Dreux 2015 - French Rallycross Finale

Jenson Button recently trying Rallycross, the sport of his father, reminded me that I ought to be off to Dreux for the final round of his year's French rallycross championship held on October 10th and 11th.  I only had a couple of hours to spare but enjoyed my time there. Rallycross organisers know how to pack in the action with the minimum of waiting time.  It helps that the course is just under one kilometre long.   Great entertainment for a Saturday afternoon!

SUPERCARS - This category is for over 500 horse power cars with 4 wheel drive.   They are similar to World Championship Rally Cars and are superb to watch.

The start of a SuperCars heat - two Citroens and a Peugeot.

Christophe Jouet in his Citroen DS3 leads David Olivier's Dacia Logan.   A Dacia SuperCar!  In the overall classification the Olivier's Dacia finished sixth and Jouet's Citroen finished eighth. 

Jean-Claude Lemoin's Citroen Xsara SuperCar attacks Turn 2.  He was to finish fourteenth.

The Peugeot 207 WRC of Jean Juin at Turn 2.  He finished twelfth.

Turn 1 SuperCar action.....

....which continues into Turn 2.   Hervé Knapick leads in his Citroen DS3 WRC. He was classified fourth.

Things have calmed down a bit by Turn 3.

Action is still spectatacular at Turn 1 on the second lap.

Turn 2 action on lap 3 and it is still very close but Hervé Knapick is still leading in his Citroen DS3.

SuperCar action continues in the next heat.

Lots of rather late breaking and close action in turn 2.  Cyril Raymond leads in his Peugeot 208 SC.....

..and is still leading on the long banked curve but correcting a big slide caused by a puncture at the rear...

...that eventually has him leave the track.  However, Cyril Raymond recovered and was classified the winner of the SuperCars at Dreux.

Alain Heu continues despite the damage on his Citroen C4 WRC.

Gaëtan Serazin pushes on in his Peugeot 208.  He was classified third at Dreux and won the Championship.

SUPER 1600 - This category is for front wheel drive cars of less than 1,600cc (no turbo chargers).  Other than that the regulations are quite liberal and the cars are quite rapid.

Dominique Gerbaud in the VW Polo attacks the turn 2 kerbs.  He was classified seventh

Turn 1 action for the Super 1600s.

Laurent Chartrain in the Citroen C2 holds off Maximilien Eveno in the Citroen C2.   Laurent clinched the championship at Dreux but Maximilien was classified the winner at Dreux.

These two had a good battle as the championship was at stake and only 4 points separated them at the end.

Anthony Jan in the Renault Clio RS 1600.

The event winner Maximilien Eveno in the Citroen keeps ahead of Enzo Libner's Renault Twingo at turn 1...

....and into turn 3...

...and pulls ahead a bit here.

Enzo Libner evenrtually finished ninth in his Renault Twingo but third overall in the championship.

Grégory Fosse in this Citroen C2 S 1600 finished fourth.

Close racing at the tight turn 2.   Jimmy Terpereau in the Citroen C2 leads.   Jimmy came second overall at Dreux and was fourth in the Championship.

Jimmy Terpereau in the lead from Anthony Meunier at turn one but Anthony is planning a move...

...that coms to fruition at turn 2.   Anthony Meunier finished sixth in his Citroen C2.

Yvonnick Jagu drifts his Audi A1 through turn 1.  He was classified fifth.

Emmanuel Galivel leads his heat in a Peugeot 208 S.

Very close racing between Dominique Gerbaud in the VW Polo and Aurelien Crochard's Susuki Swift Sport.

Close turn 2 action with Jimmy Terpereau in the lead.

Very aggressive cornering technique from Jimmy Terpereau in the Citroen but it worked effectively!

Marc Pouderoux in the Citroen C2 cuts the corner at turn 2.

Romsain Sangnier in the Citroen C2.

Turn 1 action - very tight!

and still tight at turn 2!

Enzo Libner makes the next car eat his dirt.

