Six crews are set to take on the roads of Lazio for a key FIA ERC and CIAR round, with four Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars and two Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 machines ready to tackle a completely revamped route.
MS Munaretto is preparing for one of the most eagerly awaited and prestigious events of the season, the 2026 Rally di Roma Capitale, scheduled from 3 to 5 July on a heavily revised route, with the start from the Colosseum, the headquarters at EUR and the finish in the setting of Via della Conciliazione.
The Rome-based event, valid for the FIA European Rally Championship and the Campionato Italiano Assoluto Rally Sparco, will feature 11 special stages over 197.02 timed kilometres, with a finale set to play a significant role in the overall standings thanks to the “Canterano–Gerano” Power Stage. It is a high-level technical and media showcase, where the Schio-based team will line up six crews, bringing together experience, speed and promising young international talents.
On the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars, the spotlight will first fall on Boštjan Avbelj and Elia De Guio, competing with number 26. The Slovenian crew arrives in Rome after the Rally Internazionale del Casentino, where they claimed victory on the Power Stage, an important signal ahead of a challenge that will demand strong pace throughout.
Car number 37 will be entrusted to Louis Constant and Maxime Martini, also on a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. For the French driver, Rally di Roma Capitale represents another opportunity to confirm the positive form shown at the San Marino Rally, where he secured third place overall. That result restored confidence and determination to the whole crew, now ready to measure themselves against a top-class field.
Still among the Rally2 entries, MS Munaretto will also field Mille Johansson and Johan Grönvall, car number 33, on a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. After the bitter retirement at the Acropolis Rally, the young Swede returns to asphalt with the clear intention of getting back on track immediately and turning the disappointment from Greece into positive energy.
Completing the quartet of Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars will be Andrea Nucita, co-driven by Maurizio Messina, with number 100. The Sicilian driver heads to the Roman event after once again making his mark in the CIAR Promozione at Rally Due Valli, confirming himself as one of the benchmarks of the series. For him, Rome will be a crucial step in a season built on consistency, experience and ambition.
On the Rally4 front, attention will be on Aatu Hakalehto and Niklas Heino, competing with number 81 in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4. The Finnish driver arrives from Casentino eager to turn the page after a rally affected by time lost in the second part of the event, which prevented him from fully expressing his potential. The expected response is that of a crew determined to rediscover consistency and rhythm on the Lazio stages.
Also in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally4, car number 76 will be in the hands of Markas Buteikis and Titas Čapkauskas. The young Lithuanian returns to the cockpit after Rally Scandinavia, where he had shown highly promising pace, winning several special stages before being slowed by a puncture. Rome will offer him another opportunity to confirm his speed and maturity in an international field of real depth.
The challenge is ready to ignite. Rome, once again, will provide the stage.
