GIANDOMENICO BASSO
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Viva Italia! Giandomenico Basso is one more genuine case of an Italian dedicated to rallying. Italian drivers have a superb tradition in motorsport. Both in Drivers’ and in Manufacturers’, they are a nation that lives for rallying. Being in the middle of a worldwide crisis, the competitiveness of the Italian Championship is standing out from the rest of the National Championships in Europe. Giandomenico Basso is a real offspring of the Italian school of rallying. He has been the one of the top Fiat drivers during the past few years, having connected himself with all the major successes of the Italian manufacturer both in the European Championship and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Basso was European Champion in 2006, during the year when Fiat came back to racing. The small, 36 year old Italian, his bald head and big smile being some of his trademarks, seems to be more mature than ever, in terms of sportiveness, winning races and going for the championship with a car which clearly cannot stand up to the cars of his opponents. Today he maintains the same passion and speed as when he started rallying in 1994. He is extremely fast on tarmac, and fast enough on gravel, like a genuine all around driver. His story starts back in 1981, when he started driving in kart races. He started rallying at the age of 21, driving an Opel Corsa. Right after that, he sat behind the steering wheel of a Fiat Cinquecento and followed the whole Championship calendar in 1997. Just one year after, he is the winner of the Italian Troffeo Cinquecento. In Rally Montecarlo 1999, Fiat invited all the European Troffeo Champions and Basso was the fastest among them, whereas Greek Iaveris Jr. was 3rd. Next year, he took part in the Italian Championship driving a Fiat Seicento and won the omonymous one make series. He drove a Fiat Punto kit-car for the first time in 2000 in Italy and in JWRC during the years 2001 and 2002. Unfortunately for him, Fiat was not very much involved during that period and his age was too marginal to allow him do something better in JWRC and –why not- in the WRC. From then on, his name went all the way together with Fiat –or Abarth nowadays. In 2006 he was ERC and IRC Champion, whereas the next 2 years he claimed the Intecontinental Rally Challenge title till the end. Who is who Date of birth: September 15, 1973 Nationality: Italian Place of birth: Montebelluna, Italy Hometown: Cavaso del Tomba First appearance: 1994 Interests: Swimming, jogging Carreer highlights 1998 Fiat 500 Trophy winner, Italian F2 Champion 1999 1st in K/0 class and 20th place in Rally Montecarlo 2000 1st in the Fiat Punto Kit Car Trophy 2006 European Champion, IRC Champion 2007 Italian Champion Mitia Dotta (co-driver) Date of birth: August 15, 1979 Nationality: Italian Place of birth: Vittorio Veneto Hometown: Conegliano First appearance: 1998 Interests: Skiing
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