• The i20 N Rally2 car is the successor to the i20 R5 currently running in national and continental championships across the globe, as well as World Rally Championships’ third-tier championship — the WRC3.
• Piero is an old hand in the sport having started his racing in Italy in the 1980s, teaming up with co-drivers like Capellini Giorgio, T. Gianfranco and Roggero Pacio.
Image: HANDOUT
Despite retiring during the sixth round of the Kenya National Rally Championship in Nanyuki last month due to mechanical gremlins, veteran driver Piero Canobbio says he’s found his rhythm in his state-of-the-art Hyundai i20 NG Rally2.
The former Mitsubishi Evolution 10 driver is among the drivers enlisted for the Mombasa Motor Club Bamba Rally slated for his Kilifi hometown on October 15.
Piero will be hoping to rediscover the reliability of his new i20 N Rally2 against Nairobi-based drivers, among them series leader Karan Patel, second-placed Jasmeet Chana and fast-paced Raaji Singh Bharij, who returns to the national series in a Minti Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally2.
The i20 N Rally2 car is the successor to the i20 R5 currently running in national and continental championships across the globe, as well as World Rally Championships’ third-tier championship — the WRC3.
In addition to his spirited homecoming rally, Piero will also become the first-ever driver to enter the MMC leg of the national series in a Hyundai Rally2 machine and he is overly excited about it.
“It is always a great pleasure coming home with a new car and the much-needed speed. But then again, there is always that pressure to perform on home turf,” narrated Piero.
“We have experienced a few teething problems with the car which is normal when trying to come to grips with something new. We ran the car in Nanyuki and also entered one of our clubman rallies though we never finished.”
Asked about his strategy on home turf, Piero explained: “It’s always great to show consistency and pace. We will try and make the knowledge of the terrain count. We shall attack where possible and try to conserve the car when it gets rough.”
Piero is an old hand in the sport having started his racing in Italy in the 1980s, teaming up with co-drivers like Capellini Giorgio, T. Gianfranco and Roggero Pacio. He has driven quite a number of cars in Italy including the Lancia Delta in 1987, the Lancia 037 in 1986 and the Autobranch A112 Abarth in 1980.
He performed well in quite a number of rallies in Italy including Rally Piancavallo which he won thrice — 1980, 81 and 82.
In Africa, Peiro has done many KNRC as well as FIA African Rally Champion events in Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.
In 2017, he finished eighth overall on Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally and retired on the Oryx Energies Rally of Tanzania the same year. His last full season of KNRC was last year when he entered most of the events alongside Shameer Yusuf.
Meanwhile, reconnaissance for the MMC round will take place in the Bamba area on October 14. On the same day as the recce, Kilifi Mall will be the venue for scrutineering checks. The ceremonial start, finish and prize giving shall take place on October 15 at Bamba Mwezamoyo School.
Three stages — KWFT (38km), Mirima Wa Ndege (26.36km) and Jila (16.24km) — will be repeated to make up a competitive run of 161.30km. The liaison distance is 116km while the total distance is 277.50km.