The Italian-based Abarth team will return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge next year with a two-car Grande Punto team. The driver line-up will be Giandomenico Basso, a former European Champion and the reigning Italian Champion, and Anton Alen – the son of rally legend Markku Alen. A third car could be run occasionally for Umberto Scandola.

Abarth will also run cars on the Italian Championship this year through a satellite team. The Abarth team campaign will start with the Portugal Rally in May. An Abarth spokesman said: “Our general idea is to run just two cars, for Basso and Alen, with perhaps a third car sometimes. It should be a very strong team: we’re all looking forward to it.”

With Basso more experienced on asphalt and Alen – the winner of last year’s Rally Russia – acknowledged as a gravel expert, the team is also very well-balanced. “I can’t wait to get started,” said Alen, who is entering his first full season of the IRC. “This is a fantastic opportunity for me and of course I am going to be doing my very best to get the most out of it. There are more asphalt rallies than gravel events, but that is good for me as I need to gain more experience on sealed surfaces. The level of competition is sure to be very high.” Abarth is working to improve the Super 2000 Grande Punto further over the winter, with refinenements to the engine and transmission. Having tested at the end of November, the team will resume its testing programme in January.