Aprilia Tuareg Racing has kicked off the European rally season in commanding fashion, securing victory and a one-two finish at the opening round of the Tout Terrain Rally Cup in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Press: Aprilia Aus.

Leading the charge was Jacopo Cerutti, who delivered a landmark performance to take victory and the M5 class win aboard the Aprilia Tuareg Rally. The result is significant as Cerutti’s win marks a rare occasion where a twin-cylinder rally machine claimed overall honours against a field largely dominated by specialist single-cylinder rally bikes.

Cerutti was a consistent front-runner across the event’s six stages, claiming three class wins including the prologue, along with two outright stage victories. His performance also included a podium finish in every stage contested, demonstrating both speed and consistency throughout the rally.

Completing the dominant showing for the Italian manufacturer was teammate Thomas Marini, who delivered a strong and consistent performance to secure second overall and second in class. Marini also claimed three class wins and two overall stage victories, ensuring Aprilia Tuareg Racing controlled the rally from start to finish.

The result highlights the competitiveness of the Tuareg Rally platform, which combined performance, reliability and versatility across the varied terrain and demanding conditions encountered throughout the event.

Speaking after the rally, Cerutti praised both the bike and the teamwork within the squad.

“It was a great race – fast, fun and really satisfying. Thomas and I pushed hard all week and worked well together on stage. The Tuareg Rally was consistently strong: reliable, fast and effective in every situation. That made the difference against more specialised bikes,” Cerutti said.

Marini also described the result as a positive start to the European campaign.

“A very positive start to the European Championship. Conditions were challenging early in the week, but we stayed competitive every day. The team did an excellent job, and my confidence with the bike continues to grow – even in difficult conditions.”

The one-two finish reinforces the strength of the Aprilia Tuareg Racing programme, run by Team Guareschi, as the European rally championship season gets underway.

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