Snobeck dominates Charbonnieres rally

Dany Snobeck and co-driver Gilles Mondesir dominated the second round of the French Rally Championship, the Rallye Lyon-Rhone Charbonnières, to score a third victory on the event in their Citroen C4 WRC.

The Sainteloc Racing Team driver led from the very first Special Stage and, despite a mechanical problem on SS10, was still able to lead home Eric Brunson’s First Team Motorsport Subaru Impreza WRC by 25 seconds at the finish.

Sportscar racer Romain Dumas completed the podium in his Porsche 997 GT, the Le Mans 24 Hours winner also collecting the Michelin Trophy win ahead of the Porsche GT3 996 Cup of Gilles Nantet.

“Our rally almost ended early,” said Snobeck of his mechanical drama. “Luckily we were able to get back to the service park. We had no turbo from the first day, but I didn’t want it to be public knowledge then.

“It was a difficult rally and I had to attack on the final stage to ensure our victory.”

With Brunson having won the opening round in Le Touquet, where Snobeck was second, the pair are now level at the top of the standings ahead of the next round in Limousin in June.

French Rally Championship results – Round 2, Rallye Lyon-Rhone Charbonnières

Top Ten

1 D. SNOBECK / G. MONDESIR (Citroen C4 WRC) A8W 1:59:33:4
2 E. BRUNSON / C. MONDON (Subaru Impreza WRC / FIRST TEAM MOTORSPORT) A8W +0:25:3
3 R. DUMAS / G. ZAZURCA (Porsche 997 GT) GT 16 +1:30:9
4 G. NANTET / R. BELLEVILLE (Porsche GT3 996 Cup) GT 16 +2:13:4
5 P. TROJAN / O GREENERY (Peugeot 307 WRC) A8W +2:13:9
6 G. MOTTARD / E. OF SIN TOURRES (Peugeot 306 Maxi) FA7K +6:46:4
ROBERT C. 7 / M. DUVAL (Citroen DS3 R3 / RACING TEAM SAINTELOC) R3 +6:57:8
8 M. ARZENO / R. JAMOUL (Citroen DS3 R3 / RACING TEAM SAINTELOC) R3 +7:13:2
9 A. PEREIRA / A. EASTER (Ford Focus WRC) A8W +7:34:5
10 M. SNAKE / MARIE G. (Citroen DS3 R3) R3 +8:23:8

Championship Standings (after 2 rounds)

1 Eric Brunson, 36pts
= Dany Snobeck, 36
3 Cedric Robert, 24
4 Jean-Charles Beaubelle, 18
= Guillaume Sirot, 18

Next round: 4-5 June, Ronde Limousin


Andy Wilkinson

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