Basso second in Rally Due Valli

© ACI Sport ItaliaSecond in the final rally, second overall in 2015. Given they nearly dropped to place three, it's not bad at all

The one to take victory home was Umberto Scandola (with co-driver Guido D'Amore) in a Skoda Fabia R5, in fact Basso's greatest rival this season – the first spot of the standings was beyond either's reach, so instead they fought hard for the second place. After the Rally di Roma Capitale round Scandola (who also won there) was just 4 points behind Basso (driving an LPG-powered Ford Fiesta R5 LDI) and could have still overtaken BRC Racing Team's driver to become the season's runner-up. Paolo Andreucci (with 84 points after the Rally di Roma Capitale) made a series of mistakes this time, but managed to finish third nonetheless, thus securing the championship (which was inevitable anyway). And since Andreucci drives a Peugeot 208 T16 R5, the French marque won their 9^th manufacturers' title in the Italian Rally Championship series.

© ACI Sport ItaliaBasso, Granai and their autogas-powered Fiesta fought hard, but have to make do with second place. Better luck next season!

But let's go back to Basso and Scandola, because that's where the emotions were. Having won the season's final round, the latter did all he could have done to advance from spot three to two, but Basso came second (after all, he wanted the vice-chapionship, too) and kept his position by a single point (66 to 65). Incidentally, Ford secured the manufacturers' vice-championship, but by a broader margin – 20 points behind Peugeot, yet 38 ahead of Skoda. Being third in the final round, Paolo Andreucci concludes the season with 88 points. As for the three-actor theatre, it really was – the other drivers were so far behind they couldn't have fought for medals (Chardonnet, who was fourth, only gathered 28 points). Congratulations to the 2015 champion, no less to the vice-champion (for driving an LPG-powered car) and to the second runner-up Scandola (for fighting until the very end). We already can't wait for the 2016 season to begin!

Overall standings of the Rally Due Valli:

1. Umberto Scandola/Guido D'Amore (Skoda Fabia R5): 1:43'13.5;
2. Giandomenico Basso/Lorenzo Granai (Ford Fiesta R5 LDI): +34.6;
3. Paolo Andreucci/Anna Andreussi (Peugeot 208 T16 R5): +1'10.4.

Final standings of the 2015 Italian Rally Championship:

1. Paolo Andreucci/Anna Andreussi – 88 pts;
2. Giandomenico Basso/Lorenzo Granai – 66 pts;
3. Umberto Scandola/Guido D'Amore – 65 pts.