Abarth

Keyword: Abarth

Last act of the 2020 racing season for Abarth: Finale in…

3 December 2020
of Jan-Christopher Sierks

– At the Rally in Monza, the two Italians Andrea Mabellini and Roberto Gobbin, the leader and fourth in the R-GT Cup, will be starting for Abarth.
– Mabellini comes to Lombardy as the new champion of the Abarth Rally Cup.
– At the same time, the final round of the Italian Formula 4 powered by Abarth will take place on the Vallelunga racetrack.

As the newly crowned champion of the 2020 Abarth Rally Cup, the young Italian Andrea Mabellini will be competing in the ACI Rally Monza this weekend. This race is the final round of the WRC World Championship and thus also of the FIA R-GT Cup. The brand with the scorpion in its logo has won this “Gran Turismo World Championship” in the last two years: in 2018, the Frenchman Raphaël Astier won and last year the Italian Enrico Brazzoli won with the Abarth 124 rally.

This weekend, Mabellini will be racing alongside Virginia Lenzi. In 2017, on his debut in Monza, he and this co-driver took an excellent second place in the R-GT class - behind Andrea Nucita. Roberto Gobbin is also taking part in the ACI Rally Monza. His partner in the Abarth 124 rally is Alessandro Cervi. The two Italians are currently in fourth place in the R-GT Cup.

As the final stage of the WRC World Championship, the ACI Rally Monza once again represents a major challenge: not only is the route, which includes some gravel roads and the serpentines of the Bergamasca Mountains, complex - the weather conditions in Lombardy are also changeable and difficult at this time of year.

The race begins on Thursday, December 3rd at 13:50 p.m. on the Monza track with the first special stage. The rally continues on Friday and Saturday (December 4th and 5th) - again with exciting special stages. The final day is Sunday, December 6th: six more special stages await the drivers in the Bergamasca mountains until the end of the race at midday. A total of 513 kilometers have to be covered, including two time trials with a total length of 241 kilometers.

The current status of the FIA R-GT Cup before the final:

1. Luc Caprasse (BEL, Abarth 124 rally) and Andrea Mabellini (ITA, Abarth 124 rally), 25 points each
3. Petr Nešetřil (CZE, Porsche 997 GT3), 18 points
4. Roberto Gobbin (ITA, Abarth 124 rally), 15 points
5. Dariusz Poloński (POL, Abarth 124 rally), 12 points

At the same time as the Monza Rally, the last three races of the Italian Formula 4 powered by Abarth will be held in Sicily, at the Autodromo Vallelunga. In this championship, promising young racing drivers will compete against each other in high-performance single-seaters powered by Abarth engines.

30 drivers from 19 nations will be competing on the final weekend. After the Italian Gabriele Minì (Prema Powerteam) has mathematically won the championship, the battle for second place is still on.

The Italian Francesco Pizzi (Van Amersfoort Racing) has the best chances, currently with 191 points. His closest rival is the Swede Dino Beganovic (Prema Powerteam) with 168 points. But the Italian Andrea Rosso (CRAM Motorsport) also has a chance of taking the runner-up spot with 139 points.

The schedule for the weekend includes two practice sessions on Friday 4 December. On Saturday 5 December, qualifying rounds will take place at 9:50 and 10:15. The first of the three races will start at 14:2. Races 3 and 6 will start on Sunday 10 December at 15:XNUMX and XNUMX:XNUMX.

The current status of the Italian Formula 4 powered by Abarth before the finale:

1. Gabriele Minì (ITA, Prema Powerteam), 276 points, early champion of the 2020 season
2. Francesco Pizzi (ITA, Van Amersfoort Racing), 191 points
3. Dino Beganovic (SWE, Prema Powerteam), 168 points
4. Andrea Rosso (ITA; Cram Motorsport), 139 points
5. Gabriel Bortoleto (BRA, Prema Powerteam), 133 points

Press contact:
Anne Wollek
Phone: +49 69 66988-450
Email: anne.wollek@fcagroup.com

