The opening ceremony has officially launched the 22nd edition of the Italian round of the World Rally Championship. Sébastien Ogier tops the timesheets in the shakedown. Tomorrow, six stages await, including the long “Sa Conchedda”.

Olbia, 5 June 2025 – The curtain rises on Rally Italia Sardegna, the event organised by the Automobile Club d’Italia with the support of the Regione Sardegna, taking place on the Island of the Four Moors. The sixth round of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship has officially kicked off with the ceremonial start on the Main Stage of the Isola Bianca in Olbia.

The opening show featured all the crews on stage, grouped by country or geographical origin, creating a true celebration of international rallying with 29 nations represented and 66 crews at the start.

Before this symbolic raising of the Italian flag, the action had already begun in the afternoon with the 2.19-kilometre “Olbia Cabu Abbas” stage, hosting the shakedown. Here, Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais posted the fastest time in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. The French driver, already a four-time winner of the Sardinian event, was satisfied with the initial feeling, while acknowledging that the real challenge will come tomorrow when the rally intensifies with the first six of the 16 special stages scheduled for this edition.

“It’s a good start,” said Ogier. “This is a rally I’ve always enjoyed and won four times, although I’ve been unlucky in the last two years, especially last time. Now we need to optimise the car’s behaviour in the stages, especially as we didn’t test before the event. It’s going to be a tough rally, especially the final day with an all-new leg and a long, demanding stage. It will be decided only at the end.”

Toyota enjoyed a strong showing with four Rally1 cars setting the top four times. Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe were the fastest Hyundai crew in their i20 N Rally1, while Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy set the benchmark for M-Sport Ford with their Puma Rally1.

ACI Team Italia also got off to a strong start, with Roberto Daprà and Luca Guglielmetti setting the fastest time among the WRC2-registered crews and second in the Rally2 field behind Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – a crew not eligible for WRC2 points. Flying the Italian flag, Daprà and Guglielmetti found an excellent feeling with their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 and are ready to tackle the demanding Sardinian challenge, boosted by the warm support of the Italian fans.

“The shakedown went very well, we set a strong time and we’re really happy about that. Of course, it’s just a test and the rally stages are completely different, but it’s a good start. Now we need to push from the beginning because the first day will be intense, with challenging stages. We want to do well and honour our home event – for ourselves, for ACI Team Italia, our team, our partners, and everyone who supports us,” said Daprà.

Tomorrow’s action begins at 08:15, with the opening stage “Arzachena” starting at 09:01. The morning loop continues with the new “Telti - Calangianus - Berchidda” and the long “Sa Conchedda”, the longest test of the rally at 27.95 kilometres. Midday service is scheduled in Olbia at 14:05, before the second pass over the same three stages begins at 15:31 with SS4. Crews will tackle a total of 120.7 competitive kilometres, with the day concluding in Olbia from 19:55.

Also worth noting is the free concert by The Kolors on the Isola Bianca Main Stage at 22:00, the main event of the side programme. A shuttle bus service will be active from the “Olbia Arena” parking area to Cabu Abbas and the service park from 16:00 to 00:30.