FIA NACAM Rally Championship

Clio Rally5, the reigning champion in its category, returned to the scene of its competitive debut on Rally Guanajuato México. The local crew of Emiliano and Diego Retama avoided the pitfalls to win the opening round of the FIA NACAM Rally Championship in the NACAM4 and NACAM Junior classes and complete a double hat-trick for Clio Rally5. Patrice and Nicolas Spitalier, not entered in NACAM, also excelled in the FIA World Rally Championship, taking Clio Rally5 to its 14th victory, finishing 19th overall in the event.

French Rally Championship

Tom Pieri began his official Clio Rally4 programme on the Rallye Le Touquet - Pas-de-Calais this weekend. A puncture forced him to change a wheel with co-driver Alexis Maillefert on SS2, but he was nevertheless the best performer in Rally4 with six fastest times in 13 stages. The young aspirant will be keen to confirm his incredible potential in his next appearance at the Rhône-Charbonnières Rally (21-22 April).

Proof, if any was needed, to the quality of the Clio Trophy France Asphalte, two of his former rivals also caused a stir on the tarmac in northern France. Title holder Thomas Chauffray starred behind the wheel of a Rally2 to claim his first podium in the French Rally Championship. Meanwhile, Styve Juif won the Michelin Amateurs Trophy by finishing first in the front-wheel drive category and second in his class with two additional best times for Clio Rally4, more than ever the benchmark in RC4.

Clio Trophy France Asphalte

Involved in a fascinating battle for victory in tricky conditions at Le Touquet, Valentin Ascenzi and Marine Lacruz won round one of the Clio Trophy France Asphalte after Patrick Magnou and Arthur Pelamourgues both went off in the final stages. The 3P Racing by GMC Competition junior scored maximum points in the Jean Ragnotti Power Stage. Second and third, Yoan Corberand and Benjamin Stirling put Sébastien Loeb Racing at the top of the Teams’ classification, whilst Mike Souvigné took the lead in the Gentlemen’s category, as did Groupe Bertrand in the Renault Network Challenge. Carla Gaffayoli and Manon Massarotto remain on equal points in the Women’s category heading to the Rallye Antibes Côte d’Azur (May 18-20).

More information here.

Belgian Rally Championship

Like Tom Pieri in France, Benoit Verlinde started his official programme in the Belgian Rally Championship on the South Belgian Rally. Last year’s Clio Trophy Belgium winner drove a mature and diligent rally in his Clio Rally4 debut and finished second in the Junior category. Supported by Anton Dupan, Benoit Verlinde will aim even higher in his next appearance at the TAC Rally (7-8 April).

The event also hosted round one of the Luxembourg Championship, where Steve Fernandes and Olivier Beck finished second overall with Clio Rally4. Lastly, Charles-Antoine Hastir and Philippe Rasdolsky were among the seven crews competing in Clio Rally5. Some took the opportunity to prepare their Clio Trophy Belgium campaigns.

Clio Trophy Spain Asfalto

To kick off edition three of the Clio Trophy Spain Asfalto, a record 16 Clio Rally5s were entered in the Sierra Morena International Rally. Carlos Rodríguez and his new co-driver David Nieto were unstoppable on the mountain roads featuring different types of tarmac, as the 2022 Clio Trophy Spain Asfalto runner-up started the 2023 season as he did last year : on the top step of the podium. Also third in the two-wheel drive category in the opening round of the Supercampeonato de España de Rallyes, the Huelva native finished ahead of the duo of Miguel García and Osel Román and newcomers Juan Carlos Fernández and Esther de la Torre. Former trophy contender Unai de La Dehesa retired from his first rally with Clio Rally4 after an off on SS3. The next round will be at Rallye Rías Baixas (27-28 May).

More information here.

And elsewhere

There were numerous successes in the French Rally Cup with the Clio Rally5s of Émilien and Amaury Sanlaville on the Rallye Pays du Gier, Jean-Jacques and Yann Ferrier on the Rallye de Haute-Provence and Alex Florenson and Charline Dichamp on the Rallye de Franche-Comté. In the same event, Clio Rally4 also won with Sacha Althaus and Lisiane Zbinden, as did Frédéric Meurant and Kévin Aumeunier on the Rallye de Bonaguil, where Éric Sauteur and Cindy Millac also won with Clio Rally5.

In Italy, Alessandro Botta - Roberto Aresca and Filippo Nannetti - Alessia Tasi led hat-tricks for Clio Rally5 on the tarmac of Rally Vigneti Monferrini and the gravel of Rally della Val D’Orcia. Salvatore Castaniotto and Francesca Carta also triumphed with Clio Rally5 on Rally Sulcis Iglesiente, as did Manuel Hernández and David Bethencourt on Rally Villa de Santa Brígida (Spain) and Timothy Van Parijs and Juliette Tsjoen on Rally van Moorslede (Belgium).

Lastly, Clio Rally5 made a successful start in the Uruguayan Rally Championship. Co-driven by Sebastián González, Uruguayan Alfonso López won the RC4N after a fierce battle with the sister car of Luis Eduardo Stedile and Carlos Enrique Morales. The two crews were equally successful, finishing fifth and sixth overall.

Coming up

This week, the Clio Trophy Spain Tierra will debut on the Rallye da Auga. After the success of the competition on the asphalt on the other side of the Pyrenees and that of the Clio Trophy Canarias, nine crews will try to make history by becoming the first winners of this new trophy reserved for Clio Rally5.