The anniversary “Rokiškio Grand Rally” will attract representatives not only from neighboring countries this year but also from nations significantly less common on our country’s special stages. One of them is Italian Matteo Bernini, who will have his pace notes read by Lorenzo Mattucci. Competing under a Croatian license, the crew arrives in Lithuania at the invitation of the “Tour European Rally” organizers, and the gravel roads around Rokiškis will become a completely new experience for them.
Taking place on August 13–15, the “Rokiškio Grand Rally” will simultaneously serve as a round of the “Tour European Rally” championship this year. It was precisely the invitation from the organizers of this championship that encouraged M. Bernini to try out a rally in Lithuania for the first time in his career.
“I received an invitation from the ‘Tour European Rally’ organizers to come here and test my strength. I accepted this offer because I want to try this competition. It will be different for me. I have never raced in Lithuania, so it will be very interesting,” said M. Bernini.
The Lithuanian roads will not be the only novelty for the Italian. He has accumulated most of his experience on asphalt, while he has started in gravel events significantly less often. The athlete has raced in Croatia and Finland, but he admits himself that gravel is not yet the surface on which he feels he has the most experience.
This will become an exceptionally important factor in the “Rokiškio Grand Rally.” 17 special stages and 134 competitive kilometers await the athletes here, and the bulk of the battle will consist of fast gravel roads characteristic of Lithuanian rallying.
“My main goal here will not be to prove something to someone, but to gather new experience racing on gravel,” the Italian identified his task.
M. Bernini and L. Mattucci will dispose of machinery at the “Rokiškio Grand Rally” that allows them to fight at the front of the absolute classification – the crew will start in a “Škoda Fabia Rally2” car. Nevertheless, the Italian does not set maximum goals for himself ahead of his debut in Lithuania.
He does not hide that attempting to immediately match the leaders of the Lithuanian championship would be difficult. Local athletes know the specifics of Lithuanian gravel roads perfectly, and some of the main favorites have been racing around Rokiškis for many years.
“I cannot promise that I will manage to compete with the fastest participants of the Lithuanian Rally Championship. After all, these are their home tracks, they are strong here. Meanwhile, I will focus on gathering experience,” said M. Bernini.
The Italian will certainly not lack competition. Among the main contenders for the absolute victory are Vaidotas Žala and Ugnius Vainevičius, who have won all three rounds of this season’s Lithuanian Automobile Rally Championship, as well as Deividas Gezevičius with Evaldas Kvederis, and Rokas Steponavičius with Dovydas Ketvirtis. Having won the “Rokiškio Grand Rally” four times himself, V. Žala names precisely this trio as the most realistic contenders for victory in the anniversary competition.
Another challenge awaits M. Bernini – part of this year’s tracks will be new even to the participants of the Lithuanian championship. Newly discovered, technical special stages on the Jūžintai side have been included in the itinerary, meaning that at least on those, the long-standing experience of local athletes will provide less of an advantage than on the well-known roads around Rokiškis.
The abundance of foreigners will be one of the defining features of the anniversary “Rokiškio Grand Rally” this year. The entry list includes crews from Poland, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Ukraine, the USA, and Monaco. The international line-up is also driven by the significantly elevated status of the competition.
Organized for the tenth time, “Rokiškio Grand Rally” will simultaneously serve as a round of the Lithuanian Automobile Rally Championship, the FIA European Rally Trophy, the “Tour European Rally” Championship, and the Lithuanian “Rally4 Trophy.”
Over the three days of competition, participants will have to complete 17 special stages with a total length of 134 kilometers. It is on these roads that it will become clear how M. Bernini, who has accumulated significantly more experience in asphalt rallies, adapts to Lithuanian gravel and how close he will manage to get to the pace of the local leaders.