The eagerness will get you going first. Then the flares and bangers. The spotlights. The tyre smoke. The anti-lag and the wail of revs. Release regulate and squealing tires. It’s nice to be again at Rally Legend.

Its been over 4 years since my remaining seek advice from to San Marino, and not in all my travels have I appeared ahead to an tournament slightly like this one. I want this to be excellent. Like many others, I’ve felt the cruelness of rallying erode my love for it, however Thursday night time’s Rally Legend prologue has lit a spark another time.

I arrived at Rally Legend Village overdue within the night time to seek out the encircling hills already packed, tens of folks deep in some spaces.

Everybody’s right here to have the entire spectrum of rallying distilled down right into a unmarried night time’s leisure, and boy did it ship.

Since my remaining seek advice from, Rally Legend as a logo and an tournament has grown exponentially. The 2023 access record is chock stuffed with riding superstars, and maximum WRC groups now swing via the microstate to position on a display.

Hyundai have Dani Sordo throwing round an i20 Coupe WRC…

Whilst Toyota Gazoo Racing crew boss Jari-Matti Latvala will probably be wrestling the all-conquering GR Yaris Rally1 across the levels over the weekend.

In spite of their numbers, it’s essential by no means lose interest of the best array of 555 Subaru Imprezas ever assembled as they ripped across the opening Legends Race spectator level.

And quite a lot of different Subarus peppered the access record too.

Call to mind any WRC automotive, and maximum are right here.

That comes with the entire Crew A titans that made ’90s rallying so extremely a success.

Or even throw in a couple of EKS-built Audi A1 International Rallycross Championship Supercars for excellent measure.

Even if just a amusing ‘warm-up’ prior to 3 days of correct particular levels, some had been on a push, whilst others driven past the restrict.

Thursday night time in San Marino jogged my memory why I really like rallying, and this weekend is an opportunity to cement that feeling additional. You should definitely take a look at again in subsequent week for a complete overview of Rally Legend 2023, as I’ve slightly scratched the outside.

Cian Donnellan
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