At the Hotel Cala di Volpe, the key features of the highly anticipated event organized by the Automobile Club Sassari were revealed to authorities, media, and sponsors. Significant signs of enthusiasm and collaboration from the local area involved.
Porto Cervo, April 20, 2026 – The presentation to authorities, media, and sponsors of the 9th edition of the Rally Costa Smeralda Storico – Trofeo Martini, scheduled in Porto Cervo on Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25, took place late this morning.
Hosted in the prestigious and spectacular setting of the Hotel Cala di Volpe, the attending guests were able to experience firsthand the highlights of the event promoted and organized by the Automobile Club Sassari, elevated this year to the Olympus of historic rallies thanks to its validity for the European Championship.
The first speaker to take the floor was the Private Secretary to the Vice Governor of the Sardinia Region, Stefano Spada, whose words reaffirmed the importance of the event both on a sporting level and as a promotional vehicle for tourism. These themes were reiterated and reinforced by Settimo Nizzi, Mayor of Olbia, who enthusiastically confirmed the administration’s willingness to open its doors to a highly attractive event that will enliven the city late Friday afternoon thanks to the end-of-stage regrouping.
Satisfaction was then expressed in the words of the President of the Automobile Club Sassari, Giulio Pes di San Vittorio: “With great teamwork, we managed to restart in 2018 a rally that has been a symbol of great importance and prestige for the Sardinia Region. Step by step, the Rally Costa Smeralda has grown to achieve this year the goal set in recent years, to which is added the satisfaction for the response received from the numerous registered crews.”
For Nicoletta Orecchioni, Councilor for Sport of Arzachena, the Rally Costa Smeralda Storico fits into a rich mosaic of sporting and cultural events that bring prestige and visibility. Also speaking were the Police Commissioner of Sassari, Filiberto Mastrapasqua, and the Extraordinary Commissioner of the Geomining Park of Sardinia, after which the floor passed to Tiziano Siviero, Route Manager of the rally, who illustrated new features and confirmations of the route which, thanks to its continental validity, has further increased in mileage compared to previous years; the speech by the two-time world rally champion also served to remember the figure of Luigino Podda, historic mechanic of the Lancia Martini team, in whose memory a special prize will be established for the best crew in a Lancia car.
Particularly striking was the speech by Martina Romani of Gruppo Romani Cerasarda, a historic partner of the Rally Costa Smeralda, who previewed the original customized helmet with which the winner of the European Championship race will be awarded.
Also of significance was the speech by engineer Edoardo Di Lauro, who revealed details and elements of the organizational machine and the figures who contribute to its perfect functioning. Also involved in the presentation were some representatives of the Municipalities affected by the race, from whose words the level of passion the rally garners in Sardinia was perceived.
In closing, President Pes di San Vittorio, in addition to those present, thanked the event’s sponsors: from Cantine Surrau, already a partner in 2018, continuing with Martini, Pirelli, Sparco, Testoni Bunker Point, Autoplus, Alarm System, Grimaldi Lines, and Corsica Ferries, ending with a final emphasis placed on the upcoming presentation of the EVO38 car, a new creation by Kimera Automobili.
