Antibes Côte d'Azur Rally – SS8: Another stage win for Astier, who is slowly closing the gap on Bonato

Raphaël Astier and Denis Giraudet (Porsche 992) dominated the eighth special stage of the rally in 14:12.0, ahead of the Bonato-Boulloud duo (Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale) by 3,1 seconds. Hugo Margaillan and Mathieu Coppa (Hyundai i20N Rally2) complete the top 3 of the special at 8 seconds, ahead of Nikolay Gryazin and Konstantin Aleksandrov (Citroën C3 Rally2), Lucas Darmezin and Charlyne Quartini (Hyundai i20N Rally2) and Jean-Baptiste Franceschi and Jules Escartefigue (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2).

Côme Ledogar and Meryl Giraldo (Porsche 992 GT+) and Benjamin and Florence Stirling (Citroën C3 Rally2) are separated by only three tenths for seventh and eighth places, ahead of Damien Dorseuil and Anne-Laure Dijoux (Citroën C3 Rally2) and Steve Fernandes and Florian Volvert (Citroën C3 Rally2) who complete the top 10 of the special stage.

In the overall standings, Yoann Bonato and Benjamin Boulloud (Lancia Ypsilon HF) maintain their lead with just 2,5 seconds ahead of Astier and Giraudet (Porsche 992 GT+) — the battle for final victory remains wide open with four stages to go. Margaillan and Coppa (Hyundai i20N Rally2) consolidate their third place, 31,9 seconds behind, with a comfortable lead over Franceschi and Escartefigue (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), who are fourth at 1:23.2.

Darmezin and Quartini (Hyundai i20N Rally2) and Gryazin and Aleksandrov (Citroën C3 Rally2) are separated by just 11,6 seconds for fifth and sixth places. The Stirling family (Citroën C3 Rally2), Ledogar and Giraldo (Porsche 911), Fernandes and Volvert (Citroën C3 Rally2), and Dorseuil and Dijoux (Citroën C3) complete the top 10.

ALSO READ > Antibes Côte d'Azur Rally – SS7: Raphaël Astier gains time in the overall standings with the fastest stage

CFR – Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally
The classification of SS8

The general classification after SS8