Decisive return for the Peugeot 208 Rally Cup at Rallye Mont-Blanc
After 2 months of summer break, the 208 Rally Cup competitors resume competition on Rallye Mont-Blanc at Morzine on September 6–8. This 5th round of the season is considered one of the major dates of the FFSA French Rally Championship calendar for its atmosphere and breathtaking scenery.
The 13 teams involved in the Peugeot Sport promotion formula will have to overcome nearly 500km of road including 200km of special stages to reach the finish line on Saturday. A test that should be decisive for the outcome of the championship: indeed, after 4 consecutive victories, Yohan Rossel and Benoit Fulcrand (Sarrazin Motorsport) could theoretically already seize the title at the controls of their Peugeot 208 R2.
Back to school for the 208 Rally Cup
The Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine will this year celebrate its 70th edition. Missing from the calendar of the 208 Rally Cup for 2 years, the Alpine round returns to the delight of competitors. Its fast and technical layout offers some of the most beautiful roads in France with views of the roof of Europe. An unprecedented round for most of the 13 competitors who will have to make a point of making a studious reconnaissance. Among the highlights of the weekend, the Joux Verte stage or that of Samoëns-Morzine, formerly Joux Plane, 2 historic stages of the Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine. In 2015, during the last visit of the 208 Rally Cup in the French Alps, José Antonio Suarez won the event. He then won the Championship, propelling him into the FIA ERC in the Peugeot Rally Academy team.
Duels at the summit
The Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine marks a turning point in the 2018 season of the 208 Rally Cup. After 4 wins in 4 races, Yohan Rossel is only a few points away from the title. Current leaders of the Junior Championship, Hugo Margaillan and Sébastien Poujol (CHL Sport Auto) intend to come and play the spoilsports and take a 1st overall victory. Quentin Ribaud and Mathieu Maurin (CHL Sport Auto), 3rd overall, will also be at the forefront to prevent this anticipated coronation. For Hugo Margaillan, it will also be necessary to be at the forefront to maintain his position in the lead of the Junior rankings, and to retain the assaults of Léo Rossel and Alexandre Coria (Sébastien Loeb Racing), with only 12 points separating them 3 rounds from the end of the season.
Munnings at Mont-Blanc
A new recruit could surprise Mont-Blanc. The young Englishwoman Catie Munnings, alongside Alba Sanchez (CPS Quality-Sainteloc Racing) will discover the 208 Rally Cup. A novice to the series, she is however a proponent of the Peugeot 208R2. For 2 years, Catie has been tackling European rallies as part of the FIA ERC — in the U27 category. In 2018, she will be the 1st female driver to enter the 208 Rally Cup. The 208 Rally Cup will also welcome 2 new crews: Andrey Alix & Enzo Mahinc (Accro Race) and Jonathan Vargas / Geoffrey Brion (Pit Stop). An opportunity to reshuffle the cards within the Championship.
Competitors looking for learning and experience
The Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine will be an opportunity for the regulars of the Peugeot Sport promotion formula including Brandon Maisano and Pierre Pebeyre (Easy Rally), frequently in the top 5. A lot is also expected of Cédric Noé and Alex Vignolle, who produced a good performance during the Rallye Aveyron Rouergue Occitanie. Boris Ruffa and his brother Raphael (HBCR Racing) continue their apprenticeship just like Mohamed Al Mutawaa and Aaron Johnston (PH Sport) who scored their 1st points in the previous rally. After a 1st visit to their homeland at the Rallye Vosges Grand Est, Eddy Marchal, accompanied by Jessika Lepretre, will resume the wheel of his PEUGEOT 208R2 for the Savoyard race. After an absence in Rouergue, Hugo Bonfils and Olivier Brouze (Easy Rally), will again be looking for experience and thrills during this round in the heart of the Alps.
Yohan Rossel — Sarrazin Motorsport driver
208 Rally Cup championship leader:
“After a fantastic start to the season, with Benoit and the whole team, we arrive at Rallye Mont-Blanc with one goal: to walk away with the title. I had the chance to start Mont-Blanc in 2014 and I intend to rely on this small experience advantage. It’s a race I love, with mountain passes and a breathtaking landscape, so I really hope to have a good result. It will be necessary to be vigilant and to focus on the details, to work a lot, because the roads can become difficult if the weather is inclement.”
Hugo Margaillan — CHL Sport Auto driver
Junior championship leader
“We are looking forward to returning to the 208 Rally Cup after our discovery of the European Rally Championship with Eurosport’s ERC Experience program. We learned a lot during these few days that were offered to us by Peugeot Sport. At Mont Blanc, our goal is simple: to stay at the top of the Junior ranking to get closer to the European Championship in 2019. Our visit to the Czech Republic motivated us even more to get this end-of-season prize, and take the wheel of the Peugeot 208R2 in FIA ERC U27.”
