Next Saturday and Sunday the Rally returns to Messina

Next Saturday and Sunday the Rally returns to Messina.

The 20th Rally del Tirreno Messina was presented this morning at the headquarters of the Metropolitan City. The competition, organized by Top Competition, in partnership with the Metropolitan City of Messina, the municipal administration, the city of Villafranca Tirrena, the Peloritano Automobile Club and some private entities in the area, will start and arrive in Piazza Duomo. The unique Bell Tower in the world and the Cathedral will be the setting for the two most awaited moments of the race which returns to the heart of the city of the Strait after 19 years. A list of members where the best names of Sicilian rallying stand out, including Marcello Rizzo and Antonio Pittella from Messina, as well as Marco Pollara and Maurizio Messina from Palermo, winners in the order of the 2022 and 2021 editions; the Italian junior Rally champion Alessandro Casella, Francesco Tuzzolino, Giovanni Celesti, Salvatore Di Benedetto from Nisse, Alessandro Anastasi, Maurizio Rizzo, Andrea Nastasi and Nunzio Longo, among the main drivers who completed their membership.

The details of the return of the rally to Messina and the technical details of the competition were revealed by the councilors for Tourism Enzo Caruso and for Civil Protection Massimiliano Minutoli; Giuseppe Cavallaro, mayor of Villafranca Tirrena; Maria Grazia Bisazza, president of Top Competition; the engineer Massimo Rinaldi, president of Automobile Club Messina; and Domenico Salvo, ACI Sport trustee for the province of Messina. The technical details of the entire competition were illustrated by the engineer. Marco Messina, vice president of AC Messina. Present the Commanders of the Polstradaand Provincial Police and Arms of the Carabinieri, who underlined the importance of the competition as a promoter of respect for the rules and the usual willingness to collaborate with the organizers.

“An important opportunity for the city which regains possession of the rally to which it is historically linked and which has been missing from Piazza Duomo for 19 years – underlined the councilor Minutes, which brought the institutional greeting of Mayor Basile e of the councilor for Sports Policies Massimo Finocchiaro -. Un fly throughout the metropolitan area through the spectacle of sport, with an event organized by professional entities and under the aegis of the Federation, of the ACI Sport Sicilia delegation, of AC Messina, elements that are a guarantee for everyone".

“Messina is the city of music and events, but there are also other important events such as the rally, which is also important from a tourist as well as sporting point of view, with all the benefits that this entails” - declared the councilor Caruso.

"We enthusiastically welcomed the broadening of horizons of the Tyrrhenian rally towards the capital. We shared the growth needs of the organizers – said the mayor Cavallaro - growth certainly generates new related industries and we have concrete evidence of the benefits that arise from the tender".

"The Automobile Club Messina is always alongside the organizers and athletes of the province, whose professional level is decidedly high – declared the engineer. Rinaldi - the last edition of the Messina Rally in 2004 recorded 6.600 hotel guests. Now let's start again and do it from the headquarters of the Metropolitan City, a very significant place for the prospects of the race. AC Messina also counts on the excellent professionalism of the match officials, fundamental figures of the sport. Messina boasts a young, enthusiastic and energetic Administration that is relaunching the city effectively".

Domenico Salvo opened his speech by extending greetings from the ACI Sport Sicilia delegate/trustee Daniele Settimo: “The Italian Rally Junior champion Alessandro Casella is from Messina and will be at the start of the race. The level of participants that the race boasts is pleasing, but especially the young people. For our part, we continue the work of growth together with all the figures. Gratitude goes to the course marshals, figures who make Italian races excellent. Setting up the race requires meticulous and precise work from everyone".

On Saturday 23 September the engines will be started from 12.30 to 16.30 for the Shakedown, the test with the racing cars on a stretch of road near the Salice village. At 20pm the race cars will leave the service park at the industrial area in Villafranca Tirrena and will line up in Piazza Duomo from 20.30pm to 22.00pm. Ninety intense minutes to get to know cars and crews in the center of Messina, where there will be various collateral initiatives in the name of road safety, with the help of the Polstrada stand. At 23.10pm the first challenge against the clock on the “Messina” test1. After the night break at the artisan area of ​​Villafranca Tirrena, on Sunday 24th another eight time trials: “Roccavaldina” e "Campo Italia" to be covered 3 times, while there will be two passages on the "Colli 4 Strade".

For the competition, the deployment of 200 course marshals, 40 service vehicles, 50 staff members, 30 timekeepers, 10 specialized decarceration units, 8 advanced medical rescue vehicles, 8 medical specialists, 323,77 km of race is expected, SS 9 and 65,41 km of special stages.