ISLAND MOTORSPORT SHINES IN THE LANGHE

First win of the season and maximum points in the prestigious Lancia Trophy for young Sicilian crew Rappa-Interdonato (Ypsilon HF Rally6) at the 20th Rally Regione Piemonte, the fifth round of the CIAR Sparco. All eyes now turn to the decisive final round of the Turin-based manufacturer’s one-make series at the legendary Rallye Sanremo, scheduled for 17–18 October.

Following an outstanding performance, 19-year-old Simone Rappa claimed his first win of the season in the fourth and penultimate round of the prestigious Lancia Trophy for the Rally6 category, held last weekend as part of the 20th Rally Regione Piemonte, a round of the Campionato Italiano Assoluto Rally Sparco (CIAR).

Despite making his debut on the fast and demanding roads of the Cuneo area, the Island Motorsport driver – once again competing in partnership with Tempo Srl – immediately established himself as one of the leading contenders.

At the wheel of the Ypsilon HF Rally6 prepared by Sportec, and partnered by fellow young Sicilian Roberto Interdonato, Rappa delivered a commanding performance from the opening stages, setting eight fastest stage times out of the 11 special stages contested over the two-day event before sealing victory at the finish in Alba.

The result allowed the Palermo-born rookie to collect the maximum available points, including those awarded for the Power Stage, and reopen the battle for the title in Lancia’s one-make series ahead of what promises to be a thrilling season finale.

It went even better than we could have hoped. We managed to turn the positive feelings we already had before the rally into a strong result. After attending several editions of the event as a passionate spectator alongside my father, I already considered simply competing here from inside the car a success. The final result and our performance made the weekend even more special.

an emotional Rappa said after the finish.

In terms of our approach, we pushed hard from the opening stages and then managed our advantage during the closing part of Saturday. On Sunday, however, we focused mainly on our driving and on improving our feeling with the car. We made significant progress and collected valuable data that will be extremely useful for the next events.

With the Langhe round now complete, the Lancia Trophy will resume after the summer break for the legendary 73rd Rallye Sanremo, the final event of the 2026 season, scheduled for 17–18 October.