The second edition of Roma Eco Race, a regularity motoring competition on roads open to the public in which vehicles powered by alternative fuels and propulsion systems take part, will start on Saturday 12 October. The event, organized by Automobile Club Roma, which takes care of the automotive sporting aspects and Punto Gas, operator in the automotive and sustainable mobility sector, was presented in the Campidoglio in Rome on 7 October in the “Laudato si” room, Palazzo Senatorio, present Giuseppina Fusco, President Automobile Club Roma, Alessandro Onorato, Councilor for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion Roma Capitale, Federico Rocca, Councilor Roma Capitale and Laura Latini, Councilor delegated for Sport of the Municipality of Fiuggi.
“The Automobile Club Roma – declared the President Giuseppina Fusco – decided to organize and participate in the organization of the second edition of the Roma Eco Race, perceiving its value in automotive sporting terms, but above all for the purposes of raising citizens’ awareness towards the objective of environmental sustainability and traffic safety. With the Roma Eco Race – continues the President – we wanted to draw the attention of road users, motorists first and foremost, to the opportunities offered, already today, by vehicles that have a lower carbon footprint and, at the same time, being recently construction, present requirements capable of improving performance, supporting the driver while driving and significantly reducing the risks associated with driving. But the most relevant aspect of this second edition – concludes Dr. Fusco – is the introduction of the “consumption test”, which urges participants to adopt a driving style attentive to energy saving, a significant driving force for improving conditions environmental”.
Alessandro Onorato, Councilor for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion Roma Capitale: “The Roma Eco-Race is an important event that will bring together in Rome many enthusiasts and experts in the sector from all over Italy, but also many curious tourists. It’s not just entertainment, but it’s also a socially useful event. Because it has the ability to raise citizens’ awareness of crucial issues such as road safety and environmental sustainability, topics that are more current and urgent than ever to address. This is why we are happy to support the event.”
For Federico Rocca, Councilor of Roma Capitale, “the second edition of Roma Eco Race is even more exciting than the first thanks to the involvement of other cities beyond Rome, crossing other territories of Lazio, thus bringing into synergy sustainable mobility, environment, culture and tourism. Rome Eco Race represents an intelligent and rational way to bring citizens closer to sustainable mobility which requires various initiatives and tools to be increasingly implemented in a large city like Rome. Initiatives like this help and stimulate a debate that in recent years years is finding more and more attention among citizens and institutions”.
Laura Latini, councilor delegated for Sport of the Municipality of Fiuggi brought “the greetings of the mayor Alioska Baccarini and the municipal administration to the entire organization of Roma Eco Race, to the pilots and co-pilots, to the teams and their staff. The City of Fiuggi is ready to welcome you with open arms, guaranteeing maximum efficiency in services and all the logistical support the event needs. We are happy to be an important part of this project that combines sport, entertainment, tourism and protection for the environment. Thanks to all those who believed in the potential of our city and Alta Ciociaria”.
The event received greetings from Elena Palazzo, Councilor for Sport, Environment and Tourism of the Lazio Region: “This event represents a lot for Lazio and constitutes an important step towards raising awareness and spreading sustainable practices in the automotive sector. At a time when environmental issues are increasingly central in public debate, events such as the “Roma Eco Race” demonstrate how it is possible to combine sport and sustainability, creating an opportunity for discussion and visibility for new technologies with low environmental impact. ”
The program includes the meeting of the competitors on Friday afternoon 11 October for the technical and administrative checks: from 2.30pm to 4.30pm meeting at the Hotel Cristoforo Colombo in EUR. On Saturday 12 October the crews meet in Piazza Bocca della Verità, surrounded by the imposing Arch of Janus and the suggestive Foro Boario. From here at 9.30 the first car leaves, followed by the remaining ones, at a distance of one minute from each other. The competitors will touch various locations – Albano Laziale, Frascati, San Cesareo, Palestrina and Rocca di Cave – and then reach Subiaco, where the tests of the 1st sector of the race end at 1.30 pm. In the afternoon the route includes passing through Subiaco, Aniene and Guarcino, with arrival in Fiuggi (Fr) expected at 6.00 pm, followed by the awards ceremony.
“We are pleased to participate in Eco Race – comments Matteo Cimenti, president of Assogasliquidi-Federchimica – a race that involves the most virtuous vehicles from an environmental point of view. This year the event takes place in conjunction with a campaign that we have launched to promote the eco-incentives of the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy intended for the gas conversion of Euro 4, 5 and 6 cars already in circulation. Italian motorists have shown themselves to be very interested in converting to LPG and the campaign will continue until the end of the year to remind everyone that this possibility exists. Eco Race is a very useful event, in this sense, because it promotes sustainable mobility and therefore also gas fueling”.
The 2nd Rome Eco Race allows you to obtain points valid for the Green Endurance Trophy and Green Challenge Cup motor competitions, included in the Italian Alternative Energy Championship of Aci Sport, in compliance with the International Sporting Code of the FIA, the International Automobile Federation. It takes place simultaneously with the 2nd Roma Eco Race Press – Memorial Fiammetta La Guidara, with the same characteristics but reserved for journalists and media from the automotive sector and is an official candidate to become, starting next year, a stage of the European championship alternative energies, the FIA Eco Rally Cup 2025. It is not necessary to be a champion to participate and among the crews there are enthusiasts, operators in the automotive sector, journalists and even drivers and navigators who have already taken part in national and international championships. Instead, it is necessary to compete driving a vehicle approved for road circulation in the EU powered by alternative fuels and propulsion systems: electric, hybrid, mono, bifuel and dual fuel gaseous (LPG, methane and biomethane), hydrogen or biodiesel.
The second edition of Roma Eco Race – as underlined in a note – “is not satisfied with the low environmental impact of the vehicles competing and adds a new challenge in its regulations. The competitors, in addition to respecting the highway code and paying attention to the route , they will have to adopt a sustainable driving style, which is essential to position themselves in the rankings by best passing the new consumption test introduced.”
The points valid for the formation of the ranking are obtained by taking various tests, first of all the new entry, i.e. the consumption test. The competition is in fact based on the lowest consumption recorded during the race. The total consumed by the competitor, reported in cents, and added to any penalty points, determines the race ranking of each individual vehicle category. Furthermore, in order to enhance the concept of Economy Run, an extra score is assigned to competitors who have spent less.
As with the first edition, 5 average tests are planned: the route is divided into sectors within which stretches called Green Special Stages have been identified by the organization in which the average speed must be respected in every single meter of the route . In these sections, secret chronometric checks are carried out which assign penalties to anyone who deviates from the set speed. The ranking of each Green Special Stage contributes to the assignment of extra points in order to determine the overall ranking.
The 2nd Rome Eco Race takes place under the patronage of: Minister for Sport and Youth, Lazio Region, Rome Capital Department of Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion, Municipality of Fiuggi, Sport and Health, CONI Lazio Regional Committee, Uiga Italian Union of Automotive Journalists and in collaboration with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Italy. Charity Partner: Peter Pan ODV. Main sponsor Sara Assicurazioni. Sponsor: BRC Gas Equipment. Among the partners of the event, Assogasliquidi-Federchimica, the association representing the LPG and LNG industry, already present last year, which will also follow the second edition with interest.