Paolo Diana barred from Rallylegend 2026 over sponsor conflict

The Rallylegend rally event in San Marino announced that Italian driver Paolo Diana will not take part in the 2026 edition. Organisers required the removal of all Kumho branding – tyres, stickers on the car and suit – because Pirelli is the official tyre partner of the rally. Diana said on social media, "Mi dispiace darvi questa notizia..." and explained that he refused to delete Kumho’s logos, stating, "Ho detto di no, per correttezza verso un partner che mi supporta".

The rally’s president, Paolo Valli, claimed that no one has been barred from participation, but Diana’s entry was not accepted. The dispute centres on the clash between Kumho, a South‑Korean tyre sponsor, and Pirelli, the event’s mandated tyre supplier.