Catie Munnings –CPS Quality-Saintéloc Racing driver
“I am very excited to start the Rallye Mont-Blanc with all the other 208 Rally Cup competitors. It’s a very special place for me since it’s here that my career in rally really started. I did my very first test here with Team Saintéloc in 2015. I am very happy to come back and participate in my first French event with the PEUGEOT 208R2. It’s a very competitive series and renowned in Europe, the level is good. It is therefore a real challenge to be able to take on the other crews, and I have prepared myself just as I prepare for my European Championship races the rest of the year.”
WEEKEND PROGRAMME
Leg 1 — Friday, September 8
287.99km in total, including 101.24km across 8 special stages
12:23: SS1, Joux Verte 1– 20.18km
13:55: SS2, Le Biot — Bonnevaux 1–10.10km
14:36: SS3, La Vernaz 1–7.19km
15:06: SS4, Lullin ‘Alpes du Léman’ 1- 16.99km
19:41: SS5, Le Biot — Bonnevaux 2–10.10km
20:22: SS6, La Vernaz 2–7.19km
20:52: SS7, Lullin ‘Alpes du Léman’ 2–16.99km
22:10: SS8, Montriond le lac — 12.50km
Leg 2 — Saturday, September 9
197.74km in total, including 98.75km across 5 special stages
09:54: SS9, La Côte — Pras de Lys — 17.16km
11:27: SS10, Samoëns — Morillon 1–13.34km
11:59: SS11, Samoëns — Morzine 1–20.06km
16:03: SS12, La Côte — Pras de Lys — 14.79km
17:10: SS13, Samoëns — Morillon 1–13.34km
18:07: SS14, Samoëns — Morzine — 20.06km
LIST OF 208 RALLY CUP ENTRIES — Rallye du Mont Blanc
Yoan Rossel / Benoit Fulcrand — SARRAZIN MOTORSPORT
Hugo Margaillan / Sébastien Poujol — CHL SPORT AUTO (J)
Quentin Ribaud / Mathieu Maurin — CHL SPORT AUTO
Léo Rossel / Alexandre Coria — SEBASTIEN LOEB RACING (J)
Cédric Noé / Alex Vignolle — TREGOU RCING
Eddy Marchal / Jessika Lepretre
Brandon Maisano /Pierre Pebeyre — EASY RALLY
Hugo Bonfils / Olivier Brouze — Easy Rally
Mohamed Al Mutawaa / Aaron Johnston — PH SPORT
Jonathan Vargas / Geoffrey Brion — Pit Stop
Boris Ruffa / Raphaël Ruffa — HBCR RACING
Catie Munnings / Alba Sanchez — CPS QUALITY-SAINTELOC-RACING
Alix Andrey / Enzo Mahinc- ACCRO RACE
OVERALL STANDINGS 208 Rally Cup 2018 — Before Rallye Mont Blanc Morzine
Yohan Rossel / Benoit Fulcrand — Sarrazin Motorsport 89 pts
Hugo Margaillan / Sébastien Poujol — CHL Sport Auto — (J) 46 pts
Quentin Ribaud / Mathieu Maurin — CHL Sport Auto 34 pts
Karl Pinheiro / Franck le Floch — CPS Quality-Saintéloc Racing 33 pts
Léo Rossel / Alexandre Coria — Sébastien Loeb Racing (J) 25 pts
Efren Llarena /Sara Fernandez — Llarena Racing 15pts
Enzo Baraccani / Cindy Priolo — Pit Stop 12 pts
Aki Sahila / Rami Suorsa — CPS Quality-Saint Eloc Racing 12 pts
Cédric Noé / Alex Vignolle — Tregou Racing 9 pts
Benjamin Boulenc / Jules Escartefigue — Chazel Technologie 8 pts
Emmanuel Gascou / Alexandre Vida — CHL Sport Auto 8 pts
Eddy Marchal / Alison Girard — 8 pts
Brandon Maisano / Pierre Pebeyre — Easy Rally 7 pts
Hugo Bonfils / Olivier Brouze — Easy Rally (J) 6 pts
Matthieu Margaillan / Mathilde Margaillan — PH Sport 6 pts
Meirion Evans / Jonathan Jackson — Chazel Technologie 4 pts
Mohamed Al Mutawaa / Aaron Johnston — PH Sport 4 pts
Xavier Quinsac / Charlene Gallier — GP#2RACING 4 pts
Thomas Baudoin / Margot Basso — PH Sport (J) 3 pts
David Viarouge / Benjamin Micheli — Chazel Technologie 2 pts
