Var – Bonato and Ciamin neck and neck

Last meeting of the French Championship, the Rally du Var is the only round of the year with three stages on the program.

For this first day, the drivers quickly found themselves in the thick of things with special stages like Le Canadel, Bormes-les-Mimosa, Collobrières and Roquebrune.

Nicolas Ciamin – Photo Gregory Lenormand / DPPI

Tous les deux auteurs de deux meilleurs temps, Yoann Bonato (C3 Rally2-CHL Sport Auto) et Nicolas Ciamin (i20 N Rally2-Hyundai 2C Compétition) se tiennent en moins d’une seconde après avoir parcouru 48,78 kilomètres. Bonato et Ciamin maintenaient un gros rythme au cours des quatre spéciales programmées ce vendredi. Les deux pilotes reconnaissaient tour à tour “set the rhythm”. 

Stéphane Sarrazin – Photo Bastien Roux / DPPI

Third, 10 seconds behind the leading duo, Hugo Margaillan (C3 Rally2-CHL Sport Auto) knows he must “make a commitment” so as not to fall behind the two leaders. The C3 Rally2 driver must nevertheless be wary of the threat Stéphane Sarrazin (Polo GTi R5-Sarrazin Motorsport). 

Cédric Robert – Photo Bastien Roux / DPPI

William Wagner (Polo GTI R5-Sarrazin Motorsport) finished the day in the Top 5, just ahead of Cédric Robert (C3 Rally2-CHL Sport Auto), who returned to driving all-wheel drive.

We fight in the Brand Cups

The match is close in two-wheel drive and in the Trophy Alpine Elf Rally. Loïc Panagiotis (Alpine A110 Rally) took advantage of the last to take the lead ahead of Pierre Roché (Alpine A110 Rally) and Grégory Fontalba (Alpine A110 Rally).

Réhane Gany – Photo Bastien Roux / DPPI

Author of the best time in the four special stages of this first stage, Réhane Gany (208 Rally4-Lycée Saint-Vallier) was first in the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup ahead of Léo Rossel (208 Rally4-Rossel Compétition). With a gap of 13,1 seconds, the two drivers will fight for the title throughout the rally. 

The Top 30 of the first stage of the Rallye du Var