DIVISION 3 - This category is for silhouette cars with tubular chassis and fibre-glass bodies.  Most have 3.5 litre Nissan engines with a few having BMW engines.  Amazing cars!

Romauld Delaunay puts on a lot of roll in his Citroen DS3 on the tarmac section.

Marc Morize accelerates away from a mess at the first corner.  He was classified third overall in his Peugeot 208.

Thomas Lefrancois leads out of the first corner in his Renault Clio.  He was classified ninth....

..and again is in the lead here from Christophe Saunois in the Toyota Corolla.  Christophe went on to win the final and thus seal his Championship win.

Guy Moreton in his Citroen DS3 leads a group out of turn 1.   He only finished sixth overall but was second in the championship.

The Suzuki Swift Sport of Franck Hardonnierre.

Eighth placed Franck Pelhatre in the Renault Megane.

Xavier Briffault in the Renault Clio leads Thierry Bonnart's Mini Cooper.

The Toyota Auris of Patrice Avril was classified last but he finished sixth in the championship.

Lambert Gailland in his Renault Clio II took part in the last two rounds of the championship but scored no points.

Thierry Bonnart in his Mini Cooper.

Henri Navail in his Citroen DS3 was classified fourth at Dreux.

Franck Delaunay in his Renault Megane II finished fifth at Dreux.

The car on the left from the joker section rejoins the main circuit but fails to get ahead of Yannick Couillet's Citroen DS3.

Mathieu Trevian in this Volkswagen Sirocco finished second at Dreux.

DIVISION 4 - This is a category for 2 wheel drive cars of under two litres.  It is the same as F2000 that you see compete in French Hillclimbs or rallys.

Sébastien Guillemaud in his Peugeot 306 F2000 came fourth in Division 4 at Dreux and fifth in the Championship

Frédérick Seigneurin his Citroen Xsara finished fourteenth in the championship

Yann Le Lay in his Peugeot 206 finished seventeenth at Dreux.

Another picture of Sébastien Guillemaud and his Peugeot 306.

The start of one of the division 4 heats 

Xavier Goubill drifts through one of the corners in his Peugeot 306 with the pack chasing him.

...and is still going fast and kicking up the dirt next time around.

Emmanuel Anne in a Renault Clio Maxi leads in his heat.  He finished second overall at Dreux and in the championship

Bertrand Girardot in the Honda S2000 that made a splendid contrast to the touring cars.

Yann Le Lay driving the joker section in his Peugeot 206

The Honda S2000 easily heads the other cars into the first corner....

...and is still in the lead later in the lap.

Florian Zavattin leads a group through the esses in his Renault Clio RS.

Nicolas Bezard was classified eighth at Dreux in his Audi A3

Fabrice Larderet understeers his Honda Civic Type R through the joker section on the way to eleventh place.

Florian Zavattin is acrobatic through the joker section in his Renault Clio Rs

COUPE TWINGO - For the younger drivers (as young as 16) who want a start in Rallycross there are the Renault Twingos.  Rather mild for the spectators except for the action at the first corner.

Marceau Launay's aggressive style won him third place at Dreux and fourth in the championship.

Top lady driver Coralie Moreau tries to get past Florian Guillou.

No.293 Tony Bardeau finished eighth at Dreux and seventh in the championship.

Pascal Huteau showing the press-on style that took him to second place in the Twingo Championship this year.

Chloé Olard ran wide here in the joker section but finished twentieth.

No.226 Coralie Moreau was top lady both at Dreux and in the championship.  She won the Coupe des Dames.

I was beginning to think I wouldn't see a first corner incident from the Twingos.  They should be heading towards me not heading out to the right!

Close up action at turn two. Marceau Kaunay leading from Jean-Mickael Guerin

To see my report on the 2014 Dreux Rallycross click here.

To see more of my Motor Racing blogposts click here or on the Motor Sport button at the top of this page.

As usual all were taken on a Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ70 compact camera from the public viewing areas.

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John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Dreux paddock shots - Martial Barbette, Renaults under preparation, new and old rallycross tyres.