Menù Gigi Galli

 

 

 

 

Gigi Galli Career

 

 

1994 - The debut

His debut in car competition is during 1993 in snow-ice field, driving a car prepared by himself during after works. It’s a Fiat Uno having integral traction, four steering wheels... and Toyota engine.
In 1994 he really debuts in rally races by a Peugeot 309 GTI – “Rally of Valtellina” – classifing 3rd of his class. Always he take part in ice races by a Toyota Celica winning some races and classifing 2nd in prototype class during “Assago Rally Show”.

 

1995 - Debut in Fiat 500 Trophy

2nd places in the “European Final” in Gerona – Spain.
In 1995 he opts for Fiat 500 Trophy, at first the car prepared by himself. He makes some mistake but his talent exist. He places one’s trust in “Rorally Sport Team” of Edmondo Rino and he goes to search of results.
At the end of Championship he occupied the 7th place of final absolute classification. In that time run a final races in the homonymin trophy in Gerona – Spain, in which conquest he occupied the 4th places absolute and the 2nd place of under 23 class with only one second from Andrea Maselli.

 

1996 - Winner of Fiat 500 Trophy

Thanks to the experience acquired during last year in Fiat 500 Trophy, Gigi starts with the right foot, with Marisa Merlin as codriver and supported by “Alberto Alberti” and “Rorallysport Rally Team”. He takes part in Fiat 500 Trophy and wins 5 of 8 races disputed: Ciocco, Mille Miglia, Casciana Terme, San Marino, inReggio Emilia and he wins the Trophy.
Due to this results, he has a lot of proposal from several top racing team. He runs to “Rally of Valtellina” driving a Renault Clio Gr.A by “Turbocar”; the results was 4th in absolute classification anche 1st in class. At the end of the year made an angreement with Ford Team “Jolly Club Martini”.

 

1997 - European Championship with a Ford

European Championship driving a Ford Escort Cosworth prepared by “Rossi Team” (codriver Massimo Chiapponi).
That one of 1997 has been a season to forget, a very bad year, with only one result, the 9th place to “Rally of Ypres” – Belgium. But a year useful to enrich Gigi’s experience and just was possible to see the first result after the stop due to a mechanical breakdown at Canary Island (driving belt) after 4 kms.

Rally of Tenerife Island. He occupied the 4th asbsolute classification but due to bureaucratic reason was stopped and next day he cannot start race.
Rally Saturnus (Slovenia). He leads the tortuous race wiht more than 3 minutes, but about 7 kms from the end of last special-stage he must retired due to accelerator device breakdown.
 Before he won 25 out of 32 special-stages in program. Rally Ina Delta (Croazia).

He wins 7 of 7 special-stages runned, but at the end of 7th special-stage he bumps into a sidewalk and break an arm on the back, beeing no spare parts in assistance he must stop the race.
Rally Ypres (Belgium). A rally for skillful driver, a rally with one thousand crossroads to 90° and more than 300 kms of special-stages and all various to others. Gigi prepares the race well and at the end of the race he collects a 9th place in final absolute classific. It has been a very important experience. To remember Rally of Valtellina

 

1998 - Gigi becomes Italian Champion Gr. N

Thanks to Team “Ralliart Italy Top Run” he takes part in all Italian Championship toghether his friend and codriver Guido D’Amore.
They win the group and 5 races: Piancavallo, Alpi Orientali, Coppa Liburna, Rally della Lana and Sanremo. Just Sanremo Rally launches the young from Valtellina driver. Sanremo Rally was valid for World Rally Championship and this result estabilished Gigi as Italian Champion Gr.N with 2 races in advance.
Thanks to this very important result, Gigi takes part in fascinating and prestigious “Memorial Bettega” within “Motorshow” – Bologna (Italy). Here, in live show, he wins against his Team Manager Mario Stagni 3-2. Due to these results start the first Fans Club “Gigi Galli” in Italy.

 

1999 - In World Rally Championship Gr. N

World Rally Championship driving a Mitsubishi Lancer – Team Alberto Alberti.
In 1999 it was agreement with Mauro Nocentini, a very skill-man and a person who try to help young people (he helped Tommy Makinen as well, wich become World Champion years later).
With the team from Trezzano sul Naviglio, he takes part in World-wide Championship Rally, collecting as better results the 7th place to Sweden Rally, a very difficult race on snowed roads where is possible to reach high average speed; the 4th place to Neste Rally Finland; the 1st place in Gr.N to Sanremo Rally and he concludes the World-wide production Championship in 6th place.
At the end of the year he takes part again in Memorial Bettega driving a

Subaru Impreza WRX by Procar Team arriving in 2nd place of Federal C.S.A.I. School Challenge.

