Two-time Rally di Roma winner Crugnola set a strong pace in his Citroën C3 Rally2 across a trio of tricky asphalt stages, held in hot temperatures, to open up a slender 0.7sec lead over compatriot, and fellow Pirelli driver Giandomenico Basso.
FIA European Rally Championship title contender Andrea Mabellini ended the loop in third [+1.1sec], two tenths ahead of championship leader Marczyk, who set the pace for most of the morning before a late error.
Marczyk had dominated the first two stages of Saturday morning. The Michelin Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver started the day in seventh after Friday night’s super special stage in Rome with the famous Colosseum in the backdrop. The Polish driver leapt into the rally lead after sharing the fastest time with Basso, while Crugnola was seven tenths slower, following a short blast through the 6.47km Collepardo Pozzo d’Antullo stage, that kicked off the morning.
Marczyk then survived a moment at high speed when he ran slightly off the road in the mammoth stage three (Torre di Cicerone 1 – 34.57 km) Despite the error, Marczyk won the stage by 2.3s from Crugnola to extend his lead to 2.6sec.
However, the lead changed hands in the final stage of the loop (Santopadre 1 – 13.05 km) when Marczyk misjudged a braking point towards the end of the stage and overshot a junction. The error cost Marczyk 4.5sec, dropping him from the lead to fourth.
Miko Marczyk had set the early pace
© ERC
“I overshot a right hand corner unfortunately, but I hope we still have the speed. We need to come back for the second loop with consistent driving like we did in the first and second stages,” said Marczyk.
“There was [a moment in the previous one] but fortunately we came back with good speed. We will do our best to keep the pace with the good guys.”
The local drivers made the most of their knowledge as they challenged Europe’s best. Italy’s Simone Campedelli completed the morning in fifth, ahead of countryman Boštjan Avbelj, who held the rally lead overnight after winning Friday’s super special.
Mads Østberg delivered a strong and clever drive throughout the loop to hold seventh in front of WRC2 winner Roberto Dapra. The top 10 was rounded out by 2022 ERC champion Efrén Llarena and Jakob Matulka. Llarena had impressed while getting used to his new Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, before a half spin in stage four cost the Spaniard time.
Armstrong battled understeer on Saturday morning
© ERC
It proved to be a difficult morning for M-Sport-Ford World Rally Team’s Jon Armstrong, who struggled to find the rhythm and battled understeer behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta Rally2, particularly in the long stage three. Armstrong ended the morning in 15th position.
“I tried to be a little bit slower [in the final stage of the loop] and try not to work the tyres too much, and we made a small set up change which seems like a better direction. I think we still need to see if we can improve it more, but it has been a tricky morning loop,” said Armstrong.
It was also challenging for ERC Hungary winner Roope Korhonen and WRC2 driver Jan Solans as the MRF-equipped drivers attempted to learn Rome’s unfamiliar and challenging asphalt roads. The pair headed into the afternoon loop in 17th and 22nd overall respectively.
Sweden’s Mille Johansson split the pair in 21st after the Hankook-shod driver recovered from a power steering failure in stage three.
Basso led the Master ERC class from Antonio Rusce by 1minute10.7sec. In ERC3, Tymek Abramowski topped the class by 0.2sec from Tristan Charpentier, with Hubert Kowalczyk, 20.2sec in arrears.
Calle Carlberg set the pace in Junior ERC, powering his Opel Corsa Rally4 into an 11.3sec lead over the Peugeot 208 Rally4 piloted by Sergi Pérez.
The crews will repeat the stages this afternoon to conclude Saturday’s action.