Formula One driver wins rally with Pirelli tires

Formula One driver Kubica, winner of the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix, is a big rally fan - and he claimed two-wheel drive victory with Pirelli on the Rally d'Alpi Orientali last weekend, a round of the Italian championship, at the wheel of a Renault Clio Super 1600.

It was the 25-year-old Pole's first class victory in rallying, achieved over the course of a 14-stage, three-day event covering more than 103.7 competitive miles. Kubica's car was equipped with Pirelli's P Zero asphalt tires, which proved to be both fast and reliable.

"I just came here to have fun really," said the 25-year-old Kubica, who was placed 13th overall. "I have to be careful not to risk too much, as Formula One is my real job. But I love the challenge of adapting to rallying."

The Rally d'Alpi Orientali was held in difficult mixed conditions in the northeast of Italy and proved to be an extremely successful weekend for Pirelli. As well as Kubica's Super 1600 and two-wheel drive victory, Pirelli also won the rally overall with Paolo Andreucci in a Peugeot 207 S2000, Group N4 with Andrea Perego in a Mitsubishi, and Group R3 with Pierre Campana in another Renault Clio.

"It's great that we've got our Formula One campaign off to such a successful early start by taking this class win with Robert Kubica,” Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery commented.  “The performance of our P Zero tires in difficult conditions enabled a driver who is still finding his feet in rallying to take this very satisfying result and we look forward once again to making our presence felt strongly in both racing and rallying in the future."