Rally Ticino: Power struggle of the Swiss elite
STRONG FIELD OF PARTICIPANTS The fifth round of the Swiss Rally Championship will take place in Ticino next Friday/Saturday. At the start, alongside SM leader Jonathan Hirschi, is almost everything that has rank and name in Switzerland.
The Swiss Rally Championship is entering the decisive phase. The fifth and penultimate round of the Rally del Ticino (over 80.22 kilometers) begins on Friday. The winner of the 24th edition of the Ticino event will be able to collect 35 points. A further 42 will be awarded at the finale in Valais from October 13 to 15.
Will Hirschi score the hat trick?
For overall leader Jonathan Hirschi, the Rally del Ticino is new territory. However, that doesn't seem to bother the man from Neuchâtel. Hirschi was also a rookie at the Alba and Mont Blanc races. Nevertheless, he secured a commanding victory there.
In Ticino, the driver of the VW Polo GTI from the Sarrazin Motorsport team is aiming for his third triumph in a row. A hat trick would bring him to 176 points in the overall standings.
No preliminary decision likely
It is conceivable, but unlikely, that Hirschi will become champion early in Ticino. The prerequisite for this would be two zeros from the two Skoda drivers Jonathan Michellod and Mike Coppens. If the pursuers were to come away empty-handed, even a third place in Ticino would be enough for Hirschi.
But neither Hirschi nor the two opponents from Valais are interested in such arithmetic games.
Jonathan Hirschi: "My goal is to drive a good rally, get into the rhythm quickly and score as many points as possible."
New tests provide variety
His main opponents Michellod (five appearances, gallery on the left) and Coppens (four starts) look back on quite a lot of experience in Ticino. Whether this will be of much use to them, however, may be doubted.
The championship round in Ticino lives up to its name "New Rally del Ticino". Among others, the Super Spez "Chicco d'Oro" on Friday evening and "Penz", which will be held on Saturday (SS2 and 7), are new. Also the SP4 (Isone triple) and the SP5 (Isone double) have never been run as Super Spez before.
Local hero Ballinari without pressure
Ivan Ballinari (center gallery) is one who could put a spanner in the works of the top three in the Swiss Rally Championship. The local hero won the SM classification of his home rally in 2017 as well as 2018. With co-driver Marco Menchini, the 2018/19 champion will open the rally in the Skoda Fabia Rally2 with start number #1.
Ivan Ballinari: "For us, the home game is all about having fun. I don't feel any pressure. We see the rally primarily as preparation for the Rally Terra Sarda in Italy."
Return of Greg Hotz
Grégoire Hotz also has two victories in Ticino to his credit. However, they go back a little further. The eight-time Swiss rally champion won in 2008 and 2009. This weekend, he and co-driver Pietro Ravasi will be attacking in a Skoda Fabia Rally2.
The old master from the canton of Neuchâtel has already proven twice this year that he still has what it takes. In the Pays du Gier Rally in France and the Valle Intelvi Rally in Italy, which are not part of the Swiss championship, Hotz secured overall victory on both occasions.
Two more Ticinese with ambitions
More than one eye should also be kept on the Skoda drivers Kim Daldini and Kevin Gilardoni (gallery right). The latter is an Italian citizen, but lives in southern Grisons and drives with a Swiss license.
In 2016, 2017 and 2018, Gilardoni (under the Italian flag) won at the Ticino. Last year he missed the podium by a paltry 4.2 seconds.
Night start on Friday
The Rally del Ticino will start on Friday evening at about 9 p.m. with a 3.4-kilometer Super Spez in Chiasso. The first real test will take place on Saturday morning from 9 am. All participants should be back at the service park in Mendrisio at about 6.30 pm.
Start list, schedule and further information are available on the website.
