33rd Rally del Rubinetto 2026 – 12. Rally 2 Laghi: My First Visit

Another weekend, another Italian rally.

This time my destination was the 33rd Rally del Rubinetto – Rally 2 Laghi, a rally I had never photographed before. It was another opportunity to discover a new event, new roads and, of course, another piece of the Italian rally scene through my cameras.

Unfortunately, one of the stages I had particularly hoped to see was not included in this year’s route. The famous Prelo stage, known for its extremely narrow streets and spectacular character, was missing from the itinerary this time.

But even without Prelo, there was certainly no shortage of spectacular action.

The rally offered fast and challenging roads, beautiful surroundings and plenty of opportunities to find interesting places to photograph the cars. As always in Italy, the atmosphere around the stages was just as important as the competition itself.

Carmellino and Minazzi take the victory

From the beginning of the rally, Ivan Carmellino and Massimo Minazzi showed impressive pace with their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.

They took control of the rally early on and managed to maintain their advantage all the way to the finish. Behind them, Federico Gangi and Nicolò Gonella finished second, while Federico Romagnoli and Davide Cecchetto completed the podium.

The rally was not without drama, however. Several crews who had been fighting at the front were unable to reach the finish, once again showing how quickly things can change in rallying.

Italy never disappoints

For me, though, the results are only one part of the story. What I enjoy most about travelling to rallies is the atmosphere, and once again Italy and the Rally del Rubinetto 2026 delivered.

The spectators, marshals, organisers and police were incredibly friendly, helpful and flexible throughout the weekend. At this point, I probably don’t even need to mention it anymore – this seems to be something that simply comes with Italian rallies.

Whether it is helping with access, finding a safe place to work from, or simply sharing the excitement of the rally, there is a very positive atmosphere around these events.

As a photographer, that makes a huge difference. You can concentrate on what you came for: finding the right position, waiting for the perfect moment and trying to capture not only the cars, but also the atmosphere and character of the rally.

Rally del Rubinetto 2026 – Another rally, another memory

Although I was disappointed not to see the famous Prelo stage on this year’s route, the Rally del Rubinetto still gave me a fantastic weekend behind the camera.

It was my first Rally del Rubinetto, and hopefully not my last.

Once again, I was able to experience the unique atmosphere of an Italian rally, meet helpful and welcoming people and, most importantly, bring home a new collection of photographs and memories.

For me, that’s what rally photography is all about. The cars, the roads, the people and everything that happens around them. Another Italian rally. Another great weekend.

Rally del Rubinetto 2026 – Overall Results

Pos	Driver / Co-driver	Car
1st	Ivan Carmellino / Massimo Minazzi	Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
2nd	Federico Gangi / Nicolò Gonella	Škoda
3rd	Federico Romagnoli / Davide Cecchetto	Škoda

Carmellino and Minazzi #3 controlled the rally from the opening stage to the finish, eventually taking victory by 24.8 seconds over Federico Gangi and Nicolò Gonella. Federico Romagnoli and Davide Cecchetto completed the podium, 42.2 seconds behind the winners.

The battle at the front did not go smoothly for everyone. Mathieu Arzeno’s challenge ended with an off on SS3, while Simone Miele also retired after an impact on the same stage. Their exits underlined just how quickly fortunes can change on the demanding Italian roads.

The victory marked Carmellino’s third Rally del Rubinetto win, adding another success to his record at the event. For co-driver Massimo Minazzi, it was an even more significant result. His fifth victory makes him the most successful co-driver in Rally del Rubinetto history.

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