A weekend filled with contrasting emotions for MS Munaretto, engaged on multiple rally fronts across Europe. From the Scandinavian forests of Finland to the winding asphalt of Tuscany, and the sweltering streets of the Rally Città di Scorzè in Veneto, the team experienced an intense succession of solid performances, promising comebacks, and the occasional unavoidable setback.
At the recent Rally Finland – one of the most iconic and feared events on the WRC calendar – Lauri Joona and Samu Vaaleri brought home a hard-earned sixth place in the WRC2 Challenger. It was a result achieved on home soil, which, while familiar, once again proved to be highly technical and full of traps. Despite the challenges of the Finnish gravel, the crew showed remarkable consistency and enjoyed a warm reception from the local crowd, who hailed home hero Joona as a true national favourite.
Positive signals also came from Italy, at the Rally Città di Lucca, where Pierangelo Villa, co-driven by Andrea Sarti, came within a whisker of breaking into the overall top ten at the wheel of the Skoda Fabia Evo prepared by the Veneto-based team. Following their off-road excursion at Il Ciocco, this second outing of the season was an important step towards regaining pace, confidence, and synergy with the car. The Tuscan event marked a crucial moment in their return to the competitive level the crew is capable of.
Standing ovations were in order for Francesco Aragno and Giancarla Guzzi, undisputed stars of the Rally Città di Scorzè, where they dominated proceedings to claim outright victory in CRZ5. Delivering an authoritative, flawless performance, the crew led the rally from the first to the very last metre – completing a journey that began with the Rally della Marca earlier in the season.
Sadly, it was a weekend to forget for Giovanni Toffano and Matteo Gambasin in the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, forced to retire during the third special stage of the Rally di Scorzè. A bitter ending for a crew that had been showing promising pace.
