Congratulations to Luca Rossetti – the 2011 European Rally Champion
Luca Rossetti and Matteo Chiarcossi, with their Abarth Grande Punto S2000, earnt the mathematical certainty, at the Rallye du Valais, of being European Champions for the third time, the first crew to do so in the history of the continental series. The European Championship is the international motorsport series with the longest tradition, the first edition dates back to 1953 while the World Championship has been held since 1973. Luca Rossetti said: “I dedicate the victory to Ing. Wester (CEO of Abarth n.d.r.) who has always believed in me, and to all the people at Abarth. I am proud to have won this title with an Italian car. For me it is an honour to race with them, I hope with this win to have repaid them for their trust. Our season has been troubled as we have sometimes had problems, but this only gives a better taste to the result we obtained. I thank all those who contributed to this success, and in particular Michelin and United Business, who has been taking care of my sports management for years”. At the Rallye du Valais, Luca Rossetti ended the first leg in second place overall, first among the drivers of the European Championship, however the end of the leg offered a small thrill as 2 kms from the end of the third special stage the gearbox broke, an issue that did not prevent the Abarth crew from ending the first day in the lead and gaining the vital points necessary to win the continental title.
ERC Standings 2011
FIA European Rally Champioship 2011 has finished and here are the final standings. The calendar was divided into two groups, respectively with the first 5 events and last 6 events of the year. The maximum number of results counting for the general classification was 4 in each group. In total, the 8 best results of the season were considered for the general classification. In order to be classified in the final standings of the championship, drivers had to participate in a minimum of 5 events, with at least 1 rally in each group of events.
Previous ERC Champions
Abarth have enjoyed many rally wins and overall championships including the Fiat 131 Abarth, Fiat 124 Abarth and now (again) the Abarth Punto S2000 rally cars:
Year Champion Car(s)
1953 Helmut Polensky (D) Porsche 356 Coupé / Fiat 1100
1954 Walter Schlüter (D) DKW 1000
1955 Werner Engel (D) Mercedes
1956 Walter Schock (D) Mercedes 220 / Mercedes 300 SL
1957 Ruprecht Hopfen (D) Borgward / Saab
1958 Gunnar Andersson (S) Volvo PV 444 / Volvo PV 544
1959 Paul Coltelloni (F) Alfa Romeo / Citroën ID 19
1960 Walter Schock (D) Mercedes 220 SE
1961 Hans-Joachim Walter (D) Porsche Carrera 356 Coupé S90
1962 Eugen Böhringer (D) Mercedes 220 SE
1963 Gunnar Andersson (S) Volvo 122 S / Volvo PV 544
1964 Tom Trana (S) Volvo 544 S
1965 Rauno Aaltonen (FI) BMC Mini Cooper S 1275
1966 (G1)Lillebror Nasenius (S) Opel Rekord
1966 (G2)Sobiesław Zasada (P) BMC Mini Cooper S 1275 / Steyr-Puch 650 TR
1966 (G3)Günther Klass (D) Porsche 911
1967 (G1)Sobiesław Zasada (P) Porsche 911 S / Porsche 912
1967 (G2)Bengt Söderström (S) Ford Lotus Cortina
1967 (G3)Vic Elford (Gbr) Porsche 911 S
1968 Pauli Toivonen (FI) Porsche 911 T
1969 Harry Källström (S) Lancia Fulvia 1.3 Coupé HF / Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
1970 Jean-Claude Andruet (F) Alpine-Renault A110 1600
1971 Sobiesław Zasada (P) BMW 2002 TI
1972 Raffaele Pinto (I) Fiat 124 Sport Spyder
1973 Sandro Munari (I) Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
1974 Walter Röhrl (D) Opel Ascona A
1975 Maurizio Verini (I) Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
1976 Bernard Darniche (F) Lancia Stratos HF
1977 Bernard Darniche (F) Lancia Stratos HF
1978 Tony Carello (I) Lancia Stratos HF
1979 Jochi Kleint (D) Opel Ascona B / Opel Kadett GT/E
1980 Antonio Zanini (E) Porsche 911 SC / Ford Escort RS1800
1981 Adartico Vudafieri (I) Fiat 131 Abarth
1982 ‘Tony’ (I) Opel Ascona 400
1983 Miki Biasion (I) Lancia Rally 037
1984 Carlo Capone (I) Lancia Rally 037
1985 Dario Cerrato (I) Lancia Rally 037
1986 Fabrizio Tabaton (I) Lancia Delta S4 (Abarth)
1987 Dario Cerrato (I) Lancia Delta HF 4WD (Abarth)
1988 Fabrizio Tabaton (I) Lancia Delta Integrale / Lancia Delta HF 4WD (Abarth)
1989 Yves Loubet (F) Lancia Delta Integrale (Abarth)
1990 Robert Droogmans (B) Lancia Delta Integrale 16V (Abarth)
1991 Piero Liatti (I) Lancia Delta Integrale 16V (Abarth)
1992 Erwin Weber (D) Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
1993 César Baroni (F) Ford Escort RS Cosworth / Lancia Delta HF Integrale (Abarth)
1994 Patrick Snijers (B) Ford Escort RS Cosworth
1995 Enrico Bertone (I) Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1996 Armin Schwarz (D) Toyota Celica GT-Four
1997 Krzysztof Hołowczyc (P) Subaru Impreza 555
1998 Andrea Navarra (I) Subaru Impreza 555
1999 Enrico Bertone (I) Renault Mégane Maxi
2000 Henrik Lundgaard (Den) Toyota Corolla WRC
2001 Armin Kremer (D) Toyota Corolla WRC
2002 Renato Travaglia (I) Peugeot 206 WRC
2003 Bruno Thiry (B) Peugeot 206 WRC
2004 Simon Jean-Joseph (F) Renault Clio S1600
2005 Renato Travaglia (I) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 / Renault Clio S1600
2006 Giandomenico Basso (I) Fiat Punto Abarth S2000
2007 Simon Jean-Joseph (F) Citroen C2 S1600
2008 Luca Rossetti (I) Peugeot 207 S2000
2009 Giandomenico Basso (I) Fiat Punto Abarth S2000
2010 Luca Rossetti (I) Fiat Punto Abarth S2000
2011 Luca Rossetti (I) Fiat Punto Abarth S2000