© Photo: FCA Group

News

FCA Heritage celebrates fifth birthday

30 November 2020
of Jan-Christopher Sierks

– Since 2015, the Classic Cars division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has been protecting and promoting the heritage of the Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Abarth brands through special services and cultural activities.
– Close collaboration with the most prestigious art and design museums in the world.
– Since 2017, the permanent collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has housed a 500 Fiat 1968 that was restored by FCA Heritage and then donated.
– FCA Heritage takes part in numerous trade fairs, beauty contests and other classic car events in Europe, America and Asia with classic cars from its own collection.
– FCA Heritage’s headquarters is the Heritage Hub in Turin, inaugurated in 2019.
– The multifunctional complex in the former Mirafiori plant also provides a home for an exhibition with over 300 automotive icons.
– Officine Classiche workshops offer restoration and certification services for private collectors, as well as the company’s own “Reloaded by Creators” program.
– New spare parts service Heritage Parts. FCA Heritage is also present on social networks and has its own website (www.fcaheritage.com).

FCA Heritage, the division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) for classic vehicles of the Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia brands, is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

This date is an important milestone for FCA Heritage to look to the future with dynamism and to further expand the range of services and activities in the fields of education, sport and culture. The employees at the Heritage Hub, FCA Heritage's headquarters in Turin, which opened in 2019, are approaching this with full enthusiasm.

"The name FCA Heritage says it all. Heritage is a term that is often used in Italy as a synonym for tradition and history. In perhaps the more literal translation, heritage also means a legacy that must be passed on," says Roberto Giolito, Head of FCA Heritage.

"For us, the creation of FCA Heritage in 2015 meant giving a broader view of the entire heritage of our brands, represented by history and traditions. Not just a recognition, but an enhancement, not just a preservation, but a revival. This invaluable legacy continues to inspire our vehicle models of tomorrow. These are of course more sustainable and better connected than the classics of our brands, which preserve the world-famous style of 'Made in Italy' for posterity."

collaboration with renowned art and design museums
Over the past five years, FCA Heritage has established significant partnerships with some of the world's most prestigious museums, creating a wide-ranging network for exchange with the international cultural scene. The result of this cooperation is, among others, loans to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Musée National de la Voiture in Compiègne (France), the Triennale Design Museum in Milan (Italy), the Technik Museum in Sinsheim, the National Automobile Museum in Turin (Italy) and the "Museum of Emotions", which was established in 2016 in the Complejo Duques de Pastrana in the Spanish capital Madrid.

A similar initiative was taken to track down and restore a 500 Fiat 1968. FCA Heritage donated the iconic car to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York on the occasion of its 60th anniversary. At MoMa, the Fiat 500 is now part of the permanent collection. This prestigious move represents a great recognition of the historical importance and symbolic value of the Fiat 500 in the 1950s. The historic Fiat Cinquecento is an icon of Italian style, embodying many features of the great modernist designs of the period.

The relationships with these prestigious cultural institutions have inspired one of the services that FCA Heritage has been offering since 2018. As part of the "Reloaded by Creators" program, FCA Heritage acquires selected vintage cars, restores them, certifies them and then resells them. The proceeds are used to purchase historically significant vehicles for its own collection. The major art museums also work according to this principle to finance the acquisition and restoration of masterpieces.

Participation in major events for classic cars
FCA Heritage's automotive treasures are not only exhibited in the world's most famous museums, but have also been on display at major exhibitions and industry events. The classic cars have traveled to more than 20 countries in Europe, the home of FCA Heritage, but also in America and Asia. Examples of this include participation in several editions of the "Goodwood Festival of Speed" in Great Britain, the "Classic Days" at Schloss Dyck and the Targa Florio classic car rally on the Mediterranean island of Sicily.

In 2016, John Elkann, President of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, started at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ in the 100th edition of the Targa Florio. In addition to these driving dynamics events, FCA Heritage was also active in various beauty contests for vintage cars. For example, an Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 Coupé, better known as the "Disco Volante" (Flying Saucer), thrilled the crowd at the 2018 Concours d'Elegance at Nijō Castle in Kyoto (Japan). In 2016, the Brabham-Alfa Romeo BT1 Formula 45 car won its class in Amelia Island (Florida, USA).

