Rally Italia Sardegna gears up for milestone 20th edition

First held in its current format in 2004, the gruelling gravel fixture celebrates its 20^th edition in 2023 and takes place from 1 - 4 June. To commemorate the milestone, Automobile Club d’Italia and ACI Sport have commissioned a striking new anniversary logo.

The rally base returns to the east coast town of Olbia, which hosted the event from 2014 to 2020, and boasts a four-day itinerary with 19 special stages totalling 334.05 kilometres.  

Crews tackle the Loiri Porto San Paolo shakedown (2.89km) on Thursday morning before the rally kicks off later in the day with the mixed-surface Cabbu Abbas (3.23km) test, which debuted last year.

Three stages - each run twice either side of a service - lay in wait on Friday. Up first is Tantariles (10.66km), which hosted the opening stage of the rally’s very first edition in 2004. Then it’s onto Monte Lerno (featuring the famous Micky’s Jump), which has been extended this year to a huge 49.92km. Terranova (13.62km) rounds out both loops.

Saturday’s leg utilises the roads around Monte Acuto and Gallura and follows a similar format. Double runs of Coiluna-Loelle (16.33km), Su Filigosu (19.49 km), Erula - Tula (22.26km) and Tempio Pausania (10.09 km) add up to 136.34km.

Four speed tests north of Gallura make up Sunday’s finale. Arzachena Braniatogghiu (15.25 km) and Aglientu (7.79 km) each run twice, with the second pass of the latter forming the bonus points-paying Wolf Power Stage.

As has become tradition, the eventual winner and their team will then dive into the water in Olbia’s harbour on Sunday afternoon.