History 2000s

2001 Rallye Sanremo – Rallye d’Italia (Italy)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2001 Rallye Sanremo – Rallye d’Italia (Italy)

Date: September 20–23, 2001

Start Location: Sanremo, Italy

Finish Location: Sanremo, Italy

Total Distance: ~1,050 km (estimated full route)

Competitive Stages: ~355 km

Surface: Asphalt

The 2001 Sanremo Rally returned to a fully asphalt format through the narrow, winding roads of the Italian Riviera. Piero Liatti, known for his tarmac prowess, delivered a brilliant and composed drive to win his home rally in front of adoring fans. It marked a rare non-works victory in a highly competitive WRC field and one of the highlights of Liatti’s career.

Route

Colle d’Oggia: A legendary uphill stage packed with hairpins and tarmac transitions — crucial for building early rhythm.
Bajardo: Flowing but technical — punished brake fade and overdriving on downhill segments.
Perinaldo: Extremely narrow and twisty with blind crests and frequent grip changes — demanded inch-perfect precision.

Sanremo’s asphalt stages wound through the Ligurian hills, featuring steep climbs, tight switchbacks, and little room for error. Key stages included:

Weather remained dry and sunny for most of the rally, favoring clean tarmac specialists like Liatti and placing tire compound choices at the forefront of team strategy.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Piero Liatti & Carlo Cassina · Subaru Impreza WRC
2nd Place
Gilles Panizzi & Hervé Panizzi · Peugeot 206 WRC
3rd Place
François Delecour & Daniel Grataloup · Ford Focus WRC

Liatti held his lead through consistent top-three stage finishes, while Panizzi showed his usual blistering speed on tarmac but lost time early. Delecour rounded out the podium with a clean, efficient drive that kept Ford in the manufacturer points battle.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Hairpin Mastery: Sanremo demanded perfect brake modulation and early turn-in on narrow, climbing hairpins.
  • Pace Note Timing: Visibility was limited in many corners — co-drivers played a huge role in keeping rhythm intact.
  • Pressure of a Home Win: Liatti handled expectations with grace, delivering one of the most satisfying results of his WRC tenure.

Piero Liatti’s win at Sanremo was a celebration of Italian rallying — a fan-favorite triumph forged through patience, precision, and mastery of tarmac driving.

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