Renault Sport’s leading driver in the Production Cup Drivers standings, Germain Bonnefis is hoping he and co-driver Olivier Fournier can go one better than the second place they managed at the Tour de Corse and top the podium this time around in Belgium.

“A lot of it will be new to us,” he said. “It’s a fast rally and there are a lot of places where you can get caught out. We’ve never taken part in a rally in the north with these types of roads and grip conditions that change all the time. We’re going to keep a cool head, though, and pace ourselves.”

“We want to keep the pace up and stay in contention in the Production Cup by picking up some big points, said the Aveyron driver. It’s a long rally but these types of specials could suit me because I like long, fast sections. Olivier and I usually do well in that kind of situation. As for the low-grip conditions, that’s not a problem. I’ve just won the French Dirt Rally title so I’m not worried about sliding around. It’s when the grip conditions change that you’ve got to pay attention. It’s easy to get caught out and make a mistake, and you have to be watchful.”

After retiring in Corsica, Robert Consani is determined to put in a good performance as he slips back into the Renault Megane Renaultsport N4: “We used up our joker in Corsica and we’ve got no margin for error left. The aim is still the same: to get in among the points and win the title for Renault Sport at the end of the year. I’m heading to Ypres with my mind fully focused and a little wary too because I got caught out there last year. I picked up three punctures, which held me back. The surface conditions change all the time and that’s something we’ll really need to concentrate on to make sure we don’t make a mistake in the specials.”

With Nicolas Klinger as his co-driver, with whom he won the IRC Production Cup in 2012, Robert Consani will start the race with unwavering confidence in his ride. “I think this rally could suit the Megane Renaultsport N4 if the weather stays dry,” he added. “We’ll be putting on new tyres supplied by Michelin and we’ll have to see how they react. The event’s going to start with a qualifying shakedown, which is a first. I’m pretty happy about that because it will give us a chance to see how strong everyone is. The fact there’s a qualifying run means we won’t be seeing any of the bluffing you sometimes get. Every crew will be giving it their very best to try and get in the leading positions and avoid having to drive on roads made slippery by the cars ahead.”