VALENCIA, SPAIN (Wednesday, October 23, 2024) – Ten crews representing six nations will challenge for the three gold medals available in the Historic Rally class at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games held in Valencia, Spain, from 23-27 October, with legendary cars such as the Audi quattro and Ford Escort RS1800 set to shine.
Adding a glorious mix of classic machinery to the event, the category is open to rally cars homologated between 1970 and 1981. Entries must also possess a valid FIA Historic Technical Passport (HTP) and comply with FIA Appendix K regulations to ensure that they are authentic to the cars that tackled the likes of the FIA World Rally Championship half a century ago.
While the Historic Rally division debuted in the second installment of the Games in 2022, this time around, there is triple the number of medals to be won. In Marseille two years ago, the schedule consisted purely of asphalt stages. For this edition, drivers will compete for glory in separate tarmac, gravel and mixed-surface contests.
Historic Rally Overall
All six nations will feature in the mixed surface discipline. Their crews must navigate six gravel and six smoother tarmac stages in addition to a brace of Super Special Stages held at the Games’ main hub at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. The top three in the combined times then progress to the critical Medal Stage on Sunday.
For the finale, the teams will run head-to-head on a new Rallycross-style course at the circuit to determine who earns gold, silver and bronze. For all stages, the precise layouts have not been disclosed to ensure sporting fairness.
Back to defend a gold medal earned in dominant fashion in France in 2022 is Italian duo Andrea “Zippo” Zivian and co-driver Nicola Arena. Boasting an impressive list of honours that notably include back-to-back FIA European Historic Rally Championship titles scored in 2021 and 2022, they should particularly fancy their chances on the gravel sections thanks to the sure-footed four-wheel-drive grip offered by their 1981 Audi quattro.
Since all three Historic Rally medal winners return for the third edition of the “Race of Nations”, piling the pressure on Italy will be Team Czech Republic - the 2022 runner-up. Hoping to go one better this year, Vojtěch Štajf is back behind the wheel. He has a new navigator in Veronika Havelková and the car is also different, as Štajf climbs the Opel range having swapped a Kadett Coupe for a 1972 Ascona.
Hoping to make host nation Spain proud is reigning bronze medallist Antonio Sainz, brother to Carlos. Underlining the diversity of the machinery in the Historic Rally division, he and co-driver Carlos Cancela have entered a rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive Porsche 911 SC from 1981.
Their opposition includes the Renault Alpine A310 fielded by Team Sweden. Father-and-son pairing Kjell and Peter Fransson have never competed outside of their home country until now but will be powered by a newly rebuilt V6 motor.
The United Kingdom’s hopes rest on Ben Mellors / Alex Lee aboard a 1979 Toyota Celica RA45. Meanwhile, Germany looks to a mixed surface line-up of husband-and-wife duo Siegfried and Renate Mayr (1979 Volvo 240), who contested the Games in 2022.
Historic Rally Gravel
Five nations have chosen to specialise in the Historic Rally Gravel class, which will play out over six stages on the twisting mountain roads to the west of Valencia. Starting on Friday at Utiel before reaching checkpoints in Calderon and San Antonio, the crews will then enter a Super Special Stage at Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
Sweden and the United Kingdom will be represented by alternative line-ups in the designated Gravel Rally Area. The former are counting on Kim Sevius and Alexander Alin. Truly flying the flag for Sweden, they will fittingly drive a 1961 Volvo 544 Sport - built to 1972 competition specification. Triple FIA European Historic Rally Championship Category 1 title winner Ernie and Anna Graham go into bat for the United Kingdom with their 1975 Ford Escort RS.
In a bid to increase their medal tally, the teams from Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic have again nominated their mixed surface crews of Zivian / Arena, Sainz / Cancela and Štajf / Havelková to conquer the dirt roads.
Historic Rally Tarmac
The same is true for the Historic Rally Tarmac discipline, with those three nations again putting full faith in their respective line-ups for Saturday’s six asphalt stages and Super Special Stage.
However, the United Kingdom and Sweden have once more opted to switch up their entries for when they head south to the Tarmac Rally Area for routes to Cortes, La Cabezuela, Yatova, La Garrofera, and Gestalgar.
Fresh from winning the 2024 FIA European Historic Rally Championship Category 1 crown, James Potter and Tim Sayer aim to put the United Kingdom among the medals with their Escort RS. Sweden’s three-pronged bid is completed by Historic Rally Tarmac contenders Christer Hedlund and co-driver Ida Lidebjer-Granberg. They will steer a later Escort RS1800 from 1981.
HISTORIC RALLY: DISCIPLINE INFORMATION
Rally Timetable
Entry List Historic Rally
Entry List Historic Rally Gravel
Entry List Historic Rally Tarmac
The Historic Rally class houses machinery that was homologated between 1970 and 1981. Cars must possess a valid FIA Historic Technical Passport (HTP) and comply with FIA Appendix K regulations to ensure they are built to the same specification as the competition cars used in period. Drivers are required to hold at least the international licence ITD-R.
CATEGORY FORMAT
For the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games, Historic Rally is made up of three disciplines. Each one offers medals. Competitors taking part in the mixed surface category must complete 12 stages – six gravel and six tarmac – in addition to two Super Special Stages and the final Medal Stage to decide who earns gold, silver and bronze. Tarmac contestants will enter six stages plus a Super Special Stage, while gravel drivers will take on six regular stages and one Super Special.
Historic Rally Roll of Honour
2022: Andrea Zivian & Nicola Arena (Team Italy)