RALLY DI ROMA CAPITALE 2026 SS1: ANDREA NUCITA SHINES UNDER THE COLOSSEUM LIGHTS

SICILIAN DRIVER SETS THE FASTEST TIME ON THE SPECTACULAR COLOSSEO OPENING STAGE AS THE ERC AND CIAR CAMPAIGNS GET UNDERWAY

Andrea Nucita and co-driver Maurizio Messina made the strongest start to the Rally di Roma Capitale 2026 by setting the fastest time on the opening SS1 Colosseo ACI Roma, delivering a standout performance in front of the iconic Colosseum.

Driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, the Sicilian crew completed the 1.3-kilometre super special in 59.3 seconds, edging out the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale of Yohan Rossel and Arnaud Dunand by just 0.2 seconds.

The spectacular night stage, held through the Colle Oppio area beneath the illuminated Flavian Amphitheatre, officially launched both the FIA European Rally Championship and the Italian Absolute Rally Championship (CIAR Sparco) battle in Rome.

Among the CIAR Sparco contenders, Roberto Daprà and Luca Guglielmetti initially held the benchmark time before ultimately ending the evening as the second-fastest registered Italian championship crew. Championship rivals Bostjan Avbelj and Elia De Guio completed the CIAR Sparco top three.

"The opening Colosseo stage delivered another spectacular start to Rally di Roma Capitale, with only tenths of a second separating the leading crews."

European champion Miko Marczyk and Szymon Gospodarczyk finished third overall in another Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, only 0.4 seconds behind Nucita.

They were followed by Dominik Stříteský and Jiří Krajča in fourth, while Erik Cais and Daniel Trunkát Bacigál placed fifth in their Hyundai i20 N Rally2.

The two Lancia Corse entries of Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin both secured places inside the overall top six, while Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi finished eighth overall in another Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.

Italian championship leader Andrea Crugnola and Luca Beltrame ended the opening stage fourth among the CIAR Sparco competitors, with the short urban test producing minimal time differences across the leading contenders.

Saturday sees the rally move onto six demanding asphalt stages featuring two passes each through Vallecupola (22.50 km), Piana di Rascino (27.85 km) and Colle di Tora – Poggio Moiano (11.58 km), where the overall classification is expected to take shape.

"After the ceremonial opener in Rome, the focus now shifts to a full day of competitive action on the rally's longest and most demanding asphalt stages."

Key Points

• Andrea Nucita and Maurizio Messina won the opening SS1 Colosseo ACI Roma stage.

• Nucita finished 0.2 seconds ahead of Yohan Rossel and Arnaud Dunand.

• Miko Marczyk completed the overall top three.

• Roberto Daprà was the second-fastest CIAR Sparco competitor.

• Bostjan Avbelj completed the CIAR Sparco top three.

• Andrea Crugnola finished fourth among the Italian championship contenders.

• Saturday features six special stages, including Vallecupola, Piana di Rascino and Colle di Tora – Poggio Moiano.

• More than half of the rally distance will be completed during Saturday's leg.

Rank	Driver	Co-driver	Car	Gap
1	Andrea Nucita	Maurizio Messina	Škoda Fabia RS Rally2	59.3
2	Yohan Rossel	Arnaud Dunand	Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale	+0.2
3	Miko Marczyk	Szymon Gospodarczyk	Škoda Fabia RS Rally2	+0.4
4	Dominik Stříteský	Jiří Krajča	Škoda Fabia RS Rally2	+0.5
5	Erik Cais	Daniel Bacigál	Hyundai i20 N Rally2	+1.0
6	Nikolay Gryazin	Konstantin Aleksandrov	Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale	+1.3
7	Roberto Daprà	Luca Guglielmetti	Škoda Fabia RS Rally2	+1.5
8	Andrea Mabellini	Virginia Lenzi	Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale	+1.6
9	Bostjan Avbelj	Elia De Guio	Škoda Fabia RS Rally2	+1.7
10	Yoann Bonato	Benjamin Boulloud	Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale	+1.8