Pordenone, 9th July 2022_
Yazeed AlRajhi immediately signed Italian Baja 2022.
The Saudi driver, in his Toyota Hilux Overdrive and co-driven by British Michael Orr, set the best time on the 14,3 km prologue from Valvasone to San Martino al Tagliamento in 10’07’’1. Delicious aperitif of the race organized by Fuoristrada Club 4x4 Pordenone, that today puts in the menu two courses of “Zoppola”, selective sectors way beyond the 100 km, able to clearly divide the crovan on the beds of Meduna, Cosa and Tagliamento. Last night the second one to punch (at 20’’8) was Lithuanian Benediktas Vanagas at 20’’ with a Hilux branded Toyota Gazoo, right before Argentinian Juan Cruz Yacopini, third at 31’’6 and careful at the start with the second Overdrive vehicle. Fast and fearsome Portugueses Joao Ferreira on a Mini John Cooper Works Rally, fourth at 31’’9, and Pedro Dias Da Silva on a Volkswagen Amarok, fifth at 35’’0, both leaving behind Polish Michal Maluszynski on a Mini X-Raid, sixth at 42’’0. But today they could be loudly denied by long selective sectors. Focus on Hungarian Miroslav Zapletal’s eighth position on a Hummer H3 Evo: he’s now a regular at the Italian Baja.
First of the Italians and maker of the tenth time (11’28’’1) Andrea Alfano on a Nissan Pathfinder, in the first timed fraction he turned out to be faster than Amerigo Ventura on a Quaddy Yamaha Yxz 100R, eleventh at 8”8 in the Fia ranking. In the Italian Championship, instead, the two contestants race on different sides of the Tricolor Cross Country Baja and Ssv. Alfano at the command and his chasers far away, but still one after the other in this order: Andrea Tomasini driving a Isuzu D-Max T1 at 2’22’’5, Stefano Sabellico with his Suzuki Vitara T1 at 2’26’’3, Giuseppe Ananasso at 2’39’’5 on a Vitara TH in the lead of the vehicles of expired certification, Andrea Toro fifth at 2’42’’7 with the homonymous Buggy and for now only sixth at 2’46’’6 Alfio Bordonaro, first time at the wheel of a Vitara T1 ex official. Ventura leads Side by side while his teammate Valentino Rocco is only fourth at 1’25’’9, behind Hungarian Balsz Molnar (Can-Am) and his teammate Alessandro Bonetto.
Carlo Ragogna press office Italian Baja
Photo 2emmephotorace
