With the start and finish of the event separated by a little more than 24 hours only, the Rallye Sanremo threw up a unique challenge on mountainous roads that are nevertheless popular with the drivers, with the rally occupying a late-autumn slot for the first time, having previously been staged in the second half of September.

Full of optimism after the shakedown, Robert Consani and Vincent Landais were forced to stop on SS1 with a mechanical problem. Discussing the glitch, Robert Consani said: “We lost the brakes right on the first special and had no option but to stop. The whole team worked on the car so we could start Saturday’s Super Rally. The problem never really went away but it didn’t stop us from finishing the race and going as fast as we could. We’re happy to see the podium at the finish, even if the roads meant we couldn’t win a place on it.”

The typically autumnal weather had an impact on surface conditions, as he went on to explain: “The fact they pushed the date back meant the rally was harder than in previous years and it was very damp under the trees. The roads never dried, there were lots of dead leaves on the corners, and it was foggy on the recce drives too, which didn’t help us. We made it to the end, though, and the car battled on bravely in tough conditions. We’re now looking forward to finishing the season on the highest of notes in Le Valais.”

The final round of the 2013 European Rally Championship is the Rallye International du Valais, which takes place on 7-9 November.