A race in one breath for Michael Rendina who showed pace and determination at the Rally di Roma Capitale 2023, but had to give up again due to a power steering failure which prevented him from deservedly entering the RC4 top ten of the FIA European Rally Championship and get a great satisfaction on home roads.

 

At the start with the Peugeot 208 Rally4 prepared by Sportec for the Gass Racing colors and sailed by Mario Pizzuti, Rendina started with good intentions right from the shakedown where he managed to set interesting times for the category. The event then kicked off with a spectacular starting ceremony at the Colosseum and a first special stage at Colle Oppio, run between two wings of the crowd. In this context, the young son of art began to test the terrain in preparation for the two long stages of Saturday 29 and Sunday 30.

 

During the first fraction, Rendina put in an excellent pace that allowed him to improve his partial times on all the stages, closing the fraction in contention for the top ten in the RC4 class and sixth among the members of the Italian Two-wheel Drive Rally Championship.

 

The second stage started following the trend of the first, with Rendina motivated to gain a few more positions and finish the race among the top ten of RC4. In the first lap on the "Santopadre", the longest race of Sunday's day, the Gass Racing driver suffered problems with the power steering which forced him to slow down. The assistance operations to restore the Peugeot 208 Rally4 then lasted longer than allowed and Rendina resumed the race with a 40-second penalty which, on balance, prevented him from finishing in a more advanced position.

 

At the end of the event, the crew finished in forty-third place overall, twelfth for RC4, fifth for CIR Due Ruote Motrici just 1.2 seconds off fourth place and also second place in the Trofeo Pirelli, a result that allowed Rendina to bring home points also for this specific ranking.

 

“Of course I would have preferred to finish in a different way - Michael Rendina honestly admitted - but unfortunately we were slowed down again by the power steering at a time when I was feeling good and I was really looking with great motivation to claw the RC4 top ten. In this race more than in any other I learned how important the mental attitude is to face a challenge of this magnitude. Everything can change from one moment to the next and morale and determination must be kept up because, in any case, the races end up on the finish line. Thanks to my partners, to Mario who continues to be an exceptional teacher and to all those who have supported me. We are already thinking about the continuation of the season, we are preparing for the next appointment which could be the Rally 1000 Miglia or the Rallye Sanremo".

 

CIAR Two Wheel Drive Calendar 2023

 

10-12 March > Rally Il Ciocco and Valle del Serchio

14-16 April > Alba Rally - Piedmont Region

5-7 May > Targa Florio Rally

16-18 June > San Marino Rally

28-30 July > Rally di Roma Capitale

8-10 September > Rally 1000 Miglia

29 September - 1 October > Rallye Sanremo

1-3 December > ACI Rally Monza.