Var: Robert – Bouffier, distance duel

Cedric Robert (Peugeot 307 WRC) and Bryan Bouffier (Peugeot 207 S2000) are present at the Sainte-Maxime meeting. The two drivers are fighting for the same title, that of Champion of France, but do not fight in the same seconds and therefore each have different objectives: Robert aims for victory, essential if Bouffier does not make a mistake, when the latter can settle for a third place (and class victory) to be titled.

Friday, in the first three stages of the Rally du Var (Le Canadel, Pignans, Collobrières), Cédric Robert has started his mission well, taking control of the event. After three stages, he already has a 38-second lead over Brice Tirabassi (Subaru Impreza WRC) and a minute over Bryan Bouffier. “ We can only make a very positive assessment of our first stage. We are in line with our objectives at the start of the race. It would have been difficult to do better but is it really a shame to lose Snobeck? »

Indeed, Dany Snobeck's exit from the road in SS3, at the wheel of the World Champion Citroën C4, is not without consequences. Then third, the French Champion allowed Bryan Bouffier to gain a position and occupy this third place. And that?s all the Peugeot Sport driver needs (besides a category victory) to win the title of French Champion!

But the finish is still far away and Bryan Bouffier is currently only thinking about his driving in today's specials. “ The results of this first day are good. Everything went well during these three special stages. We managed to have some nice times », he confided at the end of the day, after having expressed his doubts after SS3: “ I don't have a great feeling. I don't have good feelings. I can't free myself “, he blurted out.

Behind, other drivers stand out. This is the case of Robert Kubica (Renault Clio S1600), which seems more and more at home in rallying. The Renault driver F1 close behind Jean-Sébastien Vigion (Peugeot 207 S2000) and ahead of Stéphane Sarrazin (Peugeot 207 S2000), who suffered a puncture in SS1, having lost big seconds.

On Saturday, five special stages are on the program, for a total of 98 km.