TARGET SET FOR THE SARDINIA RALLY RAID
April 22, 2026_ He's no longer in "total black" like when he raced in the Italian Off-Road Championship, all black from his overalls to his helmet to his car. They nicknamed him "Captain Harlock," and Marco Zini has grown fond of that Japanese manga nickname, even though there's now a touch of diplomatic blue on the livery of the Can-Am Maverick he races in the Italian Cross Country Championship.
"The years pass, but the spirit remains the same, as does the desire to take on new challenges," emphasizes the Tuscan driver. "My father, Bruno Zini, founded the Panzer Club Fuoristrada in Prato, a club that was among the most important in Europe between the 1970s and 1990s. In 1992, I took over, starting with autocross, then moving on to off-road racing, and finally moving on to cross-country."
This is recent history. A few spot-on apprenticeship races, and last year a more structured journey, culminating in a fourth-place finish in the Trofeo d'Italia SSV, just a handful of points shy of the podium. "So I promised myself I'd raise my game even further, but work and family commitments prevented me from fully preparing for the winter, nor from conducting adequate testing."
So the start of the season at the Artugna Race wasn't easy. "Rain and mud created quite a few problems for everyone. But on SSVs, being open vehicles, using the windshield often leads to fogging and dirt from the inside. Many crews chose to remove it after the first stage, while I had to keep it due to the new regulation requiring a full-face helmet, which my co-driver wasn't able to offer. Considering that I returned to the wheel of the Can-Am without having had the chance to test it after Hungary last November, and that during the second run we were forced to stop twice with the engine off due to electrical problems, I'd say our overall race was positive and we had a good feeling."
Now the Sardegna Rally Raid awaits. "I think we have plenty of room for improvement. Precisely for this reason, I decided to intensify my preparation, training in various disciplines, including karting, quads, cycling, and more."
A question lingers about how many will also tackle the third day of racing, Sunday, May 17, which doesn't count towards the ACI Sport Italian Cross Country Championship, but towards the race that's a candidate for the 2027 FIA World Rally Raid Championship. "We'll do the full race; the goal is to improve our feeling with the vehicle."
It's a great team effort with Christal Vomiero, a young navigator from Monselice. "I met her close to the 2025 Artugna. I was looking for a partner to test my new Maverick, with zero cross-country experience, so I wanted someone unproven, to experience this adventure together without pressure, and above all to have fun. A friend recommended Christal to me. "Call her, she has no experience, but she's eager to race and learn, and she puts motorsport before everything else." It only took one phone call to understand that she was the right person for me: no demands, no whims, a rare humility."
What was supposed to be a simple test turned into a great feeling in the cockpit. "It sparked an incredible desire to race. Even without experience, just like me, he manages to convey enthusiasm, confidence, and a genuine passion that makes every kilometer special."
Italian Baja Press Office
Photo M.Barazzutti