These activities represent just a small part of the work that FCA Heritage does to make the masterpieces of Italian automotive engineering better known around the world. Thanks to the technical support of the in-house workshop Officine Classiche, some of these rarities have also played an important role in prestigious classic car rallies. One example is the unique Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Super Sport from 1928, which is in the collection of the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese and which won the 2019 Mille Miglia, the most important regularity event in the world for classic cars.

The renovated Officine Classiche, the in-house workshop for classic vehicles
FCA Heritage has just inaugurated the new Officine Classiche, the in-house restoration and certification workshop. The Officine Classiche offers some of the services most sought after by classic car enthusiasts, including the creation of certificates of authenticity, advice on technical issues and workshop services, right up to complete restorations. Expanded and fundamentally modernized in its appearance and spatial layout, the Officine Classiche represents a new flagship for FCA Heritage.

The workshops were opened in 2015 on an area of around 900 square meters in workshop 83 of the former Fiat Mirafiori factory in Turin. Today, the Officine Classiche covers an area of around 6.000 square meters and has twelve lifting platforms and numerous special machine tools. The equipment also includes a paint booth specially designed for processing individual parts.

The Officine Classiche carries out all repair, restoration and certification work on classic cars of the brands Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Abarth. This service is available to both the in-house collection and private collectors. Since 2015, the Officine Classiche has already carried out dozens of restorations and issued around 500 certificates to classic car owners from all over the world. Customers came from Japan, the USA, Costa Rica and Thailand, and even from the Caribbean island of Antigua.

The modernization of the Officine Classiche, which also included an adaptation to the new corporate identity of FCA Heritage, pays tribute to the historic industrial complex of Mirafiori. The walls of the workshops are now decorated with striking contemporary photos and graphics from the history of the Turin plant, where some of the FCA brands' most famous vehicle models were built.

Heritage Parts – the new program with spare parts for classic vehicles
One of FCA Heritage’s most fascinating projects is Heritage Parts, the program of spare parts for classic cars, developed in collaboration between FCA Heritage and Mopar^®, FCA's spare parts brand. Launched at the end of 2019, the program began with the front and rear bumpers for Lancia Delta HF Integrale and Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione.

These bumpers, which Heritage Parts sells through FCA's authorized workshop and dealer network or through Mopar's online store, are manufactured on preserved original molds, like other parts from the Heritage Parts range. This strategy guarantees a perfect fit and full compliance with current type approvals. The reproduction of other original spare parts is planned.

Another specialty of FCA Heritage is the "Fiat Abarth 2019 Classiche Kit", introduced in 595. The new edition of a tuning kit from 1963 includes all the components that Abarth offered at the time to increase the performance of the Fiat 500. While retaining the original design, a wooden box contains all the parts needed to upgrade the engine of historic Fiat 500s or to repair classic Fiat Abarth 595s.

For more information about this product, please visit the Store section of the FCA Heritage website (address at the end of the text).

Heritage Hub – a symbolic place that connects history with the future
The headquarters of FCA Heritage is the Heritage Hub in Turin. The modern and creative complex allows a contemporary look at the great history of the Fiat, Lancia and Abarth brands, which are closely linked to the northern Italian city, as well as Alfa Romeo, which has its roots in Milan.

In 2019, the Heritage Hub opened in Officina 81 within the Mirafiori industrial complex. The building has retained its industrial flair. Walls, floors and the columns supporting the roof were restored using the original colors and materials. The historically correct colors of mustard and green, the concrete floor and the metal columns dominate the image.

Visitors can admire an exhibition about the history of the Mirafiori plant. Photographs and texts tell the stories and events that took place in this factory in an impressive way. But the heart of the Heritage Hub is a unique exhibition of automotive classics. More than 15.000 cars are on display in an area of 300 square meters, legendary gems from the collections of the FCA brands. Some of the vehicles are being presented to the public for the first time.

The Heritage Hub is also an educational hub, a three-dimensional archive that is constantly being expanded. One example is the latest addition to the exhibition: the new, all-electric Fiat 500. The model on display is the one that was presented to the Italian President Sergio Mattarella in the gardens of the Palazzo del Quirinale on July 3, 2020.

