Mārtiņš Sesks makes his mark: he is the King of Tandalò 2024

The Latvian takes the lead, setting a new Rally2 car record of 3’11.087. Henning Solberg and Valentino Ledda battle throughout the weekend to the delight of Sardinian fans. Spaniard Alfonso Gil Ventin is unbeatable in the kart-cross class. Buddusò drivers Stefano Marrone and Daniele Canu stand out.

Tandalò (SS), November 24, 2024 – Mārtiņš Sesks is the King of Tandalò 2024. Making his debut at the event organised by Tandalò Motorsport and drivEvent Adventure and held as a TER Promo Event, the Latvian driver delivered a commanding performance, co-driven by fellow Latvian Ralfs Igavens. He made the most of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 provided by Delta Rally, the same car that Kalle Rovanperä drove on its debut less than two weeks ago. This year, the Latvian driver has competed in three rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship, coming close to a podium finish at Tet Rally Latvia, and he was in a class of his own. On the climb that earned him the King of Tandalò title—the final and most eagerly awaited ascent, bringing a fantastic weekend to a close—Sesks stopped the clock at 3’11.087, setting a new record for Rally2 cars. He rounded off a perfect event by also winning the hillclimb, setting the fastest time on every climb in the programme and improving with every run. Sesks also won the Under 25 category, while Igavens received the special co-driver award in memory of Nicola Imperio, a pillar of the Tandalò Hillclimb. His daughter Michela presented the award amid applause from the large crowd at the prize-giving ceremony. “It’s been a spectacular weekend, and I’ve had a great time. Thanks to the organisers for inviting us, and to the really warm crowd for creating such a unique atmosphere. A technical course, lots of enthusiastic support—an outstanding event,” said Sesks. Second place in the Manscione, which decided the King of Tandalò title, was settled by just six thousandths of a second. Henning and Maud Solberg, in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, beat youngster Valentino Ledda and Claudio Mele in a photo finish. The two crews put on a fantastic battle throughout the weekend. The Manscione finish saw them in that order, but the results of the 8th Tandalò Hillclimb favoured the young Sardinian driver, who finished second behind Sesks-Igavens and ahead of Norwegian star Solberg. “Italy, what a spectacle. A fantastic race, passionate fans, sunshine, gravel, great food and racing cars. What more could you ask for? A big thank you for this opportunity,” said Henning Solberg. Ledda was the biggest surprise of the event, as even he did not expect to be so fast. “Before this edition of the Tandalò Gravel Hillclimb, I knew I wanted to give it everything, but honestly, I would have been very happy with a top-five finish. Battling Sesks and Solberg was a great feeling. We worked really well with the technical package, Pirelli tyres and the car prepared by Erreffe Rally Team. I’m very happy,” said Valentino Ledda. Mattia and Umberto Scandola took fourth and fifth place in their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars (Scuderia Movisport). Co-driven by Nicolò Gonella, Mattia finished just seconds ahead of Umberto, who was co-driven by Alessandro Campedelli. It was a great contest that would have continued into the final Manscione, where Umberto finished fourth, but a puncture on the first section of the course prevented Mattia from giving it his all. Rounding out the top ten were Edoardo Bresolin and Rudy Pollet (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2/Hawk Racing Team) in sixth place; the exceptionally fast Gil Alfonso Ventin in seventh, and first among the kart-cross competitors, after a superb drive in his Yacar 600, all the way from Spain. Ventin also won the Gravel Speed category, ahead of another Yacar 600 driven by fellow Spaniard Javier Ramilo Quejo. Third place went to Piacenza driver Christian Tiramani, who returned to his Planet Kart Cross 850 after a year away, during which he competed in Rally2 in the Italian Gravel Rally Championship. Simone Romagna took eighth overall in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 (Hawk Racing Team), bravely opting to compete without a co-driver. Ninth place went to the first crew from Buddusò, Stefano Marrone and Daniele Canu, in a Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo (Team Autoservice Sport). In tenth were fellow Buddusò residents Davide Biancu and Giovanni Maria Mazzone, in another Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo entered by Team Autoservice Sport. All the women competitors were presented with flowers in recognition of their participation. The women’s classification was won by Rachele Somaschini, co-driven by her partner Mattia Pedraglio in a Citroën C3 Rally2. Once again, she brought the #correreperunrespiro message to Tandalò, a project raising funds for the Italian Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation. In the individual categories, Federico Cannas won Cross Country Rally in a Mitsubishi Pajero, while Czech driver Lukas Cerveny topped the Rally Cross category in a Škoda Fabia Proto. Luca Sanna and his much-loved Fiat 127 were applauded for their win in the Historic Rally category. The Slalom podium consisted entirely of Fiat Unos, with Salvatore Sanna, Ignazio Marcello Boi and Antonio Maricosu taking the top three places, in that order. Duilio Lonardi and Stefania Paganelli (Can-Am BRP) won the Off-Road Speed category, ahead of Ivano Nicoletta (500X), with Fabio Gibertini (Can Am 1000) in third. “It’s been an emotional weekend, starting with the run-up to the event, when bad weather delayed the ferries carrying all the cars. We kept working, and thanks to everyone’s collaboration, we celebrated our best edition yet. I think the spectators had a great time. Our thanks go to the Sardinia Region, the municipalities involved, all our staff, and last but not least, our partners, whose support makes all this possible,” said event organisers Gigi Satta and Rudy Briani.