Rally Hungary: Yoann Bonato: “We hope to finish on a good note”

For the 4th time this season the 2 Alpes driver will be present in the ERC. Having already come to Nyíregyháza in eastern Hungary twice, the Frenchman knows that the challenge awaiting him will be complicated. Associated with the efficient Benjamin Boulloud, the leader of the French championship is aiming for the podium.

Published on 05/10/2023 à 03:16

⁰ View comments)

Rally Hungary: Yoann Bonato: “We hope to finish on a good note”

For the final round of the 2023 ERC Yoann Bonato aims for a place on the podium (Photo Batien Roux / DPPI)

What memories do you have from your previous participations?

It is an event which takes place on very specific terrain. The tarmac stages are mostly very fast, narrow with numerous passages through undergrowth. They have the characteristics of being regularly very dirty with dust, leaves and the smooth coating does not offer exceptional grip. The other particularity is that they have parts on land, because the bitumen is gone. In these areas, the surface is beautiful, but this forces us to use asphalt tires on dirt and this can cause punctures. We were often fast there, but each time we were slowed down by a puncture.

Is the journey similar to what you experienced in 2020 and 2021?

The division being very close to what was done in previous years, we have a good basis. We didn't have many notes to take. The new sections were in fact special stages that we did in the other direction. With Benjamin, we already had an idea of what we were going to face.

What about your opponents?

Mads Ostberg won in 2021 so he will undoubtedly be fast. Then, we find competitors that we have already encountered this year like Efren Llarena, Martins Sesks and Erik Cais. I think local Miklos Csomos will also be one to watch.

The advantage for you is that you continue to challenge each other?

Hungary coming immediately after the Heart of France, we are indeed well on the pace. Extremely fast, the French round was good training for what awaits us. Despite everything, we carried out a few kilometers of tests in Hungary in order to re-acclimatize ourselves to this very specific terrain that we do not know in France.

What will be your objective for this last meeting of theERC en 2023 ?

In order to end our program on a positive note, I would like to have a clean race. It would be nice to be able to play for a podium.