 

2000 - Italian Rally Champion Gr. N

Year 2000: for the second time Gigi becomes Italian Rally Champion Gr.N and comes nicknamed the “Italian Flying”.
He lands to “Vieffecorse Racing Team” from Brescia. Driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI he obtains 7 wins in Gr.N: Ciocco, Mille Miglia, Salento, Alpi Orientali e San Martino di Castrozza2. He wins again Gr.N to Sanremo Rally with 32 seconds on Alex Fiorio. He classified 3rd of Gr.N to Montecarlo Rally; he takes part in Neste Rally Finland and obtains 9th place (result non right because Gigi has been in fighting for the 2nd/3rd place of class all the time but a puncture deprived himself of a result of first order) and where he has been the only one, together the World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen (Mitsubishi Evo VI Gr.A) to fly 84 meters. An exploit from a university of rally and able to move applause to open scene.

To arrival the speaker spoke about the finnish and great performance of Gigi: the italian flying.

 

2001 - World Championship Gr. N

Season 2001 doesn’t started in the best way. Gigi was ritired to Montecarlo Rally just 2 special-stages from finish because the differential gear breakage when he was still fighting for the 1st place. He takes part in Sweden Rally but he has been disqualified. In any case his season go on.
He takes part in Neste Rally Finland supported by “CB Racing Team” where a light strike against on one of famous bump got him out of the race. He takes part in Lana Rally concluding at 2nd place of Gr.N. After that, the race has been cancelled cause an accident.

 

2002 - Italian + World-wide Championship - Fiat Punto

Gigi, after accumulated experience in the previous year, faces the season driving a Fiat Punto S1600 in World Championship having codriver Guido D’Amore and Italian Championship having codriver Alessandra Guglielmi.
He starts very strong in the World Championship. He occupied 1st place before to be retired to Montecarlo Rally due to an out of road.
He was in 4th place when a puncture during the 4th special-stage, at 15 of 42 kms, gave him 4 minutes late. In Greece Rally was retired cause a battery damage and in Germany Rally was out race cause a failure into brakes system. In Sanremo Rally he occupied 5th place showing numbers of high school, staying a good part of the race just after the big at the top.
Gigi finishes the season at the 7th place of World Championship S1600 and at the 3rd place of Italian Championship. After a season with only two problems, solved with two out of road (San 

Marino and Adriatico) he always gets remarkable results; mainly a 1st place of class and group to Rally Alpi Orientali, a 2nd place to Rally Salento, two 3rd places to Rally Ciocco and Tuttoterra Toscana, two 4th places to Rally Mille Miglia and Targa Florio.

 

2003 - Return to Ralliart Italy Team

Gigi takes part to all Italian Rally Championship Gr.N by Ralliart Italy Team distinguishes as the driver to fight.
Often he was very unlucky but he obtains very fascinating results.
The driver from Valtellina takes part to Italian Rally Championship to give up absolute scratch assigned to strongest A8 (those don’t take part to the Championship).
Gigi wins the Italian Rally Championship classification in Tutto Terra Toscana Rally and Costa Smeralda Rally, 4th place in Ciocco Rally and Alpi Orientali Rally, 7th place in Mille Miglia Rally, 8th place in Targa Florio Rally. He retired in San Marino Rally, Salento Rally, San Martino di Castrozza Rally.
He takes part to some World Rally Championship driving a Gr.N making a

good impression.
2nd place Gr.N in Swedish Rally and 5th place in Neste Rally Finland where he wins 18 special-stages on 23 runned.

 

2004 - Finally WRC

With emerging drivers D. Solà and K. Sohlberg, Gigi was called to alternate to the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 04 driving. After Germany Rally, Mitsubishi Team decide to make test only out of competition waiting come back competitive in 2005 year.
Gigi alternates World Rally Championship WRC races with World Production Championship races driving a Gr.N supported by Ralliart Italy Team.
Montecarlo, Mexico, Turkey and Catalunya with a Lancer WRC.
Swedish Rally, New Zeland, Argentina, Neste Rally Finland, Deutchland Rally, Italia and Tour de Corse with a Lancer Gr.N.
... and the show must go on...

 

2005 - Gigi confirmed with the Mitsubishi WRC

Gigi also in 2005 it will race with the Mitsubishi WRC in the World Rally Championship. His programme forecasts to take part at some events in alternation with his team mate Gilles Panizzi.

After the great performances of the firsts rally, the team decides that Gigi must to be present as second driver at the remains races! At the end he takes part to 13 events on 16 of the World rally Championship.

Gigi prove to be truly rally rising star and in many occasions he takes possession of the firsts positions.

The Mitsubishi sees that very soon and offer him a contract as first drive for the whole 2006 season!

 

2006 - Rise again after the Mitsubishi retirement

After the terribile shot of the Mitsubishi retirement in December 2005, Gigi starts to work very hard for create a programme with more events that was possible.

The first help comes directly from Ralliart Italy that permits Gigi to take part at the Monte Carlo and Sweden with a Lancer WRC 05.

After the splendid performance at the Sweden rally intervene the Pirelli Company for help the driver of Livigno. It allows at Gigi to take part at three events with a Peugeot 307 WRC (team Bozian).

The results arrives soon: at the second race, Argentina, Gigi take his first podium thanks a great third place!

…and he canned make the same thing in Sardinia, if the engine don’t breaks any his dream.