Avbelj retires from the Targa Florio after a solid run in the podium positions, while Nucita wins the Promozione category and extends his Championship lead. Bitterness also for Villa at the Rally degli Abeti, as Buteikis takes class victory in Sweden and looks ahead to his European debut.
It was a weekend of mixed emotions for MS Munaretto, competing on several fronts between the Targa Florio, the Rally degli Abeti and Rally Nyköping. An intense programme, rich in technical and sporting content, brought contrasting feelings for the Schio-based squad: on one side, the regret of two retirements that came while the crews were fully in the heart of their respective rallies, and on the other, the satisfaction of results that confirmed pace, growth and perspective.
At the Targa Florio, Bostjan Avbelj and Andrejka Damijan saw a highly concrete performance come to a premature end in the number 4 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 prepared by MS Munaretto. The Slovenian driver had built his rally with clarity and composure on the Sicilian roads, holding a firm third place overall from SS3 to SS7 and confirming himself among the key players of the event. It was a solid and effective drive, always within the fight for the positions that mattered, but it was halted during SS8, La Montedoro, where an accident forced the crew to retire. A bitter ending, especially considering the pace, management and consistency shown up to that point.
The strong signal from the Targa Florio came from Andrea Nucita, co-driven by Maurizio Messina in the number 9 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. The Sicilian driver claimed victory in the Promozione classification, continuing a climb that is taking shape rally after rally. After already winning in the same category at Il Ciocco, Nucita once again confirmed his determination, method and ability to capitalise on the work carried out with the team, the car and the Hankook tyres. It is a result that carries weight not only in terms of classification, but also for the continuity of a path that is firmly bringing him back to the centre of the scene, on events of significant technical and competitive value.
The weekend also brought disappointment at the Rally degli Abeti e dell’Abetone, where Pierangelo Villa, co-driven by Michael Adam Berni in the number 22 Renault Clio S1600, was forced to retire on special stage number 5 following a road exit. For the crew, it was an early end after a start that had brought back into action a car still capable of expressing all the character of naturally aspirated engines, on a demanding and selective route through the Montagna Pistoiese.
Lifting the spirits of the Schio-based squad was the performance of Markas Buteikis, co-driven by Titas Čapkauskas in the number 42 Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 at Rally Nyköping. The crew secured class victory among the two-wheel drive cars, turning the Swedish event into a valuable step ahead of their next commitment. It was an important result, achieved on gravel, allowing Buteikis to approach next weekend’s Royal Rally of Scandinavia with confidence, where he will begin his JERC season.
For MS Munaretto, it was therefore a complex weekend, marked by incidents that took away important results but not technical substance. The performance shown by Avbelj up to his retirement, Nucita’s confirmation in the Promozione category and Buteikis’ class victory among the two-wheel drive cars tell the story of a team that is present, competitive and capable of reacting even on the most difficult days. The path remains clear, with the awareness that the work carried out across different rally fields continues to produce concrete signals.
