David Salanon takes the advantage

Regional of this first rally of the season, David Salanon took advantage of good contacts in the first special stage to make his choice of tires. Despite the rain falling on the service park, the 2007 winner fitted tires for dry terrain. Wise choice: the roads of the first special were 90% dry when the crews arrived?

David Salanon was able to set three consecutive best times and open up a first gap? which he describes as minimal: ?I have the impression of going back two years when I discovered the 307WRC. I need to readjust. I am far from the potential of the car. I made a good choice of tires because I had friends in the first stage who described the conditions to me before leaving service. I remain on the defensive, this is the reason for the small gap. I am not completely liberated. »

Reigning French champion, Dany Snobeck was trapped by the conditions. Starting with rain tires, he could only limit the damage: “I didn't have the right tires but that's not the openers' fault. I'm doing pretty well compared to Salanon. I attacked a lot so as not to lose too much time. The car has evolved, you can feel it. »

Snobeck is even ahead of Olivier Marty who manages to place his Peugeot 207 Super 2000 in second place in the general classification: ?I didn?t have time to test the car before the start but I find it easier to drive than last year?s Abarth. It's a very good start, I'm having a lot of fun. »

Jean-Sébastien Vigion (Peugeot 207 Super 2000) completes this first quarter just 1??7 behind Marty and 21??3 behind Salanon. Guillaume Canivenq (Peugeot 207 Super 2000) is fifth at 44??3.

Well-known names are at the top of both promotion formulas. Pierre Marché leads the new Volant Peugeot 207 and Pierre Campana leads the Suzuki Rallye Cup? FFSA.

Continuation and end of the Lyon-Charbonnières Rally tomorrow with eight special stages on the program.