Basso ready to challenge for Sanremo glory

Giandomenico Basso says missing last year’s Rallye Sanremo won’t hold him back in his efforts to win the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event for the second time when it gets underway later today.

Basso, who will drive a factory-backed Abarth Grande Punto on the asphalt event – his first appearance in the IRC this season – missed last year’s rally to contest a clashing round of the European championship in Greece.

He returns this year aiming to repeat his victory of 2008 in Italy’s Imperia province alongside co-driver Mitia Dotta.

“This is a very tricky rally, with lots of corners and few straights,” said Basso, who is currently third in the Italian championship, which runs alongside the main IRC in Sanremo. “First and foremost I will be looking at my rivals in the Italian championship but it makes no sense to push hard to catch the regular IRC guys, although I don’t think it will be like that because it will be very close between all of us.”