Romuald Delaunay winner at Châteauroux

The season is well and truly launched in the premier category of the French Championship of Rallycross. Reigning champion and favorite for this 2021 campaign, Samuel Peu (Peugeot 208) won three of the four qualifying heats and lost the last “qualifier” to Romuald Delaunay (DS 3).

The first part of the final phases allowed Peu and Delaunay to validate their place on the first row of the starting grid for the final with David Fèvre (Peugeot 208) placed on the outside. At the start, Delaunay surprised Peu to take the lead after the second turn.

From then on, Peu demonstrated all his Rallycross know-how to threaten Delaunay with each braking. The pressure is intense, but the driving of the two drivers is very clean. An early passage in the Joker Tour did not allow Peu to counter the strategy of Delaunay who, under pressure, was going to seek his first victory in Rallycross in front of the strong man of the discipline.

Coming back from afar, Laurent Bouliou (Peugeot 208) joined the two hosts of the Supercar final on the podium. Present in Indre to prepare for a European season, Patrick Guillerme (Hyundai i20) finished at the foot of the podium in front of the Clio 4 of Philippe Maloigne.

Author of a perfect copy in Super1600 with four victories in qualifying, Anthony Paillardon (Skoda Fabia) increasingly asserted himself as the strong man in the category with during the final phases with a pole position and victory in the final, his first in Rallycross.

Coming above all to prepare for the European Championship, Jimmy Terpereau (Citroën C2) showed all his speed, threatening Paillardon throughout the final. Narrowly drafted for the final, Dylan Dufas (Renault Twingo 2 Super1600) started from the last row before taking advantage of an offensive strategy in the Tour Joker during the final to grab third place ahead of Damien Meunier (Renault Twingo 2 Super1600) and Jérémy Lambec (Skoda Fabia).

David Bouet (Clio RSR RX – G-Fors) confirmed his domination of the day before to become the first winner of the Junior Championship with the latest addition to the diamond brand. Coming to gauge himself, Florian Meurau (Clio RSR RX – Fun Meca Sport) remained in the dynamic of qualifying to climb onto the second step of the podium ahead of Baptiste Menez (Clio RSR RX – Chanoine Academy), author of a good final after having took the Joker Tour from the start. Romain Masselin (Clio RSR RX – Massé Compétition) and Baptiste Pannissié (Clio RSR RX) completed the Top 5.

He had the status of favorite and with three victories out of four possible in the qualifying heats, Benoît Morel (Ford Fiesta T3F) also dominated the final stages and became the first winner of the Coupe de France Division 3 ahead of Anthony Pelfrene (Renault Clio), author a remarkable entry into Rallycross. After a bad start, Mathieu Trévian (VW Scirocco) took advantage of the Tour Joker to complete the podium. Nicolas Beauclé (Mercedes Class A) and Maxime Sordet (DS 3) closed the Top 5.

Anthony Mauduit (Renault Clio 3) saw the work done all winter rewarded by a victory in Division 4 ahead of Romain Barré (Peugeot 208). Author of the best start in the final, Jean-Mickaël Guérin took the third step of the podium, not without some disappointment. In good form during qualifying, Jean-François Blaise (Renault Clio 4) finished just off the podium ahead of Sébastien Le Ferrand (Peugeot 208).

As for the French Women's Cup contested with the Twingo R1 RX, Camille Barbe had the last word on Marine Danveau. Newly arrived in Rallycross, Amélie Moliexe established herself as one of the outsiders with her third place ahead of Janyce Da Cruz and Sophie Joram.

Discover the full report of the Châtearoux event in Rallycross France, in issue 2315 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version and this Wednesday on newsstands.