13	956	Andrea Debbi	Chiara Zoppellarro	888 Team by Ito Motorsport	Daihatsu Rocky	TH	9:58:5.5	+ 7:05:13.2
14	901	Gianluca Morra	Stefano Tironi	Rally & Co	Suzuki Grand Vitara	T2	42:18:00.0	+ 39:24:14.7
DNF	703	Sergio Galletti	Daniele Fontana	R Team	Suzuki Grand Vitara	T1	DNF	N/A
DNF	705	Imre Varga	Toma József	Varga Racing Team	Toyota Hilux Overdrive	T1	DNF	N/A
DNF	707	Andrea Toro	Paolo Manfredini	Toro Buggy	Toro Buggy	T1	DNF	N/A
DNF	708	Riccardo Benettolo	Alessandro Grandin	Riccardo Benettolo	Isuzu Trooper	T1	DNF	N/A
DNF	709	Stefano Sabellico	Andrea Taloni	Stefano Sabellico	Suzuki Grand Vitara	T1	DNF	N/A
DNF	900	Alberto Spinetti	Lara Giusti	R Team	Suzuki Grand Vitara	T2	DNF	N/A
DNF	902	Lorenzo Codecà	Gilberto Minetti	Lorenzo Codecà	Suzuki Grand Vitara	T2	DNF	N/A
DNF	951	Claudio Allegranzi	Roberto Marzocco	Claudio Allegranzi	Suzuki Grand Vitara	TH	DNF	N/A
DNF	953	Luciano Andreetto	Gianluca Sbaraglia	R Team	Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution	TH	DNF	N/A
DNF	957	Paolo Semeraro	Giuditta Viganò	Paolo Semeraro	Suzuki Jimny	TH	DNF	N/A

SSV

Finish	Number	Driver	Co-Driver	Team	Vehicle	Class	Time	Margin
1	854	Garamvölgyi Zoltán	Antal Takács	Garilla Racing	Garilla X3 EVO	T4N	2:55:36.3	Leader
2	859	Szilárd Kánnár	Viktoria Horvath	Garilla Racing	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	2:58:19.8	+ 2:43.5
3	864	Norbert Liszi	Dorottya Kapitány	M1 Motorsport	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	2:59:57.0	+ 4:20.7
4	860	Robert Masior	Damian Syty	Robert Masior	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	3:04:04.4	+ 8:28.1
5	899	Fabrizio Edoardo	Fabrizio Pietranera	Fabrizio Edoardo	Can-Am Maverick X3	TM	3:04:16.8	+ 8:40.5
6	862	Norbert Nemeth	Palma Nemeth	Garilla Racing	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	3:04:21.3	+ 8:45.0
7	308	Andrea Castagnera	Elisa Tassile	Andrea Castagnera	Can-Am Maverick X3	T3	3:08:28.5	+ 12:52.2
8	858	Tomasz Fuchs	Wojciech Waleczek	Tomasz Fuchs	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	3:13:57.4	+ 18:21.1
9	856	Kevin Manocchi	Giada Manocchi	Giada Manocchi	Yamaha YXZ1000R	T4N	3:24:09.2	+ 28:32.9
10	800	Richard Bruzsa	Nikolett Szoke	Speedy Motorsport	Bedu Pro X3	T3	3:26:07.5	+ 30:31.2
11	851	Andrea Tomasini	Angelo Mirolo	Andrea Tomasini	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	3:27:48.0	+ 32:11.7
12	307	Federico Buttò	Albert Marcon	Federico Buttò	Can-Am Maverick X3	T3	9:40:24.2	+ 6:44:47.9
13	863	Bartłomiej Kotwica	Arkadiusz Jędrzejewski	Grupa Pbi	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	9:49:57.5	+ 6:54:21.2
14	855	Szabolcs Kollár	Agnes Ruff	M1 Motorsport	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	20:39:28.1	+ 17:43:51.8
15	853	Michele Manocchi	Nicola Bellotto	Michele Manocchi	Yamaha YXZ1000R	T4N	25:48:54.2	+ 22:53:17.9
DNF	406	Montecamozz Ventura	Erika Mengozzi	Quaddy Racing	Yamaha YXZ1000R	T4	DNF	N/A
DNF	850	Alessandro Bonetto	Matteo Castellina	Alessandro Bonetto	Yamaha YXZ1000R	T4	DNF	N/A
DNF	852	Balázs Molnár	Gabriella Molnár	M1 Motorsport	M1 Xe	T4N	DNF	N/A
DNF	857	Marek Kubiczek	Filip Golka	Marek Kubiczek	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	DNF	N/A
DNF	861	Tamás Szántó	Aniko Szántó	Garilla Racing	Can-Am Maverick X3	T4N	DNF	N/A