IRC: Cantamessa lands Sanremo BFG drive

Luca Cantamessa has been selected to pilot the BFGoodrich Drivers' Team entry on Rallye Sanremo, the penultimate round of the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge on September 24-26.

Cantamessa was one of 31 Italian drivers who applied for the chance to contest his home event in a Kronos Racing-run Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

He was included on a shortlist of five candidates produced by his country's motorsport federation. A jury, consisting of representatives of BFGoodrich, Kronos, the federation and the Italian press, then awarded him eight votes, which was enough to beat Elvis Chentre and Alessandro Bettega - who scored seven and five votes respectively - to the prize drive.

"It's a dream come true for me," said Cantamessa. "I am making my return to rallying after an eight-month absence and I couldn't be happier.

"I can't wait to work with Kronos Racing and get a chance to compete on BFGoodrich's competitive tyres."

Meanwhile Spanish asphalt ace Miguel Fuster will partner Giandomenico Basso in the works Abarth line-up on Rally Principe de Asturias from September 10-12, the next round in this year's IRC.

Fuster, who finished fifth overall on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event last season at the wheel of a Fiat Auto Espana-run Grande Punto Super 2000, is a former Spanish champion.