The French favorites in WRC2

Within the very good list of 28 competitors brought together in WRC2, the French appear in a position of strength. Reigning WRC3 world champion, Yohan Rossel is the one who seems to be in the best position. The Gardois is in fact the only one to have competed in this rally last year. “ It is true that this gives me additional knowledge of the field, confirms the 27-year-old pilot. However, the weather conditions will complicate the situation. I happily re-entered the cabin of my C3 during the two days of testing that I did and the sensations returned quite quickly despite the long break since Monte-Carlo. My goal will be to score big points. A podium place combined with a good position in the Power Stage would be an ideal result. »

Having also not driven since the Monaco round, Eric Camilli was quick to get back into rhythm as certified by his 2^e category time during the shakedown. “ My withdrawal from Monte-Carlo was difficult to digest, explains the 35-year-old from Nice. As the rally took place in my region, I hoped to perform well there. It will be important to score points here on this terrain that I am discovering and which appears very complicated. The grip level is constantly changing and if it rains it will make for an even more selective weekend. With our position on the road, we will be moving on a road that will undoubtedly be dirty by the Rally1s, so we will have to find the ideal tempo to stay in the best places, without making any mistakes. »

Even if he is among the drivers with the most kilometers in the gloves since the start of the season after Monte-Carlo and 3 races in Belgium, Stéphane Lefebvre prefers to approach this meeting with caution. “ I didn't play this round last year, confides the 30-year-old northerner. Those who were there have an advantage. Croatian roads offer a lot of changes in grip, but also in rhythm. We go from zones at 180 km/h to others at 70 km/h with a lot of turns. I think we are going to have some scares, because it will not be easy to assess the degree of attack that will have to be deployed. Victory in the category is always a goal, but if we manage to get on the podium I will be happy with our weekend. » The three C3 Rally2 drivers will have to be wary of Nikolay Gryazin or Erik Cais who appear to be the main other contenders.