Spa Rally A big and awesome final round

The countdown has started … On Saturday 3rd December the Spa Rally 2022 will take off from the heart of the city of Spa. For the final round of the Kroon-Oil Belgian Rally Championship, DG Sport decided to focus on the city centre, with a view to offering an exceptional setting for its event, but also to allow the general public to enjoy the atmosphere of an event scheduled just prior to the kick-off of the end-of-year festivities… 

The information was made official just a few days ago. Thierry Neuville, THE Belgian driver of the World Rally Championship, will be there! And what is more at the wheel of a legendary car, a BMW M3 E30 Gr.A ‘by Mats’, with the ambition of having fun but also of introducing the new ‘rally rental’ department of the LifeLive company that he manages with his brother Yannick. The news of Thierry’s presence spread in an incredible manner, which means that the fans of the Saint-Vithois resident, and the enthusiasts of great rallies will be beating down the doors. Success guaranteed …  

As for the battle for victory, Stéphane Lefebvre, freshly crowned Belgian Rally Champion 2022, intends taking full advantage of the Spa Rally to celebrate his crown… and complete an exceptional run with a further victory at the wheel of the Citroën C3 Rally2 DG Sport Compétition. However, the northern France driver will have his hands full, up against a Grégoire Munster (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) on a high following his victory in WRC2 in the recent Rally of Japan! The duel will be more than promising … and will undoubtedly be refereed by a certain Gino Bux – with Nicolas Gilsoul in the right-hand bucked seat – who enjoyed an impressive season in BRC. In fact, the only item missing from the Skoda Fabia Rally2 SXM duo’s record of achievements in 2022 is a victory! 

In the wake of these three leading crews, the battle will be flat out, with a chasing group comprised out of Cédric De Cecco (Citroën), Maxime Potty (Citroën), Jos Verstappen (Citroën, once again teamed up with Renaud Jamoul), Charles Munster (Skoda), as also Emile Breittmayer (Skoda), Roger Hodenius (Citroën), Pierre Hubin (Citroën), Nicola Stampaert (Skoda)… 

And THE Porsche will sweep in!

And then, bearing #16, we have the appearance of the other driver that all the fans are impatiently waiting for: Cédric Cherain! Following the demonstration at the Condroz, the Porsche 997 GT3 August Racing has become a legend, and its flamboyant driver has every intention of making the most of it, on a course that is nevertheless far more technical than the one along the banks of the Meuse. In new colours the Porsche will entertain the crowd, and will be up against machines in the well filled RGT category with such names as Romain Delhez (Porsche 991), Armand Fumal (Alpine A110), Stefaan Prinzie (Alpine A110) and Henri Schmelcher (Porsche 991), the latter being Cherain’s main opponent in the fight for the national title of that category. 

Spa will also act as the final meeting of the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup Belux, with the German Marijan Griebel (Peugeot 208) as top favourite for the crown, who will be crossing swords with Fred Caprasse (Opel Corsa), Niels Reynvoet (Peugeot 208), Jonas Dewilde (Peugeot 208), Harry Bouillon (Peugeot 208), Maxim De Cock (Opel Corsa), Didier Bosseloir (Peugeot 208), Smaël Haddouche (Peugeot 208) and the ‘newcomer’ Jean-François ‘Kiki’ Olivier (Opel Corsa). In the RC4 class, the machines bearing the lion will however need to deal with the Renault Clio Rally4 of Tom Rensonnet, who will be out to multiply the scratches among the Juniors with a view to attempting to claim the 2022 crown! 

Several other ‘heavy’ machines, of an older generation, will be on hand, with Fred Bouvy (Subaru Impreza) and Julien Henry (Mitsubishi Lancer). There will also be battles with daggers drawn in Rally5, between the Renault Clio machines of Jordan Beaupain, Xavier Dekeyser, Charles Hastir, Lander Dhaene and others.  

Thierry Neuville entered in the NCM class, it is  Geoffrey Leyon, driving a similar Bavarian machine, who will be the favourite in Historic BRC, up against Christophe Kerkhove (Ford Escort), in quest of the 2022 title, the returning André Lausberg (Porsche 911), the regional Reiner Feltes (Ford Escort), Christophe Daco (Ford Escort), Patrick Deblauwe (Ford Escort), Johnny Delhez (Ford Escort), Nicolas Havet (BMW M3), Sébastien Incardona (Ford Escort), Jean Dilley (Ford Escort), Jean-Michel Gérome (Ford Escort), not forgetting Olivier Breittmayer, Emile’s father, who be entering the long-awaited Ferrari 308 GTB Gr.4!

A Challenge Bruno Blaise in 2WD Trophy

The recent death of the Opel Corsa performer that was Bruno Blaise, prompted the DG Sport team to pay tribute to him during the Spa Rally. A Challenge Bruno Blaise has been set up. It will reward the best ‘regional’ driver entered in the BRC 2WD Trophy category, where the Corsa would also have been in action … 

A 2WD Trophy category in which the title will also be contested at the Spa Rally, between Stefaan T’joens (Renault Clio) and Bruno de Wilde (Honda Civic), with a large number of entrants, such as Jony Vande Walle (Opel Astra), Antoine Luxen (Renault Clio), Guy Grosjean (Peugeot 205), Thomas Delrez (Renault Clio), Kevin Lepaily (Renault Clio), Olivier Renaud (Peugeot 206), etc.

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