MS Munaretto wrapped up a demanding and rewarding weekend across three of Europe’s most iconic rally stages: the Royal Rally of Scandinavia, valid for the ERC, the gravel roads of Rallye Terre d’Aléria in Corsica, and the always eagerly awaited Rally Due Valli, round of the CIAR Italian Championship.
Royal Rally of Scandinavia – Johansson secures home soil top ten
On Sweden’s lightning-fast and technically demanding gravel roads, young talent Mille Johansson delivered a standout performance, clinching a valuable sixth overall. It marked a major milestone in his season: finishing inside the top ten on home ground. Alongside him, Johan Gronvall tackled the unforgiving stages with sharp focus and consistency, bringing home strong pace and valuable mileage. For both drivers, the Scandinavian outing confirms a growing presence and potential on the European stage.
Corsica – Villa and Venturini shine on the island of rallying
A positive outcome from the Rallye Terre d’Aléria, where Jean-Paul Villa and Dominique Corvi brought home a solid ninth overall, the result of a steady and progressive drive. Even more impressive were Henri-Marc Venturini and François-Xavier Buresi, who ran most of the rally in second position overall before a late puncture dropped them to sixth at the finish. Both crews demonstrated pace, cohesion, and tenacity on some of the most selective gravel roads Corsica has to offer.
Rally Due Valli – Avbelj holds firm on the CIAR Promotion podium
On Italian soil at the Rally Due Valli, Bostjan Avbelj confirmed his place among the leading contenders in CIAR Promozione, securing third place overall after a hotly contested event. The Slovenian, who also clocked a stage win on SS3, showed both speed and composure in navigating the tricky Verona stages.
Also in CIAR, Finland’s Tuukka Kauppinen and co-driver Veli-Pekka Karttunen added a respectable eighth-in-class finish, highlighted by a fastest time on SS6 “Alcenago 3”. A clean and consistent drive confirmed the pair’s growing confidence and performance.
Less fortunate were Tommi and Niklas Heino, who were forced to retire on the final stage after an off-road excursion. Nevertheless, the weekend proved valuable in their development ahead of future rounds in the Trofeo Lancia.
The other Veronese contenders
A strong and well-managed performance from local driver Luca Hoelbling, paired with Federico Fiorini, who narrowly missed out on the top ten after a puncture in the final stage dashed their hopes. Driving a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 prepared by the MS Munaretto outfit, the duo showed their trademark precision and consistency throughout.
A more challenging outing for Diego Zantedeschi, who finished sixteenth overall in class behind the wheel of his Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, with Stefano Righetti on the notes. While not fully reflective of their true potential, the event marked another step forward in experience and pace on their home event.
