Italy’s Andrea Zivian and co-driver Nicola Arena earned their third FIA Motorsport Games gold medal by powering to victory in the Historic Rally Tarmac competition on Saturday.
The pair charged to the top step of the podium in the Historic Rally Gravel class on Friday to add to their win in the 2022 edition of the “Race of Nations”.
At the wheel of his Audi quattro, “Zippo” kept up the hot streak by marching to five wins across the six asphalt stages that comprised the Historic Rally Tarmac schedule on Saturday.
Also setting the pace in the day’s ending Super Special Stage at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, the Team Italy crew bolted to another gold medal with a final winning margin of 4:10.9s over silver winners Antonio Sainz / Carlos Cancel (Porsche 911 SC) for Games host nation Spain.
Sweden’s Tarmac line-up of Christer Hedlund / Ida Lidebjer-Granberg claimed the bronze aboard their Ford Escort RS1800.
In the Historic Rally Overall ranking, which adds contestants’ Gravel and Tarmac stage times together, the United Kingdom’s mixed-surface entry of Ben Mellors / Alex Lee ended the day in top spot.
The Toyota Celica runners will now battle against the Spanish and Italian sides in Sunday’s crucial Medals Stage. The leading three teams will race head-to-head around a rallycross-style course at Circuit Ricardo Tormo to determine the final pecking order.
The contest for the gold, silver and bronze medals starts at 17:05 local time.