Rally Italia Sardegna 2019 Trip

Planning a trip for 4 people to Sardinia for 2019 - looking for some advice pls - total rally noob here

Are the WRC dates fixed, I am looking to book flights but don't want to be left with no rally to watch...

We will fly into Olbia, and stay in Alghero - and hire a car for the duration (Thursday 13th June to Sunday 16th June 2019)

Gold Pass tickets are optional yeh? Would you recommend any of these? Or just explore ourselves?

Is the route released yet, is Alghero a good base or would you recommend elsewhere (Olbia?)

Anything else?
Cheers in advance
Ben

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Originally Posted by baconsandwich

Is the route released yet, is Alghero a good base or would you recommend elsewhere (Olbia?)

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No, will probably be released in 2-3 of months. It's a small island and you can't be too far from the route anywhere. But the rally is based in Alghero and this year the route was moved closer to it and further from Olbia to reduce liaisons.

If you stay in Alghero you've got a decent base for the rally, plus you can walk to service and there's some nice places in the old town. Quite a few drivers out having a beer on Sunday night too. I think most people rent cars from Olbia and drive across. That's what we did this year.

You don't need the gold pass. It gets you some pass-only spectator areas and parking closer to the tape but it's not always policed that well. Once a marshal wouldn't let us drive up to a stage because we didn't have a pass but we just parked on the main road. Up to you, but if I went again I wouldn't buy it. You need a ticket to go to the Itirri SSS if they run that again.

Heard some horror stories about accessing the Monte Lerno jump in terms of walking but we got there nice and early, drove straight through the gold parking area and parked up at the tape. It was only when we got back to the car that we realised we'd actually parked stage side. You could see our hire car from all the onboards.

Definitely go the power stage if that still runs again on the coast.

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Originally Posted by Simmi

Heard some horror stories about accessing the Monte Lerno jump in terms of walking but we got there nice and early, drove straight through the gold parking area and parked up at the tape. It was only when we got back to the car that we realised we'd actually parked stage side. You could see our hire car from all the onboards.

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lol :D

Alghero is good place to camp out during rally. Service is close and beach also. We got to meet Sordo,Neuville,Prokop and many more drivers on Sunday night beach bar just 10 m from our apartment. Liaisons in the mornings were not so bad, max 1 hour drive to stages. Parking was a bit hectic but soon we looked for random access roads to stages and then all was ok. You have to watch both passes of sunday super special because after first pass it is impossible to get to that stage without walking 5 km. It took like 1 hour to drive that distance out of the stage access road after. We did not buy passes last year and prob not this year also. This time we fly to Olbia and drive to Alghero from there.

Language barrier was very noticeable, it was very hard to even order food in county sides. Sign language and crash course of italian language is a must. Just say Cotoletta and birra if you are hungry and everything is ok.

How are the Olbia rental car situations, should i book 2 cars now or is there time to do that? Plane tickets and accommodation already booked.

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Originally Posted by Oliverk

How are the Olbia rental car situations, should i book 2 cars now or is there time to do that? Plane tickets and accommodation already booked.

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I think I booked two months before the rally and had no problem. But maybe other people have had other experiences.

Not the same place but i booked car and Airbnb apartment 1 day before leaving to Spain this year, no stress! :p

is the boycott dead in the water? https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...a-2019-boycott

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Originally Posted by baconsandwich

is the boycott dead in the water? https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...a-2019-boycott

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Well the calendar is confirmed and agreed by all the parties. Probably the WRC Promoter is compensating the logistics expenses to the teams

Have to assume it will be the final year for Sardinia next season. I ticked off Corsica and Sardinia this year for that reason.

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Originally Posted by Oliverk

How are the Olbia rental car situations, should i book 2 cars now or is there time to do that?

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My cousin rents cars in a town near Olbia, if you want I can put in a good word for you and give you his contact info. :)
As far as I know though you have plenty of time to do that, june is still the beginning of the summer season and they are not working full yet.

Flights booked and just have to decide on accommodation in Castel Sardo - 40mins from Alghero but very much closer to Friday and Saturday stages (assuming a similar format to the past 3 years). Hope, that as this may be the last edition, the organisers produce a great route to the limit of max distance. It will be my 4th Rally D'Italia - future visits to Sardinia will be just for sun and hiking :(

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Originally Posted by Mintexmemory

Flights booked and just have to decide on accommodation in Castel Sardo - 40mins from Alghero but very much closer to Friday and Saturday stages (assuming a similar format to the past 3 years). Hope, that as this may be the last edition, the organisers produce a great route to the limit of max distance. It will be my 4th Rally D'Italia - future visits to Sardinia will be just for sun and hiking :(

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Castelsardo is a lovely town. Nice choice. If you find time do visit the castle up there, you will enjoy a great view with the sea in one side and hills with mediterranean nature on the other.

any tips on finding accomodation? Is booking.com the best option? I see there quite a lot of options in Isola Rossa for better prices than in Alghero. The position doesn't seem too bad either to some of the stages.

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Originally Posted by DoN_cz

any tips on finding accomodation? Is booking.com the best option? I see there quite a lot of options in Isola Rossa for better prices than in Alghero. The position doesn't seem too bad either to some of the stages.

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If you don't want to be on the car all the time, please situate near Alghero.

Thursday: ALGHERO
Friday: Finish near ALGHERO
Saturday: BUDDUSO
Sunday: ALGHERO

The best option, clearly it's Alghero.

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Originally Posted by Atob WRC

If you don't want to be on the car all the time, please situate near Alghero.

Thursday: ALGHERO
Friday: Finish near ALGHERO
Saturday: BUDDUSO
Sunday: ALGHERO

The best option, clearly it's Alghero.

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Although it's possible to make a good case for Castelsardo, especially if you want to max out the number of stages on the Friday (assuming this year's itinerary is similar to 2018) and be nearer to Buddoso for the Saturday

Following up on this, our accomodation is in Alghero and we have a car hire booked, though no race tickets or spectator parking spots reserved.

We plan to spectate on Saturday.

Obviously Micky's jump is a good place to watch for action. Surely it will be very busy though - is it worth heading there from Alghero or is that too ambitious a plan?

If not Micky Jump, where would you recommend us a good spot to watch that wouldn't be a nightmare with spectator traffic or parking

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Originally Posted by baconsandwich

Following up on this, our accomodation is in Alghero and we have a car hire booked, though no race tickets or spectator parking spots reserved.

We plan to spectate on Saturday.

Obviously Micky's jump is a good place to watch for action. Surely it will be very busy though - is it worth heading there from Alghero or is that too ambitious a plan?

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Not too ambitious. I think if you're going to Sardinia you owe it to yourself to try. That's what we told ourselves anyway. Just get there early for the first run. We heard some horror stories before but I think we were there roughly 4 hours ahead and got a place on the wall. We were also parked stage-side which we didn't realise until afterwards. Lots of people camping up there overnight with set-ups. Depends how badly you want to go I guess.

https://live.staticflickr.com/1726/4...1b97d22c_c.jpgUntitled by Richard Simpson, on Flickr

amazing photo!

Booking.com is good for Alghero.

Make sure you go to Micky's Jump.

Also, Alghero is the best place to be based, stages aren't too far away which is great.

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Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1

Make sure you go to Micky's Jump.

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Nah, there are a lot of better spots (and jump too) in that stage without all that crowd and media areas that prevents you to see the cars properly (except a couple of spots).
I would only suggest it if he is a big fan of famous places but if you want to see typical Rally Sardinia action I'd go elsewere.