Clio Trophy France Terre heads to the Causses!

For the third year running, the Capdenac-Gare-based rally will host the start of the Clio Trophy France Terre. Twenty-nine drivers and their co-drivers, who have been won over by the reliable, high-performance and affordable Clio Rally5, will set off on Saturday to begin their quest to join Quentin Ribaud, Florian Bouchonneau and Jean-Sébastien Vigion. 

Jean Paul Monnin will be among the favourites for this round known for its challenging weather conditions. A mainstay of the Clio Trophy France Terre, which he has not missed a single round since its inception, the driver from Franche-Comté will make his 15th start in his bid to repeat the success he achieved in snowy conditions in 2022. However, his main opposition could be his teammates, Mika and Faniry Rasoamaromaka. With two seasons of experience in France under their belts, the Madagascan twins will target a maiden victory to cement their ambitions. Determined to reclaim the team crown, Fun Meca Sport will also field Arthur Pelamourgues, leader of the Clio Trophy France Asphalte, who will be competing in the gravel trophy for the first time. 

A front-runner since 2021, the team led by Jérémy Brissiaud will nonetheless be expecting fierce competition, starting with the PH Sport crews. Bernard Piallat's troops will count on Bastien Bergounhe, who has already won a Clio Trophy France Terre round. The driver from Rodez is eager to return to his winning ways after a campaign which fell short of expectations, while his teammates could spring a surprise. Among them will be Déborrah Marie and Benjamin Stirling, the reigning Clio Trophy France Asphalte title-winner and a first-timer on this surface. 

Ninth in 2022, then fifth in 2023, Benjamin Boulenc hopes to continue his upward trajectory, highlighted by his first two podium finishes last year. As he aims to confirm his potential by establishing himself as a genuine title contender, he will face many other returning drivers with ever-increasing ambitions. Alexandre Gransagne and Aurélien Devanthery are keen to display the extent of their progress with GMC Compétition, as are Ludovic De Luca with Lezeau Compétition and Baptiste Panissié and Christophe Truchet with WRM / SRD Racing. 

In addition to those already mentioned, other Juniors will be in contention to win an official programme in 2025. After leading Matteo Chatillon to the title, ARL Sport is counting on Jean Lavigne this year, while Anthony Rovina (Casanova Sport Auto) and Clément Gegout are back in the service park with their sights set higher. Several newcomers will try to make their mark at the head of the field, including Thomas Eustaquio (GMC Compétition) and Tom Pellerey (CHL Sport Auto), who have a smattering of experience on gravel. Lastly, Marius Anglade (A2B) will make his Clio Trophy France Terre debut, as will Tristan Pieri (Lezeau Compétition), brother of Tom Pieri and seen over the last two years on the tarmac of the Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine in the Clio Trophy France Asphalte. 

Runner-up to Laurent Reuche in the Gentlemen's category, Lilian Vialle (WRM / SRD Racing) wants to follow in his footsteps. Still, the man from the Drôme region will face competition from Vincent Favre-Miville (PH Sport), Dimitri Felices (LCS Location) and Jean-Michel Da Cunha, who put in a solid performance from his very first outing at the end of 2023. Xavier Pruvot (WRM / SRD Racing) is another driver to watch out for on his return behind the wheel of a Renault, as are the Brunet Competicion duo formed by Spaniards Zósimo Hernández and Joan Font, two drivers who have won titles on this surface on the other side of the Pyrenees. 

Gaël Bertrand (Pit Stop France) and Corsican Yannick Francisci (Casanova Sport Auto), who has been a regular front-runner in the Clio Trophy France Asphalte and Clio Ice Trophy, complete the entry list. The field will come together for the French Gravel Rally Championship opening round. The 27th Rallye Terre des Causses kicks off on Saturday morning with a loop of three special stages, repeated in the afternoon, followed by two more timed sectors run twice on Sunday for 165.32 kilometres of action on a total route of 316.24 km. On each of the ten tests, up to five 'Performer Jean Ragnotti' points will be awarded to the five fastest drivers, in addition to the points at stake at the finish. 

A genuine springboard to the upper echelons of the rallying world, the Clio Trophy Asphalte Terre will see Matteo Chatillon and Maxence Cornuau launch their official Clio Rally3 programme after winning the Junior title last year. Supported by 3P Racing by ARL Sport, the Castrol-branded crew will continue their four-wheel drive learning process ahead of their WRC3 debut later this month. A Clio Rally4 and 11 other Clio Rally3s will be on the starting grid, including Quentin Ribaud's zero car, to celebrate the first anniversary of the model's dynamic public debut in France. 

Entry list
#39 Mika Rasoamaromaka – Bastien Pouget (J)
#40 Benjamin Boulenc – Chloé Barozzi-Gauze
#41 Jean Paul Monnin – Franck Gilliot
#42 Baptiste Panissié – Gaël Lavernhe (J)
#43 Faniry Rasoamaromaka – François Heer (J)
#44 Tom Pellerey – Hervé Faucher (J)
#45 Benjamin Stirling – Florence Stirling (J)
#46 Arthur Pelamourgues – Bastien Fontaine (J)
#47 Jean Lavigne – Arnaud Cubizolles (J)
#48 Bastien Bergounhe – Mathieu Descharne (J)
#49 Jean-Michel Da Cunha – Valentin Augé (G)
#50 Yannick Francisci – Carla Gaffayoli 
#51 Alexandre Gransagne – Loïc Maurel 
#52 Aurélien Devanthery – Gaël Delasoie 
#53 Dimitri Felices – Clochette (G)
#54 Tristan Pieri – Léo Cantallops (J)
#55 Christophe Truchet – Barbara Truchet 
#56 Ludovic De Luca – José Boyer 
#57 Anthony Rovina – Jean-Baptiste Bacchiolelli (J)
#58 Lilian Vialle – Manuel Ghirardello (G)
#59 Vincent Favre-Miville – Maelle Casays (G)
#60 Xavier Pruvot – Nathalie Pruvot (G)
#61 Thomas Eustaquio – Pauline Compozieux (J)
#62 Zosimo Hernandez – Jose Ignacio Ramirez (G)
#63 Joan Font – Eduard Ferran (G)
#64 Clément Gegout – Sidoine Perrin (J)
#65 Marius Anglade – Jean-François Anglade (J)
#66 Déborrah Marie – Amandine Houry (F)
#67 Gaël Bertrand – Fabien Adenot