31 March 2014
Next stop Grasse for Renault Sport Challenge
After making a successful opening weekend at Saint-Chamond, the Renault Sport Challenge heads for the Alpes-Maritimes region and the 55th Rallye de Grasse Fleurs et Parfums, which takes place on 4-5 April. Firmly established on the French Rally Cup calendar, the event boasts a solid reputation and attracts quality fields season after season. This year some 15 crews will be battling it out in the three classes being promoted by the Renault Sport Challenge: R3/N4, R2 and R1.
Following its promising debut at the Rallye Pays du Gier, the R2 class will feature the biggest field of the three at the Rallye de Grasse Fleurs et Parfums, with seven crews taking to the wheel of the Renault Twingo R.S. R2 and vying for the prizes on offer. Second in the class at Saint-Chamond, Georges Gonon will start as favourite and will be keen to succeed at what is his home rally, though he can expect some stiff competition from William Pitot, who was also on the podium in the Pays du Gier. Featuring among the other contenders are Jonathan Fra and Jordan Mottard, who will be driving close to home, while Nice driver Xavier Baze will not be lacking in motivation either. Completing the field are Sylvain Canut and Marvin Sorin.
Four crews will be chasing a R1-class win in the Renault Twingo R.S. R1, among them Nicolas Renchet, who will be hoping to go one better than the second place he recorded in the first round of the Renault Sport Challenge. Despite impressing in the season opener, Maxime Goetz was unable to finish, a setback he will be out to atone for in Grasse by scoring big, as will Aurelien Lafont, whose Rallye Pays du Gier was over all too soon. Meanwhile, Theo Chalal has designs on a podium finish of his own after taking fourth place last time out.
Fresh from finishing high up the overall leaderboard in the Pays du Gier, the main contenders in the R3/N4 class will be out to do it all over again in Grasse. Jerome Chavanne and Pascal Berard were on the podium in Saint-Chamond, and with Boris Carminati sitting this event out, both drivers have designs on replacing him at the top of the class standings. Kevin Despinasse will also be appearing in the Renault Clio R.S. R3, while Laurent Lacomy is the only driver venturing out in the Megane R.S. N4. Sixth in the last event, the Marseille man has what it takes to improve on that performance.
Rallye de Grasse Fleurs et Parfums schedule
Friday 4 April
17:38: SS1 – Les 3 Ponts (3.40 km)
18:21: SS2 – Bramafan-Gourdon Caussols (13.32 km)
Saturday 5 April
8:43: SS3 – Col de Bleine-Le Mas-Aiglun (25.74 km)
9:41: SS4 – Pont des Miolans-Saint Auban (24.07 km)
11:04: SS5 – Castellane-Le Bourget-Comps (20 km)
14:07: SS6 – Col de Bleine-Le Mas-Aiglun (25.74 km)
15:05: SS7 – Pont des Miolans-Saint Auban (24.07 km)
Entrants
R3/N4 Class
CHAVANNE Jérôme - GALLEANO Emilie (Renault Clio R.S. R3)
BERARD Pascal BERARD Caroline (Renault Clio R.S. R3)
LACOMY Laurent - MATTEI Sébastien (Renault Mégane R.S. N4)
DESPINASSE Kévin - SICARD Isabelle (Renault Clio R.S. R3)
R2 Class (Renault Twingo R.S. R2)
GONON Georges - GONON Valérie
PITOT William - ESTIVAL Alexis
MOTTARD Jordan - DEVAUX Thierry
FRA Jonathan - OCCHIPINTI Léo
CANUT Sylvain - SALELLES Sarah
SORIN Marvin - MOINET Karine
BAZE Xavier - ONNO Anne
R1 Class (Renault Twingo R.S. R1)
RENCHET Nicolas - FITZGERALD Tom
CHALAL Théo - MANCINI Sarah
GOETZ Maxime - MERULLA Nicolas
LAFONT Aurélien - VERDENET Aurélien
