 'Belgian Classic to close ERC debut year' Persbericht: ERC
Foto: Willem Wittenberg | RSSP.eu
The first season of the Autosoft Euro Rally Challenge will be brought to a close this weekend with the Condroz Rally, the classis clincher of the Belgian Rally Championship. The sixth round of the Autosoft ERC is a high performance race that will prove to be an enormous challenge for both man and machine. The course in the undulating Ardennes is winding, technical, narrow and not to mention super slippery in the autumn. It is no coincidence that Patrick Snijers, Bruno Thiry, Freddy Loix en François Duval first cultivated their cult following on the roads of the Condroz , only to fledge into international figures. The first three of these top names will be on the start line this weekend, in a field of more than 200 rally bodies!
Naturally, it is disappointing that not a single Belgian team dared to take on the challenge of the ERC, especially considering that the organisation of this new tri-country competition chose for two beautiful rallies on Belgian soil, as well as the races in the Netherlands and Germany. In the meantime, the Belgians are more than welcome to pay a visit to the Wevers Sport service area this weekend, to get acquainted with Euro Rally Challenge, which will be definitely continued next year. The ingredients of the ERC recipe for success are already know: beautiful rallies in various countries; an exciting battle; after the finish on Saturday, a party with all of the teams and as the icing on the cake this weekend,… a huge Euro Rally Challenge Celebration to honour the Champion to reminisce over the past rally season.
First, however, there is of course the Condroz Rally… without the new Dutch Rally Champion and overall winner of the first Autosoft Euro Rally Challenge. Incomprehension prevails over the conspicuous absence of Wevers in Hoei, but the explanation is really very simple. The Ford Focus WRC06 must be examined and repaired in accordance with a strict maintenance schedule. Before the Euregio Rally, Erik only had 100 km to drive with the Focus before it was essential that the car received a complete revision by M-Sport. The Euregio Rally, won last weekend by Wevers, just fitted into the schedule but the Condroz Rally was no longer a possibility.
Due to the fact that Van Eldik, Kleinjan, Temmink and Hodula have all had to bring a premature end to their season, we will witness a battle in Group A between René & Dennis Kuipers, both driving their Ford Focus RS WRC06. On the slippery course in the Euregio rally in Hengelo, we saw that René was faster than Dennis; however it was Dennis who won the challenging gravel Lausitz Rally. The fact that René will be able to call on the experience of his Belgian navigator Erwin Mombaerts, will undoubtedly play an important role in this difficult race.
For Jan de Winkel the Condroz Rally is a must. The Renault pilot has studied and gotten to know this classic rally in Hoei through the Benelux Trophy and has since been a permanent participant. In Group R, Jan will have some formidable competition from the C2 R2's from Bruno Thiry, WTCC-pilot Pierre-Yves Corthals and… Junior World Champion Sébastien Ogier!
In Group N the battle is not yet over. Michael Pedersen is currently holding first place, however, the Dane can’t afford to make any mistakes as was Janina Depping is only 8 points behind. Both of these drivers deserve and have earned the title on their enthusiasm alone. May the best driver win!
In Group H Hans-Ole Funch is once again at the start with his Opel Kadett GT/E. The Gr.H-champion will be able to pace himself with the competitors of the Belgian Historic Championship. |
