Since the introduction of Clio Rally5, the two trophies have enabled young hopefuls, experienced drivers and amateur crews to compete on the most challenging special stages of the French Rally Championship. Again, their service parks will attract most of the top French teams this year, offering fields combining quality and quantity !

Return on gravel imminent

With three weeks to go before the start of the Clio Trophy France Terre at the Rallye Terre des Causses, more than 30 crews have announced their intention to compete in the race to succeed Quentin Ribaud, Florian Bouchonneau, Jean-Sébastien Vigion and Benjamin Boulenc.

Already victorious in the category, Mika Rasoamaromaka and Bastien Bergounhe are among the favourites, but their main rival could be a driver they know well, as Florian Bouchonneau returns to fight for a second title to add to the one he earned in 2022. Alongside this trio, many competitors will attempt to establish themselves as serious contenders. After their first podium finishes in 2024, Alexandre Gransagne, Christophe Truchet and Jean Lavigne hope to keep up the momentum and challenge for the win.

Anthony Rovina, Ludovic De Luca and Thomas Eustaquio, all now more experienced, share the same goal, while Gaël Bertrand and Joan Font want to show how much they have improved. With raised ambitions, Johan Grès and Thomas Mouysset should also be watched closely, as should Benjamin Rico and Benjamin Herail after their Clio Trophy France Asphalte spells.

Among the newcomers, Alexandre Brossy, Anaël Cayla, Charles Charrier, Florent Sabatier, Romain Sagnes and Simon Esteban can capitalise on their gravel experience to battle at the sharp end of the order. Joris Grès is another competitor to watch, as will Laurent Zambon and Lucas Valliccioni on their debut with Clio Rally5. Lastly, two competitors could spring a surprise : Alexandre Villiod, who made several noteworthy appearances last year in Clio Trophy Spain Tierra, and Lény Cols, who aims to gain experience on a new surface after becoming the best Junior in the 2024 Clio Trophy Belgium season.

A guaranteed spectacle on tarmac

Clio Trophy France Asphalte will also attract an extremely competitive field, with the future winner following in the wheel tracks of Anthony Fotia, Romain Di-Fante, Thomas Chauffray, Benjamin Stirling and Arthur Pelamourgues.

Third in 2023 and second in 2024, Yoan Corberand targets the podium’s top step but will face fierce competition from Lucas Zielinski, looking to fulfil his potential after an extremely promising debut campaign, and double winner Julien Deslauriers-Sablonnière, striving to make his mark this season. In addition to this trio of favourites, Enzo Beschet, Jean-Claude Pietri, Jérôme Janny, Romain Fostier and Tom Vauclare want to join the battle, while Amaury Facchinetti, Anthony Diel, Maxence Potard and Thomas Santiago are counting on their speed to cause an upset.

Marc Pompei and Paul Dachicourt also return with their sights set higher, as do Nicolas Paviet-Roche, Kévin Duc, Rémy Narbon, Clément Didier, Enzo Mavounzy, Yohan Roumieux and Nicolas Vanderweerde. Last year’s top woman Charlotte Olea intends to get closer to the top while facing Sabine Frontier and Emma Chalvin, winner of the 2022 FFSA Women’s French Rallycross Cup and new Iron Dames recruit. Meanwhile, Pascal Bérard targets a second consecutive Gentlemen’s crown, in which he will face opposition from Franck Giraud, Jacques Bourrat, Philippe Janvier, Raphaël Monnier, in addition to Pascal Donnadieu and Laurent Lambert, who both return to the trophy.

Clio Rally5 aficionados Loïc Scandola and Alex Florenson embark on their first Clio Trophy France Asphalte campaign, as does Julien Arnaud, who achieved a class podium with the model at the 2024 Monte-Carlo Rally. Florent Fagnone, Sylvain Lenne, Louis Gasse, Lucas Valliccioni, Léo Vericel, David Panteix, Nicolas Dumont, Kilian Marry and Lucas Girard will also make their debuts, as will Yohan Codaccioni, who recently turned heads in the French Rally Cup with Clio Rally5.

Innovations in the programme

This year, the two trophies retain their format while innovating to boost the competition. The calendars thus reveal an unprecedented start on the asphalt of the Rallye Rhône Charbonnières, a return to the Rallye Cœur de France and new season finales at the Rallye Terre de Vaucluse and the Rallye du Var. These last two events will have a coefficient of 1.5 to maintain the suspense and test the contenders’ mettle in the season’s final stages.

The other innovation is the introduction of the Clio Full Challenge, designed to reward versatility on these same rounds thanks to standardised tyre quotas and point-schemes. The six best results of each driver, with a minimum of two results on each surface, will determine the winner. Johan Grès, Lucas Valliccioni, Gaël Bertrand and Christophe Truchet will be present next month at the Rallye Terre des Causses and the Rallye Rhône-Charbonnières and could be the first drivers to stand out in this new competition !

The competitors will continue to compete in an environment ensuring strict sporting and technical fairness. With more than €250,000 in spare parts vouchers and cash, the prize system is as attractive as ever, with several categories : Overall, Juniors, Gentlemen, Women, Teams and the Renault Network Challenge. Lastly, the commitment to the most promising hopefuls returns, as the best Juniors on each surface will receive an offer of an official programme in 2026, managed by the structures that win the team titles in their respective trophies.

For more information about the 2025 Clio Trophy France Asphalte and Clio Trophy France Terre, click here.

2025 calendars

Clio Trophy France Asphalte
24-26 April : Rallye Rhône Charbonnières
3-5 July : Rallye Aveyron Rouergue Occitanie
4-6 September : Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine
26-28 September : Rallye Cœur de France
27-30 November : Rallye du Var

Clio Trophy France Terre
4-6 April : Rallye Terre des Causses
29-31 May : Rallye Terre d’Aléria
29-31 August : Rallye Terre de Lozère
10-12 October : Rallye Terre des Cardabelles
7-9 November : Rallye Terre de Vaucluse