After Rallye Monte Carlo another organiser showing fingers at WRC event layout changes of the last decade or so, robbing the events of their unique characters. The Rallye San Remo organisers announced before the start of their event that for 2010 they want to return to what made their event a real classic in the 1980s. The format of the IRC Rallye San Remo 2009 is compact with only 2 days and repeated stages - though long stages. For 2010 the plan is to run leg1 on the legendary Tuscany powder gravel stages added on to the event. Legs 2 & 3 then are as the rally is this year. Here the info from the organisers themselves:

The President of Automobile Club Sanremo, Sergio Maiga, yesterday Thursday September 24th, officially announced the will of the Organizing Committee of Rallye Sanremo, to go back in 2010, to the format that made the history of this event, returning on the roads of Tuscany.





Sergio Maiga: “Our idea received a favorable reception from manufacturers and now we are in contact with the Italian Automobile Sporting Commission (CSAI) in order to obtain the authorization to propose crews a mixed event, that will provide a first leg on gravel in the heart of Tuscany and a second part on the legendary roads of the Ligurian hinterland”.





This format, that once regrouped Liguria, Tuscany and Umbria, has been abandoned in 1992 (first and only victory in the World Rally Championship of Andrea Aghini – Lancia Delta HF Integrale) to change it to an all asphalt event.





The first reaction from press, drivers and local representatives who attended the announcement, has been very favorable and all indicates that this unexpected initiative could have a positive outcome.