For years, the Memorial Bettega was one of the most beloved events of the Bologna Motorshow: a direct, head to head elimination challenge between two cars at a time, capable of delivering pure spectacle and of telling, edition after edition, one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of Italian rallying. After years of absence, that challenge returns, and for the first time it does so as part of the Rallylegend program: on Sunday, October 11, the last of the three days of competition that begin on Friday, the public in San Marino will be able to witness in person the grand return of the Memorial Bettega. The decision to bring it back to life stems from the desire to relive the emotions of when it took place at the Bologna Motor Show, in a format designed to fit the context of Rallylegend.
THE FORMAT: SIXTEEN CARS IN FOUR CATEGORIES
The Memorial Bettega will bring sixteen cars to the start, divided into four categories, WRC, Group B, Trofeo Gruppo A and Rally2, for a head to head elimination challenge. The contest will be held on the “The Legend” special stage, adapted for the occasion into a two lap route for a total of 2.88 km. Sunday’s schedule includes the Group A semifinals and final from 12:00 pm to 12:55 pm, the Group B ones from 1:00 pm to 1:55 pm and the WRC ones from 2:00 pm to 2:55 pm, with the Memorial podiums and awards at 4:30 pm at the Rallylegend Village. The official route map, with the full layout, is also published on the rallylegend.com website.
In the Trofeo Gruppo A, which tells the story of one of the most fascinating seasons in the history of Italian rallying, the starters will include Piero Liatti (Subaru Impreza Gruppo A), Gustavo Trelles (Subaru Impreza), Andrea Aghini (Lancia Delta Integrale), Andrea Navarra (Subaru Legacy), Franco Cunico (Ford Sierra Cosworth 4×4), Piero Longhi (Toyota Celica), Armin Schwarz (Toyota Celica ST165) and Raul Marchisio (Lancia Delta Integrale), joined by four Rally2 cars. In the WRC category, the Memorial Bettega will feature Dani Sordo and Martiņš Sesks, who after their days in the Legend Stars category will face the head to head elimination challenge on Sunday.
THE TRIBUTE TO ALEX FIORIO IN THE MEMORIAL BETTEGA’S GROUP A
The Memorial Bettega will also be an occasion to pay tribute to Alex Fiorio, the great champion who recently passed away. The son of Cesare Fiorio, the historic sporting director of Fiat, Lancia and Ferrari, Alex raced for years between Group A and the World Rally Championship, winning the world Group N title in 1987 with the Lancia Delta HF 4WD and finishing runner up in the world championship in 1989, behind the other Lancia Delta Integrale of Miki Biasion, delivering memorable sporting feats. Rallylegend, sharing the feeling of passion of all rally fans, wanted to dedicate a special tribute to its friend Alex Fiorio, choosing to do so precisely within the Memorial Bettega’s Group A, with some of his most important racing cars, which will parade before the head to head elimination challenge: a tribute, in this edition of Rallylegend, to a champion who wrote unforgettable pages in the history of Italian rallying.
THE BOND WITH AUTO E MOTO D’EPOCA
The return of the Memorial Bettega was made possible thanks to the collaboration with BolognaFiere, which granted the use of the historic brand tied to the Bologna Motorshow. A bond that continues beyond Rallylegend: the cars featured in the Memorial will also be displayed at Auto e Moto d’Epoca, the Bologna event dedicated to historic motoring, held in the weeks following Rallylegend.
“The Memorial Bettega represents far more than a sporting competition: it is a piece of the history of BolognaFiere, of the Motorshow and of Italian motoring, and it still holds enormous emotional value for enthusiasts today. The collaboration with Rallylegend continues with the display of the cars featured in the Memorial at Auto e Moto d’Epoca, to strengthen the bond between memory, motoring culture and the celebration of historic heritage.” – Luciano Rizzi, CEO of Intermeeting (BolognaFiere Group)
SAFETY, A COMMITMENT THAT KEEPS GROWING
On the safety front too, the 2026 edition of Rallylegend is the result of extensive work by the organization, together with Institutions and Law Enforcement. Among the most important developments are a 30% increase in control staff, a 30% expansion of video surveillance points with the introduction of body cams, next generation drones with thermal cameras for night vision, the strengthening of the Control Room and data network, and greater parking availability for visitors. A commitment also reflected in the management of the special stages, designed this year to run more smoothly, for the benefit of both the public and the crews.
PAOLO VALLI
Rallylegend Event manager
“Bringing the Memorial Bettega into the Rallylegend program required significant organizational work, to integrate it into the race days without adding weight to the event’s overall logistics. A commitment that goes hand in hand with safety, where this year we introduced several new measures to make the event even safer, together with Institutions and Law Enforcement.”
VITO PIARULLI
Rallylegend Event manager
“The Memorial Bettega returning to the stage, and for the first time right here at Rallylegend, is a source of great pride for us: we deeply believe in the sporting value of this challenge, capable of telling different eras of rallying in a single weekend. And we are happy to be able to dedicate, within Group A, a special thought to Alex Fiorio, a champion who left his mark on the history of this sport.”
PRESS OFFICE
Leo Todisco Grande
Cell.+39.335.8298326
E-mail leotodisco@rallylegend.com
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Alen Bollini
Cell.+39.338.6601713
E-mail media@rallylegend.com
