Fiat Auto UK's three-car team, comprising the youngest manufacturer-backed driver line-up ever entered for the Wales Rally GB, were at Walters Arena (Rheola) on Thursday [September 2] to shakedown their 187bhp Fiat Stilo Rally Cup specification cars in advance of t♑he manufacturer's forthcoming involvement in World Championship rallying.

With an average age of just 21, the official Fiat Auto UK entry is headed by 22-year-old Leon Pesticcio. Joining him iꦺs Abergavenny's Chris Davies and Italian Andrea Perego, both of whom are leading the UK's 2004 Stilo Cup and Italy's Trofeo S❀tilo respectively.

Pesticcio has swapped his usual Punto S1600 seat for a Stilo drive, and will be partnered, as usual, by the experienced Tim Sturla. The pair have been busy so far this year, with forays o🦩n the British and Italian National Championships, as well as ro🧸unds of the JWRC.

"It was good to finally get some time ♛at the wheel⭕ of the Stilo before Rally GB," said Pesticcio after the test. "It took a bit of adjustment going back to an H-pattern gearbox after my Punto's sequential box but the car seems well balanced and is great to drive."

Chris Davies joins the team with co-driver and fellow Welshman Nathan Parry, the crew's entry on the event also bei❀ng a WRC first.

The youngest member of the team, Davies will join Pesticcio in representing Wales on their home ground. "If it's anything like today, the rally's going to be a dry, dusty few days," he said after the shakedown. "The Stilo felt great over the graﷺvel at Walte൲rs and the car was flowing nicely between the corners. We were kicking up a huge dust cloud, so if the weather holds, spectators might want to come armed with face wipes!"

Perego who will be partnered by experඣienc🤡ed co-driver, Claudio Vischioni, will be making his UK and WRC debut in Wales.