Alberto Battistolli will put maximising the amount of experience he gains rather than the number of points he scores as his priority in the 2021 European Rally Championship.
Building on a successful ERC trial run last season, the 23-year-old, who is part of the Italian federation-backed ACI Team Italia programme, is planning a full European championship campaign in a Rally2-specification Škoda Fabia. His compatriot Simone Scattolin will co-drive.
“My actual plan is to get experience because I have only participated in two rounds of the ERC,” said Battistolli, the son of hugely successful historic events competitor Luigi ‘Lucky’ Battistolli.
“Doing the full season will be great for me because I plan to understand more the Tarmac as this is my weakest point from now. And because I had some good experience last year, I want to understand what I can achieve in a couple of years. It’s important to devote myself to an international programme.”
Battistolli: No point setting targets
Battistolli took part on the ERC-counting Rally di Roma Capitale and Rally Liepāja in 2020, which gave him crucial experience at international level on asphalt and gravel. He wants more of the same in 2021, only during an expanded programme of events.
“It’s difficult to have a target this year because I have limited experience and it’s not my job to race, I also study,” said Battistolli. “This year I will certainly try to be competitive and not just to have fun. It’s more of a step than the previous one season. But it’s premature this year to talk about a probable result. I am not in a position to say where I am going to arrive.”
Preparation underway for Italian talent
In order to be ready for the start of his European Rally Championship campaign on the Azores Rallye from May 6-8, Battistolli is contesting selected events in his homeland, while also completing a testing programme. And out of the two events he’s started this season, he’s twice finished in the top 10.
“I am planning to get as much experience as I can in Italy with a few races on gravel and Tarmac,” Battistolli explained. “Then I have a parallel participation in the Italian Gravel Championship. But I plan to get more experience on Tarmac and be better on gravel than I am now.”
Battistolli, who graduated from university in November with a Degree in Economics and Management will combine his ERC campaign with a Masters in International Accounting and Finance.