Aprilia Reigns Supreme in the European Tout Terrain Rally Cup with a Dream Debut

Another Aprilia triumph in Rally racing: Marini is European champion, Cerutti takes 2nd, and the Tuareg scores an overall and class double. Here’s how it happened.

Thomas Marini, the Aprilia Tuareg Racing, and GCorse (the Guareschi brothers’ team): a winning combination that swept aside the competition on its debut in the 2026 European Tout Terrain Rally Cup. They triumphed in both the overall standings and the M5 class for twin-cylinder bikes, with Jacopo Cerutti completing the clean sweep by finishing second in both standings. The ambitious dream that no one had kept under wraps became a solid reality, confirming the Noale brand as a leading force in Rally racing: over the past four years, it has claimed two Africa Eco Race victories (2024–2025) and three Italian Motorally titles (2023–2025). And another challenge is just days away: the Addax Rally, taking place in Morocco from October 25 to 30, where newly crowned European champion Thomas Marini will join Marco Menichini and Francesco Montanari to prepare for the 2027 Africa Eco Race.

It was an extraordinary season for Thomas Marini, who claimed the European title in his debut season aboard the Aprilia Tuareg Rally. From the opening round in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, the Sammarinese rider was among the competition’s frontrunners, finishing second overall behind teammate Cerutti and notching two overall stage wins. At the next race in Pefki Evia, Greece, Marini finished second in his class, with two class wins and five overall podiums to his name. Finally, at the round in Râmnicu Sărat, Romania, he secured his first overall victory, claiming four overall stage wins and finishing on the podium in every event contested.

As mentioned, Jacopo Cerutti completed the Aprilia Tuareg Racing double, finishing as overall runner-up in the Tout Terrain Rally Cup. The Italian rider was one of the championship’s leading contenders, claiming two overall victories in Spain and Greece before being forced to retire after a serious crash in the final round in Romania, while battling Marini for the overall win. Cerutti’s focus now is on making a full recovery from his injury in time for the Africa Eco Race, where he aims to line up aboard his Tuareg Rally.

THOMAS MARINI: “It’s my first year with Aprilia, and winning with a new bike and team is a real source of pride. What’s more, winning the overall title on a twin-cylinder bike against purpose-built single-cylinder machines proves just how competitive the Tuareg Rally is and how good the work we’re doing together with the Guareschi team has been. I want to thank the whole team for giving me the opportunity to perform at my best in every situation. Now we’re focusing on the upcoming desert events, starting with the Addax Rally in Morocco.”

VITTORIANO GUARESCHI: “This year, our main goal was the European championship with Jacopo and Thomas, and we achieved an incredible double, both overall and in the class standings. It was a very interesting championship, with long and demanding rounds. We competed in some fantastic races, including the one in Greece, with more than a hundred entries, and won them all, demonstrating just how competitive the Tuareg Rally is. It really couldn’t have gone any better. We’re very happy with the results, although Jacopo’s injury in Romania is a real disappointment. The Addax Rally is next, where Thomas will be joined by Marco Menichini and Francesco Montanari as we prepare the bikes as thoroughly as possible for the next Africa Eco Race.”

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