JARI-MATTI LATVALA AND HAYDEN PADDON LED A STELLAR TURNOUT OF WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP STARS AT THE RALLYLEGEND FESTIVAL IN SAN MARINO AT THE WEEKEND.
The pair and their co-drivers Miikka Anttila and John Kennard took time out from their preparations for the RallyRACC Catalunya-Costa Daurada (22-25 October) to show off their WRC cars.
Thousands of spectators attended the four-day rally festival, which attracted more than 150 rally cars from the 1960s up to the present day – represented by Latvala’s Volkswagen Polo R and Paddon’s Hyundai 120 WRC.
They joined a host of former WRC drivers and cars including four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen, who drove a 1994 Toyota Celica ST 205, and two-time champion Miki Biasion who was reunited with a 1990 Lancia Delta Integrale. Another Lancia legend, Markku Alen, had an eventful appearance in a 1986 Delta S4 (see video below).
Latvala’s Polo R was the road opening zero car for the three-day rally, while Paddon, Biasion and Alen starred in the ‘Legend Stars’ demonstration category.
Kankkunen was an early leader on the competitive stages but retired on the opening day. French former Formula One driver Erik Comas went on to win the historic class in his 1974 Lancia Stratos.
Denis Colombini (Peugeot 306 Maxi) took honours in the WRC/KIT class while eight-time world motocross champion Tony Cairoli won the Myth Trophy in a Lancia Delta.
