How do you rate your start to the season?
“I enjoyed myself on the Charbonnières, which was my first go in that rally, but things didn’t go ideally on the Vosges – Grand-Est. It was even a bit of a disaster as it was my home event. Unfortunately, we had a technical problem at the start. The time it took to find the cause resulted in several penalties, but our first loop went rather well except for an intercom issue that I was able to make up for thanks to my knowledge of the roads. Sadly, it all came to a definitive end when I put the car on its roof Sunday morning.”

What was next on your home event?
“This retirement was a shame, but that is part of motor racing. At the age of 65, I was there to have a good time… As I run Mathieu Walter’s car, his win brought me a bit of comfort. This is his second season; he is quick and he knows the rallies. Having done the Vosges round several times in a Mégane N4, I know consistency is essential and Mathieu as well as Thibault managed their rallies perfectly.

We are also involved in the Renault Sport activities as the Groupe Guy Bertrand is a Renault dealer in Gérardmer. We did a complete day of codrive experience in a Clio R3T and tests of the Mégane Trophy with Manu Guigou for a group of 60 to 80 enthusiasts and customers. The feedback has been extremely positive. I don’t believe I have ever received as many text messages and emails from people thanking me!”

What do you think about the atmosphere in the Clio R3T Trophy France?
“It is more than great. There is of course the rally on one side, but the atmosphere is really friendly among all the competitors. The Renault Sport team does a remarkable job and you only have to watch the film of the rally in Gérardmer to realize how good they are doing!”