With just three stages to go, the two CIAR Sparco title contenders go head-to-head for the overall win. Basso led after the long stage, but Crugnola regained the top spot at mid-day by 2.5 seconds. Just 1.1 seconds separate Marczyk and Mabellini for third. The battle is wide open.
Rome, 6 July 2025 – After ten special stages and over 150 kilometres of competitive action, the Rally di Roma Capitale remains wide open – not only for the victory but also for the final podium spots. At the midpoint of the final leg, the event organised by Max Rendina and valid for both the FIA European Rally Championship and the Campionato Italiano Assoluto Rally Sparco features seven drivers covered by 30 seconds, with just 2.5 seconds between the top two.
Andrea Crugnola, co-driven by Pietro Elia Ometto in the Pirelli-shod Citroën C3 Rally2, still leads the way. The reigning CIAR champion and back-to-back winner in Rome in 2023 and 2024, however, did not have a quiet morning. Starting the day with a 3.3-second advantage, Crugnola lost the lead to Giandomenico Basso after SS9 “Canterano–Subiaco” – the day’s longest stage, over 30 kilometres – with Basso edging ahead by 0.2 seconds. But on the final stage of the loop, the Citroën driver responded with pace to reclaim the lead, now standing at 2.5 seconds.
Basso, paired with Lorenzo Granai in a Pirelli-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, commented: “I didn’t drive the way I wanted on the last stage. I realised I may have lost something. Let’s see what happens in the final loop.”
Crugnola remained focused: “We need to dig deep until the end – it’s going to be really tough and the gaps will stay close. We’ll try to find something to improve this afternoon. I had a good feeling on the last stage, but we must stay sharp.”
Behind the leading pair – who are fighting not only for the rally win but also for the CIAR Sparco championship – the battle for third is equally intense between the drivers chasing ERC glory. Miko Marczyk and Szymon Gospodarczyk, in a Michelin-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, are currently third, just 1.1 seconds ahead of Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi in a similar Pirelli-equipped car. The Italian crew dropped a few seconds late on Saturday but clawed some back this morning, despite a minor setback: “On Canterano–Subiaco I wasn’t as fast as I’d hoped and lost a bit, but overall it was a solid morning.”
ACI Team Italia’s Roberto Daprà, with Luca Guglielmetti, continues his charge in another Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. The driver from Trentino is now just 5.1 seconds behind Mabellini and holds a 5.4-second margin over Simone Campedelli and Tania Canton, also in a Škoda. Campedelli overtook Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) on SS10 “Jenne–Monastero”, dropping the Spanish duo to seventh.
In ERC Junior, there is no question about the lead of Calle Carlberg and Jörgen Erikssen in their Opel Corsa Rally4. But behind them, Estonia’s Kaspar Kasari and Ireland’s Eamonn Kelly are separated by just 0.1 seconds, promising a thrilling final loop. The CIAR 2WD fight is just as engaging: Pisani and Biagi lead by 33.5 seconds from Mazzocchi–Gonella and 44.7 from Cogni–Darderi – all in Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally4s, which currently mirror the provisional Lancia Trophy podium.
SS11 gets underway at 13:45, with the finish in Fiuggi scheduled from 18:30.
