WRC
The noble cause behind Marchino’s eye-catching Jamaican Citroën C3
At the recent Rally Islas Canarias, one car captured the attention and imagination of spectators lining the island roads more than most – the #52 Citroën C3 Rally2 of Filippo Marchino.
On Saturday night at Gran Canaria Stadium, the service park was humming with activity as fans crowded around the service bays of the Rally1 crews. But another service area was attracting just as much attention – that of the affable Marchino, the Italian-American quickly building an army of fans, helped in no small part by his striking Jamaican livery.
Starting 42nd on the road on an FIA World Rally Championship event, Marchino was never likely to be fighting for overall honours in WRC2. But that is just fine for a man who goes rallying for fun. If he can bring awareness to important causes along the way? All the better.
This year, Marchino is using his livery and overalls to bring awareness and support to the people of Jamaica impacted by Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the Caribbean nation in October 2025.
“Like everybody else, I saw it [Hurricane Melissa] on Instagram and the news, and then I forgot about it,” explained Marchino, as he wrapped up signing autographs and handing out giveaways to the final stragglers outside his service area.
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But a chance meeting at last year’s Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, one month after the hurricane, brought the devastation back to the forefront of the lawyer-by-trade’s mind.
“In Las Vegas, I saw a dear friend of mine who, at the time, was the chairman of the Jamaican Motoring Club, and he showed me pictures of the island.
“I was shocked by what I saw. So I went home and, a couple of weeks later, in the lead-up to Monaco [Rallye Monte-Carlo], I said: ‘Well, look, I have a platform.’
I want to use my car to raise funds. But it has to be fully traceable. I want to know exactly where the money goes, and that it’s helping the right people.
“I was on my spin bike and I called this friend of mine and said: ‘Listen, I have an idea. I want to use my car to raise funds. But it has to be fully traceable. I want to know exactly where the money goes, and that it’s helping the right people.’
“He said: ‘Okay, give me half an hour.’ He called a guy at the Jamaican government, got the thumbs up, called me back and said: ‘Okay, let’s try it.’
“During that same spin session, I went on ChatGPT and asked for a Jamaican livery concept for a Citroën – and that’s how it all started. I sent it to Michele Fabbri, our team owner, and we got the car done.”
Being raised in Turin, northern Italy, also had its advantages. The city is home to Sparco and, when Marchino explained his cause to the racing equipment manufacturer shortly before Christmas, hurdles were overcome to ensure matching overalls were created to complement the livery and delivered two weeks later, in time for the season opener in Monte-Carlo.
Marchino debuted the livery on Rallye Monte-Carlo
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While raising money for those affected remains Marchino’s main goal, the reaction from the people of Jamaica has left a longer-lasting impact on the 45-year-old.
“The coolest part about having been able to do this has been the response from people in Jamaica,” he said.
“I’m a lawyer – I help people at the worst moments of their lives, after catastrophic accidents like airplane crashes. The people in Jamaica have had massive devastation. People and animals were injured and killed, houses destroyed, roofs torn off and floods everywhere.
“So, when they saw the car on the snow and ice [at Rallye Monte-Carlo] and heard the story, it was a bit like the Jamaican bobsled team – a backwards kind of story.
“Everybody loved it. We got interviews on Jamaican radio. We were featured on Jamaican news. People went bananas because they were like: ‘Oh my God, somebody across the world cares. They hear about all these people rallying in Monaco and they’re thinking about us.’
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“The emotional response that we got from the people in Jamaica is, at least now, almost more important than the monetary aspect, because they’ve raised a lot of money. But their spirits are also hyped.”
With his focus on a more noble cause, and hundreds of autographs to sign, Marchino’s approach to driving in the Canaries was about pure enjoyment, as new co-driver Alex Kihurani delivered pacenotes to him in English for the first time.
“We’re doing it to raise spirits and to raise awareness,” Marchino added. “It’s been very rewarding. People understand that, and they gravitate towards it.
“I think it’s rewarding taking the time to speak to the fans, because this is, bar none, the best motorsport in the world. There is nothing like it, there can be nothing like it. It is pure skill, pure adrenaline and pure talent.”
