22/02/2017

1st Rally Catalunya Històric - "Trofeu Dues Catalunyes"

Barcelona, 22 February 2017.- The 1st Rally Catalunya Històric Trofeu Dues Catalunyes, first regularity event for classic vehicles organised by the RACC, to be staged on 24 and 25 February, has an entry list of 52 vehicles, including cars with a big historic interest, as well as some outstanding drivers, with excellent careers, as well as specialists in regularity events.

Antonio Zanini (Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, 1981) will be carrying the no. 1, as he is the only winner of the former Rallye Catalunya, an event he won no less than five times, one of them at the wheel of a Group 2 Talbot Lotus, similar to the machine he will be driving this time, sitting next to Guifré Pujol.

The entry list includes great regularity crews with classics: Víctor Sagi-Víctor Sagi (Porsche 911 S, 1968, no. 2), Carles Miró-Ivan Matavacas (Porsche 911 SC, 1981, no. 3), Xavier Piña-Sergi Giralt (Ford Escort Mk II, 1978, no. 4), Carlos Beltrán-Alberto Sanchis (Porsche 904 GTS, 1964, no. 5), Josep Maria Molas-Laura Pedrosa (Ford Escort Mk II, 1978, no. 6), Pau Coma-Cros-Juan Ignacio Fernández (Porsche 911 2.7, 1977, no. 7), Josep Lluís Marcó-Miquel Molist (Porsche 911 T 2.2, 1970, no. 8), Tere Armadans-Anna Vives (Volkswagen Golf GTI, 1979, no. 9), Xavier Domingo-Jordi Vilagrà (Porsche 911, 1983, no. 11), Francesc Segú-Joaquim Segú (Volkswagen Golf GTI, 1984, no. 19), Joan Dalmau-Carles Jiménez (Seat Fura Crono, 1984, no. 27), José Manuel López-Gerard Ferrer (Volkswagen Scirocco, 1980, no. 39), and many more.

In addition to Antonio Zanini and the above-mentioned regularity specialists, the event will have renowned participants as well, like RACC President Josep Mateu (Seat 1200 Sport); the current President of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Vicenç Aguilera (Seat 124 Sport 1600); the President of the Catalan Motor Sport Federation Joan Ollé (Opel Kadett GT/E); and the former formula driver Federico Van der Hoeven (Porsche 911 SC); etc. SEAT Vehículos Históricos will participate in the rally with a four-car team. There are drivers and co-drivers from Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey.

The 1st Rally Catalunya Històric Trofeu Dues Catalunyes will consist of a two-day route with a total of 741.73 km, including 147.93 km of regularity tests split into 15 stages closed to the traffic, two of them on a racetrack: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (17.18h) and Circuit dOsona (19.03h). The itinerary includes sections that were used in Rallye Catalunya and Rallye de les Dues Catalunyes, an event that was organised by the RACC from 1960 to 1965, with Barcelona and Perpignan as start or arrival points.

The start will be given on Friday, 24 February (15h) at Avinguda de la Catedral in Barcelona, followed by a regrouping in Viladrau (19.45h) and finish of the leg in Santa Coloma de Farners (Hotel Mas Solà, ****), from 21.42h onwards. The Friday stages, in addition to the already mentioned two stages run on a racetrack, are Gallifa (16.18h), La Roca (18.28h), Sant Julià (19.24h), Coll de Gomara (20.07h), Pla de les Arenes (20.23h) and Cladells (20.47h).

The second leg will start at 8 oclock on Saturday, 25 February from Mas Solà to Perpignan. The morning stages are Les Serres (8.33h), Les Encies (9.01h), Capsacosta (10.09h) and La Forge dels Mitg (11.36h), the latter on French territory. The cars will be arriving from 13h onwards in Perpignan, where there will be a regrouping and a lunch break.

The route will continue at 14.30h with destination Parc del Forum in Barcelona, with three more stages along the way: Saint Michel de Llotes (15.11h, France), Les Llosses-Alpens (18.10h) and La Trona (19.05h). The arrival at Parc del Forum is scheduled from 20.45h onwards. That same day, the closure dinner and the prize-giving ceremony will be held from 22.00h at Hotel SB Diagonal Zero (****), where participants will also stay overnight.