FCA Heritage on social media
From the very beginning, FCA Heritage's own website has been its online showcase. The portal provides information in four languages - including German - to the international community of classic car enthusiasts who contact FCA Heritage to request information, services and advice.

To provide additional access to the wealth of knowledge and activities, FCA Heritage is also represented on the social networks Instagram and Facebook. More than ten million visitors have already found out about locations, services, activities and events here. The company's own YouTube channel has been online since 2016 and has already recorded more than nine million hits.

FCA Heritage's social media channels also offer plenty of space for stories and people behind FCA brands' automobiles. Fans can also interact directly with the FCA Heritage team by uploading photos and experiences with their classic cars.

FCA Heritage on the Internet:
Homepage: http://www.fcaheritage.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/fcaheritage
Instagram: @fcaheritage.official
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fcaheritage.official

Press contact:
Sascha Wolfinger
Phone: +49 69 66988-357
Email: sascha.wolfinger@fcagroup.com

© Photo: FCA Group

News

At the Rally Islas Canarias, the Italian Andrea…

30 November 2020
of Jan-Christopher Sierks

– Mabellini also achieved an excellent 2nd place in the ERC2 European Championship.
– In the 2020 Abarth Rally Cup, Dariusz Polonski wins the last race on Gran Canaria.

It was a high-class finale at a showstopper rally on the Canary Islands – followed by an award ceremony for the champion of the 2020 Abarth Rally Cup, which is part of the FIA ERC European Championship.

Dariusz Polonski and his co-driver Lukasz Sitek won the last race in the Abarth Rally Cup. The two Poles, who drove for the Rallytechnology team, won ahead of champion Andrea Mabellini and his co-driver Nicolò Gonella.

Although he was mathematically already champion before the start, Andrea Mabellini ended his season in Gran Canaria with another great performance: not only did he finish second in the Abarth Rally Cup, but he also finished second in the overall standings of the ERC2 championship. A third place in this category was enough for the "runner-up title". However, this category, which is reserved for four-wheel drive vehicles with turbo engines and the "Gran Turismo" RGT, was also hotly contested in the Canary Islands.

The Canary Islands Rally was heavily influenced by the weather: sudden storms with heavy rain made tire selection difficult. But even in conditions favorable for 124x2s, the Abarth 9,1 showed that it is absolutely competitive as the most powerful car in the ERCXNUMX category. Dariusz Polonski controlled the first stage of the race, but lost well over a minute on the second day. But the Pole was able to catch up with great skill, so that in the end he was only XNUMX seconds away from class victory.

Andrea Mabellini: "The weekend was difficult for us, but we are very pleased with our consistency throughout the championship. It was an incredible experience and I was able to learn a lot. The rallies were all long and complex. I would like to thank everyone who made it possible for me to drive such different routes at such a high level."

For Mabellini, however, the 2020 season is not over yet. The Italian will compete in the R-GT Cup at the ACI Rally Monza next Friday. And then the new champion in the Abarth Rally Cup will also be fighting for class victory here: he is currently in second place in the overall standings. The Belgian Jean Luc Caprasse, who also drives an Abarth 2 rally, is in the lead.

The final ranking in the Abarth Rally Cup 2020:

1. Andrea Mabellini (ITA, Napoca Rally), 93 points
2. Martin Rada (CZE, Agrotec Abarth), 43 points
3. Roberto Gobbin (ITA, Winners Rally Team), 36 points
4. Dariusz Polonski (POL, Rallytechnology), 25 points

Press contact:
Anne Wollek
Phone: +49 69 66988-450
Email: anne.wollek@fcagroup.com

© Photo: FCA Group

News

Rally Islas Canarias: Grand finale of the 2020 season in…

27 November 2020
of Jan-Christopher Sierks

– With the Rally Islas Canarias, the FIA ERC European Championship and the Abarth Rally Cup enter the final round of the 2020 season.
– For Andrea Mabellini, the start in the Canary Islands is the culmination of a successful season.
– The Italian will be officially named champion of the Abarth Rally Cup by the ERC at the upcoming race weekend.

