Basso and Granai victorious at TER
BRC team is podium at Liezen Rally
Liezen Rally in Austria last weekend saw Giandomenico Basso and Lorenzo Granai victorious. The Italian BRC Gas Equipment drivers, on board of the performing Hyundai I20 R5, perfectly at ease on Styria’s fastest stages, gets the second seasonal success at Tour European Rally, after the opening race in Romania.
The overall standings’ pole position is more clearly outlined in this fourth round of the continental series, even if it will be necessary to wait for Swiss Valais Rally to declare the winner.
In a race made more difficult by the presence of WCR vehicles and a great number of local riders, Basso and Granai masterfully succeed at qualifying stage, with times that allow BRC team to choose a good starting position. Basso and Granai carefully start the first stage, with eyes both on the general standings and for dealing at best with the unusual alternation of tarmac and gravel on the itinerary. At the end of day one, the Italian reigning champions end seventh in absolute position and second in the European series.
Basso shows off his technical skills in the second stage, particularly during the “long” trial at the beginning of the day. In the two “Oppenberg” 19 km passes, the Venetian driver is outstanding, and twice, reaches a time in line with the more powerful WRC cars.
This way, Basso succeeds in taking back the lead in TER standings and then, after another head to head with Austrian drivers, conquers a superb absolute third position at the end of the day.
“We are happy because it has been a difficult and intense rally” is the comment of Giandomenico Basso – “We never competed in Liezen before and we had to work harder than we expected to find the right feeling with the car. The team made an excellent job, the victory at TER and the final third place are a great result. I hope I made the team and all the fans that came from Italy proud with their efforts”.
Final Standings Rally Liezen
1 Baumschlager - Winklhofer (Polo R WRC) AUT 1:27:32.9
2 Aigner - Minor (Škoda Fabia R5) AUT +2:15.0
3 Basso – Granai (Hyundai I20 R5) ITA +2:34.0
4 Neubauer - Ettel (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) AUT +2:37.2
5 Dinkel - Kohl (Škoda Fabia R5) DEU +2:39.1
6 Mayr-Melnhof - Foissner (Ford Fiesta R5) AUT +2:57.4
7 Casier - Vyncke (Ford Fiesta R5) BEL +3:21.9
8 Schuberth-Mrlik – Kramer (Škoda Fabia R5) AUT +5:18.3
9 Orsák - Šmeidler (Ford Fiesta R5 EVO) CZE +5:21.7
10 Kainer - Hofmann (Škoda Fabia R5) AUT +6:10.5
Overall Standings Tour European Rally
1. Giandomenico Basso 108
2. Bernd Casier 74
3. Alexandre Camacho 28
4. Stefan Göttig 22
Luca Rossetti 22
6. Bogdan Marisca 21
7. Jim Van Den Heuvel 18
8. Polle Geusens 17
Chewon Lim 17
Simone Tempestini 17