Jeremie Serieys followed up his first podium finish at Morzine with a maiden Twingo R1 France Trophy win in the Critérium des Cévennes. The victory reignited his French Junior Rally Championship challenge, although overall points leader Charles Martin still managed to score big in Montpellier. Third in the standings, Florian Bernardi is still in the mix ahead of the final round of the season, where the top three will go head to head in the Twingo R2 Evo developed by Renault Sport Technologies.

Florian Bernardi went into the lead following the first timed stage, defying the driving rain to eclipse Mathias Wouters, Charles Martin, Gabriel Lieffroy, Jeremie Serieys and Yohan Saillat. The early leader encountered difficulties in an equally wet second stage, however, finishing a lowly seventh before retiring from the rally in SS3 to leave Charles Martin in charge.

Jeremie Serieys then reeled off three consecutive fastest times to relieve Charles Martin of the lead as the field headed to the service park at Saint-Bauzille-de-Putois. At this stage of proceedings on a typically wet autumn day less than a minute separated the top five, which was completed by Kevin Coste, Jean Jouines and Mathias Wouters.

The rain was still falling as darkness closed in and the second loop began, not that the conditions stopped Jeremie Serieys from outpacing his rivals and extending his advantage to nearly two minutes. Meanwhile, the battle for second place was proving a close one, with less than 20 seconds between Coste, Martin, Jouines and Wouters. Rounding off the top ten were Simon Lebiez, Damien Defert, Antoine Masse, William Pitot and Gabriel Lieffroy.

Dry roads greeted the drivers on Saturday, as Jeremie Serieys cemented his lead to leave the rest of the field scrambling for the minor placings. Kevin Coste, Jean Jouines and then Mathias Wouters took turns in notching fastest stage times in their bids to take second, though Coste limped out in the last timed stage with an engine problem, leaving Charles Martin to take the runners-up spot on the podium ahead of Mathias Wouters, Jean Jouines, Simon Lebiez and Damien Defert. Gabriel Lieffroy, Antoine Masse, Francois Humeau and Segolene Couturier, the first woman to finish in the top ten, were also in the points.

Jeremie Serieys: “I am very happy with this first win. This is only our first season and it’s come at home too. I managed to stay loose and drive fast, especially at night, and once I’d got into a good lead I was able to control things. The win puts us back in the title race and I really feel as if I’ve come on a lot.”

Charles Martin: “We knew it was going to be impossible to compete with Jeremie on his home turf, and we were fighting for a podium finish so we could stay on top in the championship. Taking second here means things are still in my hands and I need to go on now and win the title at the Rallye du Var.”

Mathias Wouters: “We got stronger and stronger as the weekend went on, and we had to be very consistent. I only attacked when I felt I could make an Impact. This is my first top-three finish and it’s a dream for me to achieve this in my rookie season in the French Junior Rally Championship.”

55th Critérium des Cévennes – 2012 Twingo R1 France Trophy
Fastest times: Jeremie Serieys 7, Mathias Wouters 2, Florian Bernardi, Kevin Coste and Jean Jouines 1
Race leaders: Florian Bernardi (SS1 and 2), Charles Martin (SS3), Jeremie Serieys (SS4 to 12 – finish).

Final standings
1. Jeremie SERIEYS/Justine QUILLET, 2:49.53.5
2. Charles MARTIN/Romain DEVOS, +3:04.0
3. Mathias WOUTERS/Aline GAINET, +3:38.3
4. Jean JOUINES/Jean-Rene VILLANI, +4:06.0
5. Simon LEBIEZ/Julie LEBIEZ, +5:04.2
6. Damien DEFERT/Franck LE FLOCH, +6:53.5
7. Gabriel LIEFFROY/Laurine EHRHARDT, +8:11.5
8. Antoine MASSE/Mathieu FAVREAU, +8:49.6
9. Francois HUMEAU/Christelle PLA, +11:34.3
10. Segolene COUTURIER/Virginie BRUNEL, +15:45.2
11. Arnaud GENESCA/Thibault JANIN, +16:16.6
12. Loic ASTIER/Jean-Philippe CADET, +23:01.7
13. William PITOT/Alexis ESTIVAL, +23:39.5

French Junior Rally Championship: Overall standings (after five rounds of six)
1. Charles Martin, 83 points
2. Jeremie Serieys, 73
3. Florian Bernardi, 61