After the cancellation of the Belgian Spa Rally, which was supposed to be the last race of this year's ERC competitions, it was clear that the 2020 Abarth Rally Cup would go to the 21-year-old driver Mabellini. The driver from Brescia has three victories to his name: he won the rallies in Rome, Fafe-Montelongo (Portugal) and Hungary.

Mabellini and his compatriot Nicolò Gonella will be competing in Gran Canaria for the Napoca Rally Team. The newly crowned champion has set himself a new goal: he would like to win the title in the ERC124 category, i.e. the R-GTS and the four-wheel drive cars with turbochargers, with the Abarth 2 rally. He is currently in third place with a good chance.

The rally on the third largest Canary Island is scenically unique and challenging: the road surface is partly made of volcanic lava, which is particularly abrasive when it rains. This means that the surface not only offers a lot of grip, but also ensures significantly more tire wear. The route is characterized by long climbs and descents, but also by a rapid change between fast straights and tight corners.

The Islas Canarias Rally is the ideal terrain for the Abarth 124 rally and its setup. In 2019, the vehicle dominated the ERC2 category with the two Spaniards Alberto Monarri and Alberto Chamorro.

In addition to Mabellini, the Rallytechnology team with Polish driver Dariusz Polonski and his co-driver Lukasz Sitek will once again compete in the Abarth Rally Cup.

The race begins on Thursday 26 November at 17.15pm at the Estadio de Gran Canaria in Las Palmas, with the actual starting signal for the qualifying phase at 20.15pm. The first stage will start on Friday 27 at 9.30am and will end at 21.30pm after nine special stages.

The last part of the race will take place on Saturday, the 28th, from 9.00 a.m. to around 16.30:559 p.m. On the final day, eight more special stages await the crews. The route is 17 kilometers long in total, and 202 special stages must be completed, spread over XNUMX kilometers of time trials.

The event will take place "behind closed doors" - i.e. without spectators - due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, fans can stream live coverage of four special stages on Facebook and via the ERC's YouTube channel. The channel will provide timely action updates throughout the entire race. Highlights of the Rally Islas Canarias will be shown on the TV channel Eurosport.

The current ranking in the Abarth Rally Cup before the Rally Islas Canarias: 1. Andrea Mabellini (ITA, Napoca Rally), 75 points; 2. Martin Rada (CZE, Agrotec Abarth) 43; 3. Roberto Gobbin (ITA, Winners Rally Team) 36.

After the European Championship, Abarth continues the rally season in Italy with the ACI Rally Monza. This official final round of the WRC World Championship and the R-GT Cup will take place from 4 to 6 December.

Press contact:
Anne Wollek
Phone: +49 69 66988-450
Email: anne.wollek@fcagroup.com

News

Gabriele Minì (15) is the new champion of the Italian Formula…

24 November 2020
of Jan-Christopher Sierks

– For the first time, an Italian won the Formula 4 powered by Abarth in his home country.
– With a win and two second places in last weekend’s races in Imola, Gabriele Minì is the new champion.
– Before the last three races in Vallelunga, he has mathematically secured the title.

The young Italian Gabriele Minì from the Prema Powerteam has won this year's Italian Formula 4 powered by Abarth with a strong victory and two second places at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

Before the final race weekend, Minì is the new champion – thanks to an outstanding performance: four wins and eleven podium finishes testify to incredible consistency in the Abarth-powered single-seater.

The performance is all the more impressive as the 15-year-old Italian, who is a member of the ACI Team Italia program, held his own as a newcomer against 40 pilots from 22 countries.

Minì was already the fastest in the Imola qualifying and started from the front row in all three races. His Italian colleagues Francesco Pizzi (Van Amersfoort Racing) and Andrea Rosso (CRAM Motorsport), who were his direct competitors in the championship, did not find the right setup and had to settle for lower positions on the starting grid.

Minì showed his extraordinary maturity in the first race: he started from pole position and held the lead until the end. Behind him, his Swedish teammate Dino Beganovic fought with the American Jak Crawford (Van Amersfoort Racing) for second place. The other two title contenders finished the first race at a distance. Both Pizzi in ninth and Rosso in eleventh were without any points.

