Road safety, youth training and pathways into motorsport come together in Alghero with ACI Sardegna Academy, the new project promoted by the Automobile Club of Italy, conceived and delivered by Automobile Club Sassari with support from the Autonomous Region of Sardinia.
The initiative gets underway during the 2026 Rally Italia Sardegna, taking place in Alghero from 1 to 4 October. From 1 to 3 October 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Kartodromo Pista del Corallo in Alghero will host demonstration days showcasing the Academy’s activities and methods. The project’s official presentation is scheduled for Friday, 2 October at 5:30 p.m., at Casa Sardegna – Service Park Alghero, Banchina Millelire.
What is ACI Sardegna Academy?
ACI Sardegna Academy has a dual objective: to promote greater road-safety awareness among younger generations while also creating a structured pathway to identify and support new talent as they enter the world of competitive motorsport.
The project is aimed in particular at students in their third, fourth and fifth years of secondary school. The programme aims to reach a potential audience of 60,000 students under 19, through 25 selection sessions each year and with the participation of 46 schools.
The programme therefore seeks to bring together two closely connected worlds: on the one hand, understanding risks and knowing how to handle critical situations behind the wheel; on the other, the technical training needed to take the first steps in motorsport.
Photo credits: Roberto Pinna
From safe driving to the track: how the programme works
At the heart of ACI Sardegna Academy is a progressive structure with several levels, each involving a greater degree of preparation and selection.
The first phase focuses on Advanced Safe Driving, with theory lessons and practical exercises in emergency braking, obstacle avoidance and vehicle control. Activities also include skid cars, simulators and VR headsets to recreate different driving situations.
Those selected can then move on to the Academy, with a day of advanced training in road cars and simulators, as well as a first experience in an entry-level race car.
The programme continues with Crew Camp, which focuses on training the driver-co-driver crew and on rally-specific skills such as preparing pace notes and adapting to changing conditions. The next stage is Race, where timed results also come into play through Rallycross tests and simulated Special Stages.
At the end of the selection process, the most promising talent will be able to embark on a competitive development pathway, supported by a team of professionals and experts.
Road safety and motorsport during the Rally Italia Sardegna
Presenting the Academy during the Rally Italia Sardegna links the project to one of the most important international motorsport events hosted on the island.
The 2026 Rally Italia Sardegna takes place from 1 to 4 October, with Alghero as its base, as part of the FIA World Rally Championship. The schedule includes 17 special stages and more than 300 timed kilometres across Monte Acuto, Anglona, Nurra and part of Gallura.
In this context, ACI Sardegna Academy aims to use motorsport as an educational tool, too, turning the skills, technologies and methods of the competition world into learning opportunities for young people.
A project for younger generations
The aim, then, is not simply to find future drivers. The initiative is founded on training in responsible driving, with a pathway that starts with road safety and can only later become a sporting opportunity for those who pass the various selection stages.
The project also reflects the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with particular emphasis on quality education, sustainable communities and gender equality, including through the FIA Women in Motorsport framework. The aim is to gradually develop a network of training centres and educational hubs across the region.
With its debut in Alghero, ACI Sardegna Academy is setting a new course, putting road-safety education, technical training and opportunities for young people at its heart. It draws on Sardinia’s motorsport heritage not only for competition, but also as a means of personal development and prevention.