Simone Rappa Shines at Rally Due Valli: Leading on His Trofeo Lancia Debut Before a Forced Stop

The young Sicilian talent, making his debut in both the Campionato Italiano Assoluto Rally Sparco and the Trofeo Lancia, led the standings for much of the rally.

Despite a bitter ending, Simone Rappa’s debut at the 44th Rally Due Valli offered more than encouraging signs for the future. The young Palermo-born driver, 19 years old, took on both his first appearance in the Campionato Italiano Assoluto Rally Sparco and his debut in the prestigious Trofeo Lancia with confidence and determination, immediately showing speed and maturity.

Representing Island Motorsport, in partnership with Tempo Srl, Rappa tackled the demanding roads around Verona at the wheel of the Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally6 prepared by Team Sportec, with fellow Sicilian Roberto Interdonato alongside him calling the notes.

From the opening day, made up of five special stages, the young Sicilian set the pace, taking the lead in the standings and maintaining it throughout the second leg as well. It was a high-level performance that came to an end only during the tenth special stage of the thirteen scheduled, when a contact damaged the suspension and mechanical components of the front right wheel, making retirement unavoidable.

I want to look at the glass as half full.

Rappa commented at the end of the rally.

The car proved to be extremely high-performing and competitive. We started to get to know it, and that already represents an excellent starting point. Until the moment of the stop, the rally was going beyond expectations, with the lead maintained despite the constantly changing road conditions.

The young driver then explained the dynamics of the incident:

During the second pass on the “San Francesco” stage, I increased the pace both to better understand the potential of the Ypsilon and to consolidate the gap over our rivals. In one corner, I went in too aggressively, underestimating the dirt on the asphalt. I lost control of the car and hit some stones. It is an episode I regret, but one that I consider part of my growth process and that will serve as experience for the future.

With Rally Due Valli now behind him, Rappa is already looking ahead to the next round of the Trofeo Lancia. The goal is to bounce back at the XIV Rally di Roma Capitale, an event that will unfold over two legs and will award points valid for two separate rounds of the one-make series.

Article by Daniele Fulco