Vineyards of Régnié, Hérault, Franche-Comté: the program for the French Rally Cup this weekend

This weekend marks the return of the French Rally Cup! After a break last week, due in part to the various municipal elections, three rounds counting towards this competition are being held in the coming days, all in regional rally formats. Here's a look at what awaits you this weekend.

Régnié Vineyards Rally: XXL Platform

Like every year, the Rally The Vignes de Régnié rally, organized by the ASA Beaujolais, is fully booked. 155 modern crews and 31 historic vehicles will be at the start of this popular event held around Régnié-Durette (Rhône). Two-time defending champion Côme Ledogar will be back for a full-scale test session before Le Touquet. He will be joined by fellow Porsche driver Ghislain Barbier, both of whom are entered in the first round of the French Asphalt Rally Championship. Ledogar will be back behind the wheel of his Porsche The 991 GT+ will be driven by Méryl Giraldo, while Barbier will be co-driven by… Côme Ledogar's former co-driver, Yoann Bouchet. Gwen Lagrue and Romain Blondeau-Toiny, in a Citroën C3 Rally2, will also be competing. A shakedown will be held this Friday in Villié-Morgon, while the rally itself will take place on Saturday.

Rallye de l'Hérault: Léo Rossel aiming for a third victory?

This weekend also marks the start of the rally season in the Occitanie-Mediterranean Motorsport League. For the occasion, prestigious guests will be present, including Léo Rossel and Guillaume Mercoiret, two-time winners of the event (2023 and 2024), and winners of, among other things, the 2023 French Rally Cup Final. The two men will then fly to Croatia where they will compete in their second round of the WRC2 calendar: they will obviously be the favorites in Bédarieux and Lamalou-les-Bains, driving their family's Citroën C3 Rally2. However, we mustn't forget the local drivers Dorian Nicolas and Jérémie Turco, as well as Nicolas Rouillard, who will be competing in his Citroën DS3 R5. For the second year running, the rally will take place entirely on Saturday, March 21st.

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Franche-Comté Rally: Is this already a hat trick for Ludovic Godard?

Having recently confirmed his participation in the French 2-Wheel Drive Rally Championship this season, Ludovic Godard hasn't lost sight of his goal of qualifying for the 2026 French Rally Cup Final in Remiremont. To that end, he will be competing in the Rallye de Franche-Comté this weekend with his Porsche 991 GT+ and Matthieu Bôle-Richard in the co-driver's seat. Already a winner at the Rallye de Meuse and the Ronde du Jura this year, he will be aiming for his first victory in his new German car. He will have to contend with Denis Millet and the Burri family, who have come from Switzerland and are also preparing for their national season, the first round of which takes place next week. The rally will be held around Villars-sous-Écot and will be contested entirely this Saturday.