#SergioCresto

Sergio Cresto (January 19, 1956 – May 2, 1986) was an Italian-American rally co-driver, known for his partnerships with top drivers in the 1980s. Born in New York to an Italian-American father and a German mother, he moved to Italy at the age of four and grew up in a multilingual environment, speaking fluent English, Italian, and French. His rally career began in 1976, debuting as a co-driver in a Opel Kadett GT/E at the Rally di Sicilia. In 1978, he secured a significant third-place finish in the Tour d'Italia automobilistico, competing in a Lancia Stratos alongside Leo Pittoni and Renzo Magnani. In 1984, paired with Carlo Capone in a Lancia Rally 037 for the Lancia Corse team, he won the European Rally Championship (ERC), defeating Henri Toivonen in a Porsche after a tightly contested season. The following year, in 1985, Cresto became the co-driver of Attilio Bettega, competing in several World Rally Championship (WRC) events. However, on May 2, 1985, during the Tour de Corse, Bettega tragically lost his life in an accident. Cresto was not present on that occasion. In 1986, Cresto partnered with Henri Toivonen for Lancia Martini, competing in the WRC. The duo achieved a major victory at the Monte Carlo Rally, solidifying their presence in the championship. Tragically, on May 2, 1986, exactly one year after Bettega’s fatal crash, Cresto and Toivonen lost their lives during the Tour de Corse. Their Lancia Delta S4 went off the road during the 18th stage, plunging into a ravine and catching fire immediately, leaving them no chance of escape. This tragic accident had a profound impact on the world of rallying, leading the FIA to ban Group B cars starting from the following season due to safety concerns. Sergio Cresto is remembered as a talented and dedicated co-driver whose brief but impactful career left a lasting mark on the rallying world.

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