When Andrea Adamo and Marino Scabini looked at the map, they didn’t know where to start. It wasn’t so much about what to put in, it was what they would have to leave out.
Preparing a route for a rally is something new for Adamo – a man more used to masterminding world championships for manufacturers – but he’s come up with a classic for the inaugural Logiman Mythical Cars Rally (May 24-27).
“Everybody has a memory from these roads,” said Adamo. “People were telling me: “You must go in Oramala, I still have the sound of the [Ferrari] 308 when [Jean-Claude] Andruet was there…”
“Then somebody else talks about Monte Penice: “Come on, we have to be on this stage! Remember [Adartico] Vudafiere in the [Lancia] 037? It was raining.” Honestly speaking, there were so many roads and so many stages we could have used. The Quattro Regioni Rally had so many great stages, but we have only one evening and one day, so we had to be really careful in which ones we chose.”
Andrea and ACI Pavia president Marino picked up the map and went for a drive.
They found the right roads. The main emphasis of the route for Logiman Mythical Cars Rally is the close proximity to the service park in Varzi. They did that. The longest liaison section is the 21.33 kilometres from the final stage to the finish. The shortest? That’ll be the 1.87 kilometres between the flying finish of Colli Verdi and the service park. The crews will barely have time to get their helmets off.
“Being close in the town is so important,” said Adamo. “We wanted people to be able to get in and out of the stages easily – they can see some action, then see the cars in the service park. This is all going to help to build the atmosphere.
“The stages are all so nice and come with so much history. All of them come from Quattro Regioni.”
And they’re all geared towards a practical approach to Logiman Mythical Cars Rally. Friday’s Shakedown stage, for example, runs almost the same format as a full test day. Open for cars from 0800-1130 and from 1300-1630.
“We know some of the drivers will want to test their cars before the rally,” said Adamo. “Instead of them having to find a road to test on, we have included much longer use of shakedown in the price of the entry. The shakedown is for seven hours with a two-hour gap in the middle for the cars to be in service and worked on. This is like a test. But we are controlling a little bit with the marshals and everything like this. It makes sense. And we know the shakedown stage is representative for the rally… because it’s in the rally!”
Adamo was quick to praise the involvement of the regions in the rally, adding: “You know, everybody has done and is doing everything they can to make this a fantastic event. When Marino and me look at the roads, we were thinking some places were a little bit bumpy. We told the local authorities what we were thinking and immediately they came to the roads and they fix them. It’s a fantastic cooperation.
“After that, I worked quickly with Guido D’Amore to take the route to our governing body – I have to thank Guido for his help with this as well.
“I’m very happy with the route, the roads are amazing.”
The other consideration in building the Logiman Mythical Cars Rally route was the necessity to allow people to take flights early on Sunday.
“We know many of the crews will be heading directly to Sardega for Rally Italia,” added Adamo. “So we finish on Saturday night and give them the chance to take the plane direct to Olbia from Milan or Turin.”
What better way to end the perfect week of rallying in Lombardy than to head to Sardinia for Italy’s round of the world championship?
Logiman Mythical Cars Rally has thought of everything.
The stages
Friday May 26
Shakedown (2.70km)
Starts from San Pietro Casasco and runs down the SS461 in the direction of Ca’ del Bosco. The perfect shakedown… because it’s also the start of the Monte Penice stage. Generally medium-speed, flowing corners. The cars finish at Collegio and turn right at the junction to head either back for another run or to the service park.
SS1 Oramala (6.60km)
This stage is only used on Friday evening (May 26) and starts at 1948. Fast and flowing to start with, the road narrows after a junction right takes the cars off the SP155 towards Ferrato. From there, it’s much more twisty towards the finish near Casa Ponte.
Saturday May 27
SS2/5 Monte Penice (14.39km)
The crews will be very familiar with the start of this stage, having run it as many times as they want at shakedown the day before. Instead of turning off in Collegio, they will continue for what is the event’s longest stage. The middle of the stage is more twisty with some hairpins slowing the rhythm before a quicker section through Margarino. The village of Casa Matti will play host to some of the most spectacular action as the cars tear past Ristorante Alpe towards the finish.
SS3/6 Colli Verdi (12.95km)
Starts with a lovely quick section towards a square left in Monticelli. After that, it’s twisty and technical all the way to Pietragavina where a junction right takes the cars onto a faster stretch. The final few hundred meters is more twisty… because it’s the outskirts of Varzi town!
SS4/7 Santa Margherita Staffora (8.41km)
The only one running south of Varzi, this stage is set in its own loop with service before and after – just as well because it’s one of the most technical and challenging on the route. From the first hairpin right not far from the start, it twists and turns its way through Santa Margherita and down towards the hairpins close to the finish in Brallo di Pregola. A fantastic way to conclude the event.
