19 mai 2015
France area : Vigion and Vaillant neck and neck
The second round of the France area Clio R3T Trophy was held this weekend, a few weeks after the opening rallying of the season at Épernay. The Rallye National du Pays de Dieppe thus provided a second opportunity for the drivers to do battle. Benoît Vaillant finished fourth overall and won the two-wheel drive category to move back into contention in the Trophy standings, where he now lies just three points behind Jean-Sébastien Vigion.
A second division round of the French Championship, the Rallye National de Dieppe welcomed competitors from the Clio R3T European Trophy France area. The event again featured four crews that had impressed in the opening round of the season in Épernay : Jean-Sébastien Vigion, Benoît Vaillant, Marvin Sorin and William Pitot. Leader of the overall standings at the start of the rally, Vigion grabbed the early lead ahead of Vaillant.
The scrap continued until SS5, when Jean-Sébastien Vigion’s Clio R3T picked up a puncture, which cost the Creuse driver close to eight minutes. Benoît Vaillant therefore became the new leader, before going on to rack up a series of stage wins to increase his lead over William Pitot and Marvin Sorin. Jean-Sébastien Vigion, a long way back in fourth, continued to set good times.
And when William Pitot and Marvin Sorin went off on SS10 and SS11 in minor but race-ending incidents, Jean-Sébastien Vigion moved back up into second position. Benoît Vaillant held on comfortably to win the two-wheel drive category and finish fourth in the overall standings. Following his win at Épernay, second place enabled Jean-Sébastien Vigion to continue to lead the France area Clio R3T European Trophy standings (51 points), just ahead of Benoît Vaillant (48). Marvin Sorin and William Pitot are third (15).
Last month, Michaël Burri had taken the lead in the ALPS area at the Critérium Jurassien. At the opening round of the season, the Swiss driver had beaten Alsace native Olivier Courtois, the two drivers finishing fifth and seventh overall and claiming the top two places in the R3 class. Burri now leads the ALPS area Clio R3T European Trophy (30 points), trailed by Courtois (21) and Jean-Pierre Gatti (15). The Rallye du Chablais is the next event in the ALPS area, due to take place next weekend.
Upcoming events :
21-23 May : Rally Targa Florio (Italy)
21-23 May : Rallye du Chablais (ALPS)
30-31 May : Rallye Rias Baixas (Iberia)
13-14 June : Rallye Ourense (Iberia)
19-21 June : Rallye National de Bretagne (France)
26-27 June : Rallye d’Ypres (Belgium)
26-27 June : Rallye Ronde del Ticino (ALPS)
26-27 June : Rallye Vidrero-Central (Iberia)
More information about the Clio R3T European Trophy is available on the Renaultsport.com website.
Manu Guigou and Michel Gaspard won 2WD and R3 categories at the Rallye de Nouvelle-Calédonie. Sébastien Virazel and Eddy Jabeneau won 2WD and R3 categories at the Rallye de Printemps. Byśkiniewicz Łukasz and Wisławski Maciej finished 2nd R3 at the Rally Karkonoski and Richard Autran and Marc Begouaussel finished 3rd R3 at the Rallye de la Sainte-Baume.
