Rallye Terre des Causses: firm ambitions and solid benchmarks before the second round

Organized around Capdenac-Gare, the Rally The Terre des Causses rally is one of the major rounds of the championship, with over 150 km of gravel special stages spread over two days. This 2026 edition logically follows the opening round of the championship, held in early March at the Rallye Castine Terre d'Occitanie, won by Florent Todeschini and Florian Barral. The driver therefore arrives as the championship leader, a position he is already familiar with at this Aveyron event.

“Arriving as championship leader is always better than finishing tied with everyone else! The Terre des Causses rally is a very fast rally, with a lot of sweeping. In my last participation here, I opened the road and won the rally in the final stage; that's one of the plans we're considering for this weekend.” Winner at the season opener, Todeschini also has a solid track record: twice runner-up in the French Rallye Terre Drivers championship in 2022 and 2023, he is also the French Junior Rally Drivers champion in 2021 after finishing second the previous year and won the Terre des Causses in 2024. The 29-year-old driver will have to work on his strategic approach to a fast rally, marked by wide but tricky roads, particularly to manage the sweeping by opening the road.

Clear ambitions

In this challenging context, several other drivers have high ambitions. Conner Martell, the American who finished second in the Castine Terre d'Occitanie rally, is clearly aiming for victory: “I’m feeling pretty confident with the team this weekend. Once again, there are a lot of competitors, which is a good thing. We’re going to focus on getting perfect pace notes so we can attack right away and aim for the win. I’m really happy to be back in France again; it’s going to be a great event.” This statement perfectly illustrates the strength of the field, with 124 crews entered in this edition. On gravel, the accuracy of pace notes and the ability to attack from the very first stages are often decisive.

Others approach this event with a different logic, more focused on progression. Bastien Dumas, engaged in a learning season as Jean-Michel Da Cunha's co-driver, sets a measured objective: “After a first season of learning on dirt with Jean-Michel, we will be back again this season for the three Aveyron rounds to continue gaining experience on this surface and, above all, to have a lot of fun. A top 10 finish this weekend would be a great performance for us.”

"The initial impressions are very promising."

A coherent objective in a notoriously demanding event, where experience plays a key role, particularly in managing trajectories and changing grip. The same logic applies to Quentin Ribaud, who is still getting to know his car: “I’m very happy to be at the start of the Terre des Causses rally; it’s a rally I really like because of its fast profile. The goal is to aim for the podium to continue our progress, even though we still have a lot to learn.” Hyundai »

The concept of learning remains central, particularly in a championship where the gaps are often made on technical details. Conversely, some arrive with solid benchmarks, notably thanks to their recent performances. Damien Mattei's co-driver, Geoffrey Combe, is counting on continuity: “We are ready and motivated for this second round of the season! After an excellent test session with our new Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, the feeling is very promising. We really like the course, which is very fast and quite atypical with many “sky” sections. We can’t wait to be at the start on Saturday to continue our good run.”

"A round I'm particularly fond of"

Finally, the scope of the supplementary trophies and specific categories remains an important issue. Mélissa Declerck, co-driver competing in Clio Rally3, is part of this dynamic: “I’m really looking forward to getting back in the Clio Rally3 and working with Mika [Rasoamaromaka] for this second round on gravel, a stage I particularly enjoy because of its fast terrain. Last year, we won the first round of the Clio Trophy, so this year we’re keen to showcase the teamwork we’ve achieved with Fun Meca Sport and Alpine Racing. »

The reminder of his past success underscores the importance of experience on this type of terrain, where knowledge of the special stages can make all the difference. Beyond individual ambitions, this Rallye Terre des Causses is part of a broader dynamic: that of a 2026 championship that remains wide open after the first round. With a defending champion like Laurent Pellier, winner here in 2025, and an already established leader in Todeschini, this second event could begin to shape the hierarchy. Between experienced drivers and up-and-coming talents, the Aveyron weekend promises to be the first real test of the forces at play in the gravel season.

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