Date: 22 May 2006

Final day heartbreak in Italy.

The Greek crew of Lambros Athanassoulas and Nikos Mouzakis in the Jet Oils backed Fiesta showed impressive form to lead the Fiesta STs during leg 2 on their first visit to Sardinia. The RMS operated Ford had shown good reliability to go into the final day in a strong second place. However a broken bottom ball joint on SS14 meant that no more stages could be completed on that day and they dropped to 6th at the end of the rally.

Alessandro Bettega scored a class and Fiesta victory in his home rally and moved into the drivers' points lead in the Fiesta SportingTrophy International (FSTi), the series for GpN Ford Fiesta STs which runs alongside rounds of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship. Bettega and co0driver Simone Scattolin played a tactical game in Rally d'Italia Sardenga and tempering their speed, well aware of the tough nature of the rock0strewn gravel stages which claimed many of their rivals including FSTi points leader coming into this event, Mathieu Biasion. The Italian crew not only won the FSTi series they also took victory in the Group N3 class of the gruelling event, the seventh round on the calendar of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Useful links:
www.fiestasportingtrophy.com
www.athanassoulas.gr