Alan Ring makes history as first Kerry driver to win FIA title at Rallye Sanremo
Killarney driver Alan Ring has officially created history, becoming the first Kerry driver to secure an FIA European rally title after successfully completing the 41st Sanremo Historic Rally in Italy.
Navigated by Cork co-driver Adrian Deasy, Ring brought his Tom Gahan Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza 555 across the finish ramp at Pian di Nave on Saturday afternoon in eighth position overall, wrapping up the FIA European Historic Rally Championship Category 5 Pre-2000 title.
Ring’s European campaign began in March at Rally KH-7 Costa Brava in Spain, before continuing with strong performances at the Modern Tyres Ulster Historic Rally in August and Rallye Elba Storico in Italy last month. Heading into the final round in Sanremo, the objective was strictly about management, avoiding mistakes, and getting the Subaru to the finish line to secure the crown.
The opening leg on Friday set the foundation for the championship win. Despite morning fog across the Ligurian hills, traffic delays on transport sections caused by local buses, and night stages through the technical mountain passes, Ring held ninth position overnight in the FIA EHRC standings. Crucially, he maintained a comfortable gap over chief title rival Arnold van der Smeede, who trailed in 11th overall.
The team kept focused through Saturday’s final two demanding timed sections—the 14.70 km pass of Colle d’Oggia and the mammoth 24.83 km test through Caravonica-Rezzo—to move up to eighth overall at the finish.
Ring’s historic achievement was supported on the ground in Italy by Tom Gahan Motorsport, with dedicated service crew members Mícheál Maher Adam Grace, and Dan Cashman keeping the Impreza in top running order throughout the weekend.
Having conquered Europe, Ring and Deasy will now turn their attention back home to the 30th anniversary Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally on November 29.
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