Rally driver Andrea Bartarelli dies in crash at Rally di Scandicci, race cancelled

The crash on the Pulica stage

Andrea Bartarelli, a 50-year-old driver from Florence, died on Saturday afternoon, 7 November, after his Citroen C3 left the road during a timed section of the Rally di Scandicci in the province of Florence. The accident happened on the Pulica special stage, the second on the event programme, which runs along a hilly road in the territory of Montespertoli. Reports say the car left the road about 2.5 km after the start of the stage and ended up in a ravine. The stage is 6.4 km long and crosses hilly Tuscan terrain with downhill sections, forest sectors and demanding bends, according to one report. Course marshals raised the alarm at once, and rescue and technical teams were sent to the scene while the other cars were held back at the start. Despite the rapid response, Bartarelli could not be saved.

Co-driver injured, cause still unclear

His co-driver was injured in the crash. The information released so far says he remained conscious, but it does not specify how serious his injuries are. Early reconstructions say the Citroen went straight through a bend, hit a tree and then ended up in the ravine, but these are first accounts only. The causes and the exact sequence of the accident remain to be established.

Race cancelled after three cars finished

Organisers cancelled the rally after the accident and scheduled a press conference for 18:15 that day. Only three cars had completed the timed section before the stages were halted. The Rally di Scandicci is an event open to national participation and was among the last on Italy's 2026 calendar. It was due to run in two legs, the first on Saturday afternoon and the second on Sunday 8 November. The event, organised by Reggello Motor Sport with Automobile Club Firenze, had ten special stages over about 248 km, of which more than 62 km were timed. The cancellation also covered the stages planned for Sunday, which the sources say included competitions for historic and classic cars.

Bartarelli's rallying career

Bartarelli was known in rallying as 'Bartan Block' and came from Montespertoli, the town where the stage runs. Organisers had given him the number 1 because of that local tie, and the Scandicci rally was his home event. His interest in rallying began in 1986, when he was still a boy. He made his driving debut in 2001, and in 2003 he won the Rally Sprint dei Panorami, his first success. He drove for Scuderia MotorZone and had recently raced a Renault Clio Rally3 before returning in late October to a Rally2-class Citroen C3 from PRT. That programme also included the Ronde Halloween and the Rally della Fettunta.