27/04/2024
The Stefano Mella – Stefano Tiraboschi duo in the Top-10 at the 45th Criterium Jurassien Rally
Stefano Mella's rally season on the Red Crossed Country started last weekend and, assisted by Stefano Tiraboschi on notes, he took part in the first stage of the 2024 Swiss Championship, Michelin Alps Open Trophy, the 45th Criterium Jurassien.
It was a difficult weekend, with the weather playing a leading role, making it very complicated to manage the two days of competition on a course that in itself always offers spectacle.
IIntermittent rain and sunshine but especially a lot of snow made the outcome of the race unpredictable, with extreme conditions in the 8 special stages.
The race began on Friday, April 19, with the very difficult SS Courtemautruy - Les Enfers, 30 kilometers long and with a very selective course. The conditions advised the Mella - Tiraboschi crew not to push and, at the end of the day, the Swiss driver's Skoda number 7 was placed 15th in the overall standings.
Mella - Tiraboschi disputed the remaining seven special stages on Saturday with the knife between their teeth, intending to mend the gap in the standings from the leaders. Already the first two SS, those of Vilars-Réclère of 29 km and that of Les Rangiers - Bassecourt of 13 km saw the pair driving the Skoda climb back up and grab the Top-10. After assistance, the repetition of the two Vilars-Réclère and Les Rangiers-Bassecourt SS saw Mella again lower his times and continue his quest to recover positions in the standings, thanks in part to the weather that provided a respite after so much water and snow.
The sudden arrival of rain at the beginning of SS 7 made life difficult for the crew of the Skoda number 7, who, however, managed to recover one more position in the overall just in the last special stage that, although short, allowed Mella to grab the ninth position overall and the third in the Michelin Alps Open Trophy.
These are the words of Stefano Mella at the end of the race: “It was a complex weekend on an already difficult, technical and selective course. The weather conditions that kept changing, the lots of snow present and also the heavy rain made life complicated for us. I preferred to start without forcing in order to gradually become familiar with the car and the special stages course. I could perhaps have done a little better in the first special stage, but then we grew miles after miles and I was able to keep a good pace. We could have achieved something more if in SS 7 a heavy downpour had not come suddenly. But we can be satisfied though, we got into the Top-Ten in such a valuable competition as the Swiss Rally Championship and above all we got on the podium in the Michelin Alps Open Trophy. I have to thank the team who, in such extreme situations, managed to put me in the best possible condition to move up the rankings, with so few special stages available. Of course now I can't wait to get back behind the wheel for the next race scheduled at the end of May, the Rally du Chablais.”
📸 Nuno Autopics
GT2i
Medida
MAFER Impianti
AMD Motorsport
Škoda Motorsport
Michelin Motorsport
