- The Finnish champion Jari-Matti Latvala and his co-driver Janni Hussi repeat victory in the great Girona rally and also take the first position in the European championship Pre-1992.
- Daniel Alonso and Jandrín López prevail in the new European Pre-2000 championship and in the Spanish Championship, while Ventura/Autet dominate in the Catalan Championship. Martínez/Villamayor and Bru/Bru, winners in Regularity Sport and Regularity, respectively.
- The sun shines on the last day of the 74 Rally KH-7 Costa Brava, which enjoys a spectacular ending in Girona, in the middle of a great popular atmosphere.
The sun accompanied on Saturday the teams participating in the 74 Rally KH-7 Costa Brava, which concluded in the middle of a great popular atmosphere on the Girona podium. After two days marked by the rain, time has changed radically in the third and final stage, so the rally organized by the Club RallyClassics has offered all the possible weather conditions to the participants. With dry asphalt, although with humidity, Jari-Matti Latvala and Janni Hussi have confirmed the leadership achieved the previous two days and have won for the second consecutive time the Rally KH-7 Costa Brava, claiming victory in the Pre-1992 of the European Championship of Historic Rally (FIA EHRC), with their Toyota Celica ST 185.
The Girona rally has experienced the premiere of the new European championship Pre-2000, in which Daniel Alonso and Jandrín López have prevailed, with a Ford Escort WRC.
The sunny day has favored a massive attendance at the Fornells de la Selva service park, one of the most popular points of the event.
The Rally KH-7 Costa Brava reaffirms its roots in Girona, the traditional headquarters of the oldest rally in the country, the first event of the FIA EHRC and one of the most appreciated by international teams.
Among the more than 200 participating teams, 67% were foreigners, of 17 different nationalities. In addition, 55 women, including drivers and co-drivers, participated in the #MotorDona program promoted by the Club RallyClassics. Cristina Gómez and Sílvia March have taken the ‘MotorDona Trophy to the best all-female team classified.
Alex Romaní, president of the Club RallyClassics: “It was a tough rally, especially on Friday, very complicated. But as it has progressed, the rally has gone better and on Saturday the sun has even come out. The teams have been able to taste all the conditions: night, rain, fog… And this has made all this even more epic. And the public has responded equally; it is a grateful and expert audience that values what they see here. We have managed to make a very high level rally, with 200 high quality cars. In addition, in the Rally KH-7 Costa Brava this new era of the FIA has begun, with the Pre-2000 cars, Kit Car and WRC, a new generation, and it has worked very well. I would like to point out that the Rally KH-7 Costa Brava would not be possible without the teams, volunteers, sponsors and institutions that support it. The 2027 edition will be the seventy-fifth, and we are already thinking about different initiatives and formats to celebrate it properly”.
A rally for the people
The 74 Rally KH-7 Costa Brava has had several novelties to promote its popular appeal, beyond the competition. For example, thanks to the collaboration with Vera, two giant screens were installed in Girona and in the Fornells de la Selva service park. There, the live broadcasts of several sections could be followed during the three days. Broadcasts have also been seen on the YouTube of RallyClassics and that have been watched by more than 40,000 people.
The 74 Rally KH-7 Costa Brava has offered an authentic museum of historic motoring in action, with spectacular vehicles such as the Lancia Rally 037, Lancia Stratos, BMW M1 Procar, Renault 5 Maxi Turbo, Ferrari 308 GTB Michelotto, Opel Ascona and Manta 400, Alpine A110, in addition to the two Seat Ibiza Kit Car from SEAT Históricos, which are part of the brand’s historical collection.
Results 74 Rally KH-7 Costa Brava
FIA European Historic Rally Championship (EHRC)
Latvala/Hussi, current European champions and winners of the Rally KH-7 Costa Brava last year, have dominated from end to end, with the best time in 11 of the 12 sections disputed by the participants. The other section was taken by Angelo Lombardo and Roberto Consiglio (Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0), in the last one of the rally, Sant Hilari – Osor 2. With this final attack, the Italian team took off in second place of Pre-1992, ahead of Martin McCormack and James Morgan (BMW M3). In the new European Pre-2000 championship, Alonso/López were the winners, followed by “Pedro” and Emanuele Baldaccini (Subaru Legacy), and Emile Breittmayer and Stéphane Prévot (Peugeot 306 Maxi Kit Car).
Jari-Matti Latvala: “The conditions have been even more difficult than last year, and competition has also been stronger. We had a clean rally, without any mistakes or problems with the Toyota. I like the sections of the Costa Brava very much, they are very beautiful. And the atmosphere has been fantastic, we have seen many people, although the weather has made things a little more difficult. But it has been very good to have sunshine on the last day. The organization of the Costa Brava is always very good, they have done a great job in complicated conditions and the rally has been very pleasant.
Spanish Historic Rally Championship (Sporting)
The CERH has also started in the 74 Rally KH-7 Costa Brava. In this championship and in the Pre-2000 category, Alonso/López have also been the first classified team, ahead of Jordi Ventura and Josep Autet, first in Pre-1992 with their BMW M3, and Pau de las Heras and Josep Alsina (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI). In Pre-1981 the Argentines Ezequiel Pérez-Companc and José María Volta (Ford Escort RS1800) won. In the Classics category, victory of Ángel Domínguez and Raquel Quintana (Opel Corsa GSI), while the Open Trophy was won by the spectacular Toyota Starlet by the Welsh Chris Richmond and Ben Duke.
Spanish Championship of Historical Rally (Sport Regularity)
In Sport Regularity, Francisco Martínez and José Manuel Villamayor have achieved the third victory in the Costa Brava, with their Ford Sierra Cosworth 4×4.
Spanish Historic Rally Championship (Regularity)
In Regularity, the winner of last year has also been repeated, the team formed by Christophe and Hélène Bru (Porsche 911 SC 3.0), in front of the twin car of Esteve Munné and Olga Feliu, and Christian and Marie Lantres (Peugeot 205 GTI). Fabio and Paolo Verdona, with Peugeot 309 GTI, have been the winners in the Open category.
Catalan Historic Rally Championship (Sporting)
In the Catalan section, Ventura/Autet have dominated the absolute general and Pre-1993, in front of another BMW M3, by Àlex Dude and Dani Muntadas. Manel Arroyo and Miquel Amblàs have been third, with a Porsche 911 Carrera RS.
Catalan Historic Rally Championship (Sport Regularity)
Auret/Tarabal have been the first in the Sport Regularity category of the Catalan Championship. In the regularity championship, victory for Munné/Feliu.
In short, the 74 Rally KH-7 Costa Brava has once again reaffirmed its status as one of the most recognized rallyes on the European scene, which has turned Girona into the epicentre of historic racing. The rally has gone beyond pure sports competition and has offered multiple incentives to fans and family audiences. In this way the Rally KH-7 Costa Brava starts preparations for the 75th edition in 2027.
