Milan, 19 October 2026 – For the first time in its history, Aprilia Tuareg Racing has secured
the overall title in the 2026 European Tout Terrain Rally Cup Championship, with Thomas
Marini claiming victory in both the general classification and the M5 class dedicated to twincylinder
bikes. Jacopo Cerutti secured second place, completing the dominance of the twincylinder
machine from Noale and securing a one-two finish for Aprilia Tuareg Racing on the
continental podium in both the overall and class standings.
It has been an extraordinary season for Thomas Marini, who clinched the European title in his
debut season riding the Aprilia Tuareg Rally. Right from the opening round in Santiago de
Compostela, Spain, the San Marino rider established himself at the top of the competition,
finishing second overall behind teammate Cerutti while taking two overall stage wins. In the
following event in Pefki Evia, Greece, Marini finished second in his class, earning two daily
class victories and five overall podiums. Finally, at the round in Râmnicu Sărat, Romania, he
secured his first overall victory, taking four overall daily wins and finishing on the podium in
every single stage held.
Jacopo Cerutti completed the one-two result for Aprilia Tuareg Racing, finishing as the overall
European runner-up at the end of his Tout Terrain Rally Cup campaign. The Italian rider was
among the primary contenders throughout the championship, claiming two overall victories in
Spain and Greece, before being forced to retire following a severe crash in the final round in
Romania, where he was competing against Marini for the overall win. Now, for Cerutti, the aim
is to recover as best he can ahead of the Africa Eco Race, where he hopes to be on the starting
line riding his Tuareg Rally.
This continental triumph is the latest milestone in Aprilia Tuareg Racing’s winning streak, which
has seen the team establish itself as a benchmark in the off-road landscape over the past four
years. This success builds upon victories in two consecutive editions of the Africa Eco Race
(2024–2025) and three consecutive Italian Motorally titles (2023–2025). These achievements
highlight the Tuareg Rally’s competitive edge—developed in close collaboration with the
Guareschi brothers’ GCorse—proving it to be a winning, reliable motorcycle capable of
delivering high performance across all types of terrain.
The next event for Aprilia Tuareg Racing is the Addax Rally, scheduled on 25-30 October in
Morocco. The newly crowned European champion, Thomas Marini, will line up alongside
Marco Menichini and Francesco Montanari as part of their preparations for the 2027 Africa Eco
Race.
THOMAS MARINI
“I’m really happy to have won the European title, both overall and in class, especially since this
is my first year with Aprilia. Being able to win with a new bike and a new team is a true source
of pride. Furthermore, winning the overall title with a twin-cylinder motorcycle against
specialised single-cylinder bikes demonstrates the impressive competitiveness of the Tuareg
Rally and the great work we are doing together with Team Guareschi. I want to thank the entire
team for giving me the opportunity to perform at my best in every situation. Now, our focus
turns to the upcoming events in the desert, starting with the Addax Rally in Morocco.”
VITTORIANO GUARESCHI
“This year, our main goal was the European championship together with Jacopo and Thomas,
and we achieved an incredible one-two finish, both overall and in class. It was a very interesting
championship with long, demanding stages. We took part in wonderful races, like the one in
Greece with over a hundred entrants, and we won every single one of them, proving the
exceptional competitiveness of the Tuareg Rally. It certainly couldn’t have gone any better. We
are extremely pleased with the results, although we are deeply sorry about Jacopo’s injury in
Romania. Now the Addax Rally lies ahead, where alongside Thomas we will also have Marco
Menichini and Francesco Montanari at the starting line to best prepare the bikes for the
upcoming Africa Eco Race.”
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