7 February 2013
French Rally Championship: The countdown starts now
Firmly committed to rally, Renault Sport Technologies is maintaining its presence in the French Rally Championship this year. Renowned for offering a high level of competition, the Twingo R1 and R2 France trophies will be held over six rounds, with the French Junior Rally Championship – open to drivers under the age of 25 – continuing to form part of the R1 Trophy calendar. The young guns taking part will be hoping to match the standards set by Jeremie Serieys, the reigning French Junior Rally champion and now at the wheel of a Twingo Renaultsport R2 Evo. Renault Sport will also be heavily involved in the all-new French Production Rally Championship.
Twingo R1 France Trophy
Staged for the third year running now, the Twingo R1 France Trophy gives young drivers the chance to show what they can do in an event that is both highly competitive and affordable in terms of running costs.
Created by Renault Sport Technologies, this promotional class is contested over six rounds of the French Rally Championship. Competitors aged under 25 (born after 31 December 1987) are also eligible for the French Motorsports Federation (FFSA) Junior Rally Championship, with only the five best results scored by each driver counting towards the final standings in both competitions.
At the end of each round, cash prizes, Renault Sport parts vouchers and Pirelli tyres will be awarded to help teams balance their budgets. The top three in the Twingo R1 France Trophy will share €18,000 in parts vouchers, while this year’s French Junior Rally champion will join up with a professional team in 2014 to contest eight rounds of the French Rally Championship in a Twingo Renaultsport R2 Evo.
This season competitors will be required to take up the Twingo Renaultsport Phase 2 conversion kit, which the Competition Parts Department will put on sale on 15 February at a price of €990 (ex-tax). The complete Twingo Renaultsport R1 kit is available for €8,500 (ex-tax).
Twingo R2 France Trophy
A popular event with rally fans since its arrival on the scene in 2010, the Twingo R2 France Trophy provides Twingo Renaultsport R2 and Twingo Renaultsport R2 Evo owners with the perfect environment for unveiling their skills. Throwing up many a tight battle, the event has gained a reputation for driving of the highest quality.
Organised along largely the same lines as the Twingo R1 Trophy, the championship follows an identical calendar, with drivers also allowed to discard their worst result at the end of the season. A series of cash prizes and parts are also awarded to help competitors fund their programmes.
The Twingo Renaultsport R2 Evo is available in kit form for €46,000 (ex-tax).
France Trophy calendar
15-16 March: Rallye Le Touquet Pas-de-Calais
10-11 May: Rallye Région Limousin
12-14 July: Rallye Aveyron Rouergue Midi-Pyrénées
6-7 September: Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine
1-2 November: Critérium des Cévennes
22-24 November: Rallye du Var
French Makes Rally Championship
Newly created by the FFSA, the French Makes Rally Championship is open to cars in the R1, R2, R3 and N4 classes, which means Renault’s entire rally range will be involved.
Anxious to give its customers all the support it can, Renault Sport will present Twingo Renaultsport R2, Clio Renaultsport R3 and Megane Renaultsport N4 owners with special prizes in reward for their performances. At each of the nine rounds of the 2013 calendar, vouchers for Renault Sport competition parts will be handed out to the top two drivers in the R2, R3 and N4 classifications. Meanwhile, Megane Renaultsport N4s competing in the championship will be reclassified by the FFSA to ensure they are given a start position commensurate with their performance.
Clio Renaultsport R3 kits retail at €32,000 (Access) and €60,000 (Maxi), while the Megane Renaultsport N4 kit costs €48,000 (ex-tax).
Twingo Renaultsport R1 scores Rallye Monte-Carlo win
Competing in a Twingo Renaultsport R1, Cedric Petiet and Cedric Amoros notched a third straight class win in the Rallye Monte-Carlo, the opening leg of the 2103 WRC. Long-time leaders in the R2 category in their Twingo Renaultsport R2 Evo, Nelson Panciatici and Rene Padovani were forced to retire on the legendary Col du Turini special stage.
Clio Renaultsport R3 lands 2WD triumph at the Jännerrallye
Austria’s Jännerrallye, the first round of the revamped European Rally Championship, brought Renault Sport a maiden win in the 2WD category, as Austrian duo Hannes Danzinger and Kathi Wüstenhagen mastered some icy conditions to romp home by more than six minutes.