Minì started the second race from the front row - next to Beganovic, who was on pole. The race was interrupted several times by the safety car because several cars touched each other and went off the track. Beganovic kept the lead throughout the race, while Minì successfully kept Crawford at bay and confidently brought home a second place. This also increased the distance to Pizzi and Rosso, who again failed to score any points.

Minì started the third race again alongside Beganovic from the front row - the Swede from pole, the Italian from second place. The two maintained their respective positions in the first laps until Crawford "caught" Beganovic and then Minì. The overall leader was then careful not to make any mistakes that could still endanger the championship. Crawford won ahead of Minì and Briton Jonny Edgar (Van Amersfoort Racing), the champion of the German ADAC Formula 2 powered by Abarth.

Minì was overjoyed, but had already set his sights on future goals: "I'm very happy about the title. I would have liked to have won the third race, but I had to secure the championship. I'm excited to see what the future holds. The new Formula Regional European Championship would definitely be very interesting for me. But it's up to my manager Nicholas Todt to decide on the next steps."

The finale of the current Italian Formula 4 powered by Abarth will take place from December 4th to 6th in Vallelunga. The runner-up will be determined in three races. Pizzi has the best cards with 191 points, but Beganovic (168) and Rosso (139) are waiting for their chances.

The current ranking in the Italian Formula 4 powered by Abarth before the finale in Vallelunga:

1. Gabriele Minì (ITA, Prema Powerteam) 276 points
2. Francesco Pizzi (ITA, Van Amersfoort Racing) 191 points
3. Dino Beganovic (SWE, Prema Powerteam) 168 points
4. Andrea Rosso (ITA, CRAM Motorsport) 139 points
5. Gabriel Bortoleto (BRA, Prema Powerteam) 133 points

Press contact:
Anne Wollek
Phone: +49 69 66988-450
Email: anne.wollek@fcagroup.com

News

Imola: In the penultimate round of the Italian Formula 4…

20 November 2020
of Jan-Christopher Sierks

– For the first time in seven seasons, three Italian riders lead the overall standings.
– Before the last two race weekends, Gabriele Minì, Francesco Pizzi and Andrea Rosso are in the first three places.
– Several new young drivers will make their debut in Italian Formula 4 at the Imola race.

It was a hot week for the young drivers of the Italian Formula 4 powered by Abarth, who will now show their skills on the sixth and penultimate championship weekend at the traditional Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

For the first time in seven championship years, three Italian drivers are at the top of the title fight: Before races 16, 17 and 18, Gabriele Minì (Prema Powertrain) leads the ranking with 215 points. He is followed by Francesco Pizzi (Van Amersfoort Racing) with 179 and Andrea Rosso (CRAM Motorsport) with 139 points. The three drivers each won three races and showed as much determination as talent: they prevailed against 35 strong drivers from 18 different countries.

Some stars of the recently concluded ADAC Formula 4 powered by Abarth have now registered for the races in Imola, including the newly crowned champion Jonny Edgar from Great Britain and his fiercest rival, the American runner-up Jak Craword. These two drivers are guaranteed to make the race weekend even more exciting.

No fewer than 38 drivers, many of whom were making their debut in the Abarth-powered single-seater, took part in the group tests at Imola last Wednesday. Jak Crawford was the fastest, clocking a 1'43'800 the best lap time and reached an average speed of 170 km / h.

The weekend's program includes the two qualifying sessions on Saturday, November 21st at 10.45:11.10 a.m. and 1:15.55 a.m. Race 22 also starts on Saturday - at 9:55 p.m. The other races will take place on Sunday, November 15.20nd from XNUMX:XNUMX a.m. and from XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

The current ranking in the Italian Formula 4 powered by Abarth before the sixth race weekend: 1. Gabriele Minì (ITA, Prema Powerteam) 215 points; 2. Francesco Pizzi (ITA, Van Amersfoort Racing) 179; 3. Andrea Rosso (ITA; CRAM Motorsport) 139.

Press contact:
Anne Wollek
Phone: +49 69 66988-450
Email: anne.wollek@fcagroup.com

Keyword: Abarth

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