The 2025 route of Rally Italia Sardegna features many new elements, and the San Giacomo stage is undoubtedly one of the highlights. With climbs, descents, hairpins, and a spectacular water splash, this over-25-kilometre Sunday test could be decisive. The last time it was used in the rally was in 2013, under a different name, with two stage wins by Jari-Matti Latvala.

Olbia, April 4th 2025 – The San Giacomo stage returns to the Rally Italia Sardegna itinerary after a 12-year absence. The event, organised by the Automobile Club d’Italia with the support of the Regione Sardegna, is set to offer a new spectacle on some of the island’s most breathtaking roads.

In recent years, San Giacomo has often been used as a base for testing, both by official teams and during the pre-event “Monday Test” for Rally2 cars. It was a staple of the early editions of Rally Italia Sardegna and even served as the Power Stage in 2012. When it was last run in 2013, it was called “Gallura,” with the second pass held in the dark. On both occasions, Jari-Matti Latvala set the fastest time during an edition that marked Sebastien Ogier’s first triumph on Sardinian soil.

This stage first appeared on the itinerary of the Italian round of the FIA World Rally Championship in 2005 and, just like this year, it finished in Plebi, on the outskirts of Olbia. However, the key difference from twenty years ago lies in its length: back then, the San Giacomo stage measured 12.69 km, while this year it has nearly doubled, reaching 25.74 km, thanks to a new section added mid-stage within the municipality of Sant’Antonio di Gallura.

The stage starts with a downhill section before climbing again and continuing with undulating terrain on a hard, rocky surface. After a couple of downhill hairpins, the route reaches San Santino, where drivers will tackle the iconic hairpin – a spot that’s sure to be one of the fans’ favourite points. Immediately after, the route turns right onto a brand-new road in the municipality of Sant’Antonio di Gallura. The stage climbs up to a crest, then plunges into a thrilling downhill stretch with no fewer than eight hairpins, before transitioning to a flat section – already used in previous editions – entering the municipality of Olbia towards Muddizza Piana.

Compared to the past, the route now turns left at the fountain onto another new section leading to a spectacular water splash. After crossing it, competitors turn right and then left again to reach the final uphill section that climbs all the way to the top of Monte Plebi. This is why the stage has been named “San Giacomo-Plebi”, and due to its length, technical nature, and multiple rhythm changes, it is expected to be the highlight of the final leg and could prove decisive in the fight for victory in the 2025 edition.