April 28, 2026_ Within the overall standings of the Italian Cross Country Championship, they have little chance of reaching the top, but the production-derived cars have a tough exterior, plenty of grit, and the boundless passion of their drivers. The Group T2 Trophy is a training ground for resilience, and at the Artugna Race (all Suzuki Grand Vitaras in contention; it's a shame the single-make Challenge is no longer available) it highlighted the top three in their category, Matteo Da Rin Spaletta winning in 1:33'44'' ahead of Gianluca Morra, second at 44'', and Alberto Spinetti, third at 50''. The others were decidedly further behind for various reasons, also thanks to the inclement weather that made the selection process even more difficult than the stopwatch. Now we await the Sardegna Rally Raid, a very tough test with grueling selective sectors, of rare length (in Italy) and hard, compact, and harsh terrain. A dilemma looms: should we complete the two days of racing, Friday, May 15th and Saturday, May 16th, which count toward the Italian off-road championship, or should we also add the third day, Sunday, May 17th, which completes the test race for the 2027 World Rally Raid Championship?
"We will definitely complete the entire race, if the car can handle the mileage, which is not easy for a production-based vehicle. We are confident," says Istrian Matteo Da Rin Spaletta, co-driven by Manuela Mocchiutti, "and we will do everything we can to stay in the championship lead. The Artugna, due to its rallying profile, was easier. To overcome the obstacles in Sardinia, I hope the experience gained in many night-time navigation races in Croatia will be very useful."
Novara native Gianluca Morra, alongside Stefano Tironi, has more or less similar thoughts (and concerns): "We expect to struggle in Sardinia, given the length and surface of the track. We'll have to see if the car can withstand the intense stress; it's a headache to decide now for two or three days of racing. But who knows, maybe the wind will blow the right way on the island and everything will be fine. I think back to Artugna: we started T2 well, leading after the first lap. On the second lap, however, the car ran away from me and hit a tree, and we lost the decisive seconds there, but second place is still an excellent result to start the season."
No doubts about the third day of racing for Alberto Spinetti, a Livorno native with a philosophical approach to Massimo Catalano (copyright "Quelli della notte" by Renzo Arbore), teamed up with Lara Giusti: "Let's just say the important thing is to finish the first two days. Then, if the car and navigator hold up, given that his knee has been in serious trouble since Easter Monday, we'll see about racing on Sunday too. Otherwise, the sea, because Sardinia is always a spectacular place where you love to go for the routes, the places, the people." A joke about Artugna. "Impossible to forget the curses on the first lap. We didn't understand anything in the speed limit zone, and then I found myself with a bottle of water between the pedals from the jump to the end of the stage. But we also had a lot of fun, finishing on the podium with satisfaction."
Italian Baja Press Office
photo Michele Barazzutti
