Giandomenico Basso will start the opening day of Rallye Sanremo first on the road in his works-supported Abarth Grande Punto.
The Italian driver will head Intercontinental Rally Challenge title leader Juho Hänninen over the opening loop of stages, which get underway with the 12.92-kilometre Coldirodi test at 13:34hrs local time today.
He is one of the favourites to win the all-asphalt rally and is considered as the benchmark driver by his rivals, including Kris Meeke, the defending IRC champion and last year’s Sanremo winner, who starts third on the road.
“After winning last year one Italian spectator said to me last year you’ve not won Sanremo until you beat Basso in Sanremo,” said Meeke. “He’s here this weekend and will be very tough to beat.”
Luca Rossetti is fourth and the last driver running in two-minute intervals.
Top 10 IRC starting positions for day one
1 Giandomenico Basso (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) 13:00hrs
2 Juho Hänninen (Škoda Fabia S2000) 13:02hrs
3 Kris Meeke (Peugeot 207 S2000) 13:04hrs
4 Luca Rossetti (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) 13:06hrs
5 Paolo Andreucci (Peugeot 207 S2000) 13:07hrs
6 Jan Kopecký (Škoda Fabia S2000) 13:08hrs
7 Andreas Mikkelsen (M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000) 13:09hrs
8 Renato Travaglia (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) 13:10hrs
9 Umberto Scandola (M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000) 13:11hrs
10 Gilles Panizzi (PROTON Satria Neo S2000) 13:12hrs