Florence, accident at the Scandicci rally: 50-year-old driver dies in the race

Tragedy this afternoon in the province of Florence, where a driver died in a racing accident at the Scandicci Rally while covering a timed section of the route. The victim is the Florentine Andrea Bartarelli, 50 years old. He was driving a Citroen C3 which, according to initial information, went off the road about 2.5 km after the start of the special stage, ending up on an embankment. The navigator Massimo Bazzani was injured. Relief, both medical and technical, was immediate. The organization canceled the race and called a press conference for 6.15pm.

Departures suspended

The accident occurred in the special stage called Pulica, the second of the race, taken from a hilly road in the Montespertoli area (Florence), the town where Bartarelli was originally from. The Bartarelli-Bazzani crew started with the number 1 on the sides. The Citroen's departure from the road was immediately reported by the route marshals, emergency services were arranged and departures were suspended. Only three cars completed the stretch. The Scandicci Rally is a national participation race among the last scheduled in the 2026 Italian calendar. It should have been held in two half-stages, the first this afternoon and the other tomorrow.

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