Martini Cup

[havk]

I'm looking for information about Martini Cup Fiat Cinquecento Sporting (1996, 1997, information about rounds, results, drivers and especially technical data of the car). Thank You.

[Wim_Impreza]

I can give you the results of the Elpa Rally 1996 and 1997 in Greece of Martini Cup.

Elpa Rally 1996:
1 (51) Andrea Maselli/Nicola Arena (I) 4h14'15" (19th overall)
2 (71) Larry Cols/Philippe Droeven (B) +1'30" (20th overall)
3 (57) Arnold van der Smeede/Patricia Berk (NL) +3'37" (22th overall)
4 (70) Nikos Tangoulis/Kóstas Stefanis (GR) +7'52" (26th overall)
5 (54) Marco Cavigioli/Carlo Pastorelli (I) +16'11" (30th overall)
6 (60) Maria-Paola Fracassi/Rebecca Lumachi (I) +19'25" (32th overall)

Retirements:
#52 Valter Ballestrero/Giovanni Bernacchini (I), retirement in SS2
#74 Wolfram Doberer/Thomas Doret (A), retirement in SS14

Elpa Rally 1997:
1 (45) Valter Ballestrero/Giovanni Bernacchini (I) 4h10'05" (17th overall)
2 (52) Franco De Barba/Carmelita Cason (I) +6'49" (20th overall)
3 (48) Arnold van der Smeede/Carlo Pastorelli (NL/I) +8'08" (21th overall)
4 (43) Níkos Tagoulis/Iórgos Kotsalis (GR) +17'34" (29th overall)
5 (60) Karl-Heinz Kling/Tanja Neidhöfer (D) +24'44" (32th overall)

Retirements:
#46 Panayiotis Hatzitsopanis/Iórgos Polyzois (GR), Accident in SS2
#54 Cédric Robert/Karine Garnier (F), Suspension in SS12
#62 Larry Cols/Philippe Droeven (B), retirement in SS2

Larry Cols made his first steps in this Cup. In 2007 he was Belgian Rally Champion. If you want more information about him, please say it.

[havk]

Thanks for reply. I think it's interesting subject. Many of well-known drivers used to start in Fiat Cinquecento Cup (Galli, Basso, Pedersoli, Robert, Cols, Kuzaj, Grzyb, Hatzitsopanis). I'm especially interested in Martini Cup but the information about local series are also welcome.

[Jarek Z]

Havk, just go to my website (http://www.rallymadness.osti.pl/index.php?id=1) and click "Mistrzostwa Europy" sezon 1996 and 1997. Enjoy!

[HaCo]

What kind of cup was this, where were the events held?

[Jarek Z]

HaCo, this cup was called Trofeo Fiat Cinquecento Sporting - Martini Europa Cup and it was held within the frame of European Rally Championship. So most ERC rounds in 1996 and 1997 were also rounds of this cup.

In 1996 it was won by the crew Andrea Maselli / Nicola Arena and year later by Valter Ballestrero who was co-driven by Nicola Arena and Giovanni Bernacchini.

Larry Cols for an example:

http://www.rallyonline.pl/ft.php?idg=152&pg_[go]=111

[HaCo]

Jarek, thank you for that. I didn't know Larry Cols came from such a cup. I remember the time where there were a lot of such cars, it must have been the Deutschland Rally when it was still ERC. I have visited this rally a lot in the past but was young, so I don't remember everything. :-)

[Jarek Z]

We are forever young in our hearts HaCo ;)

Here's Cedric Robert on ELPA Halkidiki Rally in 1997, courtesy of harriswrc :)
http://www.rallyonline.pl/ft.php?idg=776&pg_[go]=21

[HaCo]

Here are more pics about the Deutschland Rallye 1997, I was there as well, 16years old but not that much interested in rallye these days. :-)
http://www.sto-motorsportfotos.de/rallyefotos/index.php?cat=c82_Deutschland-Rallye.html&page=3

It was the same year I think Armin Kremer had this terrible accident where his co-driver died. We were on the stage, and when we left the event we thought his co-driver only broke his finger, later the evening on television we heard the tragic news. :(