Twingo R1 Trophy: Florian Bernardi versus Axel Garcia

Axel Garcia and Florian Bernardi have dominated the first four rounds of the 2013 Twingo R1 Trophy season, winning three events between them to pull well clear in the standings. Axel Garcia and co-driver Fabien Pomares have been nothing if not consistent, winning once and finishing on the podium three times in all before losing the championship lead when they were disqualified at the Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine. Florian Bernardi and Xavier Castex were the duo who replaced them at the top. Having made a slow start to the season at the wheel of their Twingo Renaultsport R1, the pair scored back-to-back wins in Rodez and Morzine to take the points lead with two rounds to go.

Though the rest of the field is now some way behind in the standings, there is sure to be quite a battle for the last place on the podium. Only eight points separate Simon Lebiez in third from Olivier Floret in sixth, with Gabriel Lieffroy and Laurent Pellier sandwiched between them. All four have finished in the top three once this season, and each driver will be anxious to repeat the experience and perhaps even push for a maiden win. Also hoping to star in Les Cévennes are Raphael Astier, Alexis Sirmain and Jean Jouines, who have all excelled at various stages of the campaign without yet being able to score big points.

Twingo R2 Trophy: Yann Clairay in the box seat

The Twingo R2 Trophy season is also set for an exciting climax, with three men vying for the crown and just one round to go after the Critérium des Cévennes, which will be crucial to the final outcome. Victorious in Le Touquet and Morzine, the ultra-consistent Yann Clairay, who will be joined this time round by Gilles de Turckheim, currently heads the standings. After going off the road at the Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine and relinquishing his championship lead to Clairay in the process, Manu Guigou and his co-driver Kevin Millet will be determined to get right back on track, having slipped down to third overall. A winner in Limoges and Rodez, Guigou knows he has no margin for error and will be banking on his French Championship experience and his knowledge of the Renault Twingo Renaultsport R2 Evo to retake control.

With three podium finishes to their names and points in all four events so far, Nicolas Romiguiere and Alexis Negre are also well in the hunt in second and could even take the championship lead if they win this weekend. Meanwhile, Mathieu Sentis and Gil Valette, who showed what they can do in finishing second in Limoges, will be hoping to pull out all the stops on the tricky Cévennes roads and make another podium appearance in what has been a challenging season for them so far.

Jérémie Sérieys on familiar territory

Born in Montpellier, Jeremie Serieys will be driving on home soil at the Critérium des Cévennes, with Justine Quillet by his side. The reigning French Junior Rally champions have competed in the event twice before, emerging victorious in the Twingo R1 Trophy last year. Appearing on familiar territory in a Twingo Renaultsport R2 Evo prepared by Renault Sport Technologies, they will have the opportunity to show how far they have come this season.

“We don’t live far from Les Cévennes and we’ll have lots of supporters cheering us on,” said Jeremie. “It’s not the only rally on the calendar that I like but it’s the one I know the best, on roads that I’m familiar with. That doesn’t mean to say, though, that I’ll just be putting my foot down without thinking things through. Our approach since the start of the season has been to take things step by step and to go for it when we’re in a position to do so. It’s worked out well for us so far.

“Going home gives me the chance to see how far we’ve come since we started out in rally and joined up with Renault Sport, with the support the FFSA. We’re having a good season and we can safely say that we’re getting faster and faster with each rally. The back-up we’re getting at every event is perfect and it’s helping us to develop fast. It’s a great programme for us and I hope I’ve been able to show that I can fulfil the role of a driver in an official set-up. Even though the season hasn’t finished yet, I’d like to thank Renault Sport Technologies, the FFSA and my loyal partners for everything we’ve been able to do this season.”

List of entrants

Twingo R2 France Trophy
CLAIRAY Yann – DE TURCKHEIM Gilles
ROMIGUIERE Nicolas - NEGRE Alexis
GUIGOU Emmanuel – MILLET Kevin
SENTIS Mathieu - VALETTE Gil

Twingo R1 France Trophy
BERNARDI Florian - CASTEX Xavier
GARCIA Axel - POMARES Fabien
LEBIEZ Simon - LEBIEZ Julie
LIEFFROY Gabriel - EHRHARDT Laurine
PELLIER Laurent - FAURE Julie
FLORET Olivier - GROULIER Vincent
ASTIER Raphaël - SUCHET Valentin
SIRMAIN Alexis - GAFFARD Benjamin
JOUINES Jean - DELRIEU Mathieu
LUKES Nelson - CRESTA Giulia
MOTTARD Jordan - OCCHIPINTI Léo
COHEN Valentin - CORNEBISE Jérôme
MARAR Taymoor - GAREL Romain

Schedule

Friday 1 November
10:23 : SS1 Taleyrac - Mandagout (9,50 km)
11:06 : SS2 Le Vigan - Pommiers (21,21 km)
11:54 : SS3 Mars - Arrigas (13,80 km)
14:07 : SS4 Kartix ASA Hérault (2,00 km)
16:30 : SS5 Taleyrac - Mandagout (9,50 km)
17:13 : SS6 Le Vigan - Pommiers (21,21 km)
18:01 : SS7 Mars - Arrigas (13,80 km)
19:14 : SS8 Kartix ASA Hérault (2,00 km)

Saturday 2 November
8:28 : SS9 Pays Viganais - Col du Minier (13,96 km)
9:51 : SS10 Valleraugue - ND de la Rouvière (37,41 km)
14:34 : SS11 Pays Viganais - Col du Minier (13,96 km)
15:57 : SS12 Valleraugue - ND de la Rouvière (37,41 km)