Final duel at the Cardabelles

Thirty crews will meet in Millau for the final round of the second Clio Trophy France Terre campaign. Among them, Florian Bouchonneau heads to the Aveyron as the overall leader, thanks to his three podium results this season. He has led the way since round two and is determined to take his first win to be crowned champion, but Julien Pontal has not given up the ghost.

With the four best results of each competitor retained at the end of the season, Florian Bouchonneau's provisional lead of 35 points drops to 15, with his worst score being a fifth place so far, versus a retirement at the previous meeting for Julien Pontal. But Julien Pontal has his back against the wall as he will have to win the Power Stage and hope his rival doesn't score more than 20 points to win the championship. If his opponent makes a clean sweep, Florian Bouchonneau will be champion if he finishes on the podium, or fourth with a bonus point, fifth with at least three bonus points, or sixth with the best time on the Jean Ragnotti Power Stage.

This duel could have implications for the battle for the teams’ title and the management of the official programme promised to the future winner.  Fun Meca Sport currently leads 3P Racing by BHR by 27 points, but Saillat Loc and ARL Sport are still mathematically in contention.

The outcome of the rally will be decisive on several fronts as many competitors will have to find the right balance between securing a place of honour and playing their part for their team. Among them, there is Fairy Rasoamaromaka, Benjamin Boulenc, Gaël Alquier and Jean Lavigne, without neglecting Jean-Paul Monnin, Florian Condamines and Mattéo Chatillon, all three of whom have already won this year.  Mika Rasoamaromaka and last year winner in Millau Bastien Bergounhe will also be worth keeping an eye on. Baptiste Panissié, Ludovic Casciani, Sébastien Studer and Thomas Mouysset will want to perform well one last time this season while the win in the Gentlemen category will be fiercely contested, with Lilian Vialle, Laurent Reuche and Éric Royère only three points behind. The three experienced drivers will also have to contend with Christophe Rocard, determined to finish his campaign in style.

David Gerard, Alexandre Gransagne, Maxime Salin and Inès Tamisier will be back in the service park whilst several competitors not eligible for points will make their debut in the finale. Third in the Clio Trophy France Asphalte, Patrick Magnou will make his debut in the Clio Trophy France Terre for his return to this surface while Julien Deslauriers, fifth on the Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine last month, will also make his maiden appearance with the gravel-spec Clio Rally5. Meanwhile, Tom Vauclare and Pauline Dalmasso will become co-drivers for Frédéric Vauclare and Mattéo Codaccioni, whilst Sylvain Tamisier, Ludovic De Luca and Deborah Marie will complete the list of first-timers at Millau.

In addition to the Clio Trophy France Terre, four Clio Rally4s will be in action. Reigning French two-wheel-drive gravel rally champion Quentin Ribaud will continue to defend his national crown as he prepares to find out who his successor will be in the trophy. 2021 FIA ERC3 and FIA ERC3 Junior title-winner Jean-Baptiste Franceschi, as well as Simon Heinemann and Julien France, will also be in the Aveyron with the same model.

The Rallye Terre des Cardabelles will feature ten special stages totalling 155.2 kilometres of timed action on a 505.2-kilometre route, recce included. On Saturday, three timed sectors - including the longest of the weekend - will be run twice before the competitors challenge two other tests twice on Sunday. SS8 Severac d'Aveyron will host the Jean Ragnotti Power Stage offering bonus points for the top five crews.

Entry list

#31 Florian Bouchonneau – Jeanne Rey (J)
#32 Julien Pontal – Loan Biagetti (J)
#33 Jean Paul Monnin – Franck Gilliot
#34 Faniry Rasoamaromaka – Judi Rakatomalala (J)
#35 Florian Condamines – Damien Jole 
#36 Bastien Bergounhe – Mathieu Descharne (J)
#37 Benjamin Boulenc – Chloé Barozzi-Gauze
#38 Mika Rasoamaromaka – Bastien Pouget (J)
#39 Mattéo Chatillon – Maxence Cornuau (J)
#40 Laurent Reuche – Patrick Spart (G)
#41 Patrick Magnou – Anthony Vilanova
#42 Baptiste Panissié – Gaël Lavernhe (J)
#43 David Gerard – Manon Deliot
#44 Julien Deslauriers – Amandine Brunel
#45 Gaël Alquier – Marion Alquier
#46 Ludovic Casciani – Céline Cavallaro
#47 Frédéric Vauclare – Tom Vauclare (G)
#48 Mattéo Codaccioni – Pauline Dalmasso (J)
#49 Lilian Vialle – Manuel Ghirardello (G)
#50 Éric Royère – Vincent Reault (G)
#51 Jean Lavigne – Arnaud Cubizolles (J)
#52 Alexandre Gransagne – Loïc Maurel
#53 Sébastien Studer – Maude Studer
#54 Sylvain Tamisier – Mathieu Tamisier 
#55 Ludovic De Luca – José Boyer 
#56 Christophe Rocard – Florian Chardon (G)
#57 Thomas Mouysset – Lucas Gineste (J)
#58 Maxime Salin – Sandrine Catoire
#59 Inès Tamisier – Laurent Tamisier (J, F)
#146 Deborah Marie – Cécile Marie (F)