Five Crews, Two Rallies, One Goal: MS Munaretto Gears Up for a High-Octane Weekend
Avbelj returns to the IRC stage, Araldo ready to shine in Liguria: full-throttle challenges await the team on two fronts
MS Munaretto is set for a weekend of top-tier rally action, fielding five crews across two highly competitive events: the Rally Internazionale del Casentino and the Rally della Valle Arroscia. With cars and crews prepped and ready, the Veneto-based team aims to reaffirm its reputation for technical excellence and all-around competitiveness on both Tuscan and Ligurian tarmac.
The spotlight will be firmly on the 45th Rally Internazionale del Casentino, a key round of the International Rally Cup, where MS Munaretto will deploy four entries—each ready to battle through the challenging Aretine special stages.
Headlining the entry list is Bostjan Avbelj, freshly crowned CIAR Promotion Champion 2025, who reunites with co-driver Damijan Andrejka. The Slovenian duo will once again take the wheel of the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 #1, determined to carry their momentum into the fast-paced IRCup and prove their mettle on Italian asphalt.
Joining them is the returning Massimo Squarcialupi, with brother Giovanni calling the notes in their Fabia Evo. For the Tuscan siblings, competing in their home region with car #26 marks a significant step in their season’s development curve.
After a podium finish in class at Rally San Martino di Castrozza, Massimo Dal Ben and Chiara Corso are back with unfinished business. Their Renault Clio S1600 #35 showed strong pace last time out, hindered only by a puncture. Their mission this time: fight for top positions in the fiercely contested Prestige category of the IRCup.
Completing the Casentino line-up is Estonian rising star Jaspar Vaher, paired once more with Rait Jansen. Following a standout performance at Rally di Roma Capitale in the ERC, the duo returns aboard their Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 #55, eager to turn heads again—this time in the IRCup.
The Casentino rally kicks off Saturday, July 12 at 11:00 AM from Bibbiena, featuring seven special stages and 101.73 km of competitive distance. The final, decisive stage runs at 21:04, with the podium celebrations set for 22:24 in central Bibbiena.
Meanwhile, all eyes will also be on Jacopo Araldo, who—after clinching second overall at Rally della Lanterna—is back alongside Lorena Boero for a fresh Ligurian challenge in the Rally della Valle Arroscia. Their chemistry aboard the MS Munaretto-prepared Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 has proven itself, and the #1 on the doors is no mere lucky charm—it’s a statement of form and ambition.
After Saturday morning’s scrutineering and shakedown in Pornassio, the event roars to life on Sunday, July 13 with two runs each through the demanding Mendatica and Rezzo stages, wrapping up with a grand finale in Corso Mario Ponzoni, Pieve di Teco at 15:30.
The engines are ready. The crews are focused. And MS Munaretto is aiming high.
