Courchet benefits from the Saint-Baume Rally

This 33^e edition had a new look since after La Ciotat and Marseille, Aubagne constituted the new hub, presenting the double advantage of being located at the foot of the ES, and therefore of reducing the connecting route. On this terrain that he knows well having won there in 2015 and especially during the Coupe de France Final last year, Mathieu Arzeno (Skoda Fabia) escaped from the start, achieving an impressive series of scratch time which confirmed his role as big favorite. Behind, watching for the slightest misstep from the leader, a band of furious people were tearing each other apart, among which we found Courchet, Rouillard, Ciaramitaro or Bourcier who with his 207 Gr.A keeping pace with the R5s, was also aiming for a place on the podium. It's in 2^e étape, après qu’il a remporté 8 des 12 ES lui conférant 50 » d’avance, qu’Arzeno abandonnait en raison d’un ennui mécanique. Dauphin depuis le coup d’envoi, Courchet s’engouffrait dans la brèche pour s’imposer pour la première fois dans l’arrière-pays marseillais. Après avoir détruit sa Porsche au Mont-Blanc, Rouillard s’habituait crescendo à la Fabia qu’il découvrait, résistant au vaillant Ciaramitaro dont c’était le seul rally of the year. Seven-time winner of the event, Bourcier narrowly missed the podium after completely dominating the Gr.A. At one point in a fight with Delors (206), Schifano stood out in F2000 while Estienne still won in GT, as in Fayence. R. Alezra

Ranking: 1. Courchet-Gordon (Ford Fiesta R5) 1h11’25”7 (1^er R5), 2. Rouillard-Zazurca (Skoda Fabia) at 52’’, 3. Ciaramitaro-Royer (Fiesta) at 1’05’’, 4. Bourcier-Ducousso (Peugeot 207 S2000) at 1'07'' (1^er Gr. A), 5. Scotto La Chianca-Neto (Skoda Fabia) at 2’29”, 6. Escudéro-Belhacène (Subaru Impreza STI) at 2’53”, 7. Schifano-Nanni (Renault Mégane) at 3’42” (1^er Gr. F2000), 8. Estienne-Ghibaudo (Porsche 997 GT3) at 4'02'' (1^er Gr. GT), 9. Foulon-Desnoyer (DS3 WRC) at 4’03’’, 10. Frau-Roche (Fabia) at 4’29’’, … 21. Marsily-Red (Impreza STI) at 7’14” (1^er Gr.N), etc.