Unbeatable Tsjoen at Le Touquet

Pieter Tsjoen (Ford Focus WRC) is a few kilometers from another success on the roads of the Côte d'Opale, less than six months after his last victory. This Saturday, the Belgian didn't go into detail, setting the best time in the first eight specials of the day, sometimes hanging more than thirty seconds behind his closest opponent. At the end of SS14, the Belgian Champion is far, very far away, comfortably installed in first position in the first event of the French Rally Championship.

Before the last four special stages of the Rally, who will compete on Sunday, Tsjoen has more than four minutes ahead of another Belgian driver, Claudie Tanghe (Toyota Celica GT4) and six minutes on Thomas Barral (Abarth Grande Punto S2000). But the leader of the Touquettoise event also saw his backs slip away due to the setbacks of several crews.

Brian Bouffier (Peugeot 207 S2000), for his return to the French Championship, lost more than twenty minutes in SS8, dropping a second place that he had held solidly until then. As for Pierre Roché (Subaru Impreza WRC), he lost many minutes by puncturing on SS6. Finally, Julien Maurin (Ford Fiesta S2000), who was fighting with Thomas Barral for third place, retired in SS13 due to a drop in oil pressure.