Jonathan Pailler goes back-to-front for Rallycross France win

27 April / The Estonian Rallycross Championship started at Raassilla where Mart Tikkerbar (Peugeot 208) emerged as the winner. The event also formed the opening counter in the three-round Baltic RX Championship. Tikkerbar was joined on the Supercar podium by Arvo Kask (Mitusbishi Lancer) and defending champion Maiko Tamm (Fiesta) who had been fastest in all three heats but ran into problems in the final. Audrius Kragas (Skoda Fabia) emerged as best of the combined Super1600/Junior 1600 field, Siim Saluri taking second place ahead of Valdas Mizukis (both Renault Twingo). Simo Villas (Fiesta) won the TouringCar final and Adrians Apsistis was best of the BMW RX3000 class. Crosskart was the best supported category of the event with 26 starters. Andre Kiil was best of the pack, leading home Lucas Orav and Sten Oja in the final. The Toyota Yaris-based Junior series had 11 starters and was won by Martisn Dreibe while the Crosskart 650 final was won by Rait Soot and Kaspar Pikkpold was best of the 125 field.

28 April / The Championnat et de la Coupe de France de Rallycross started at Lessay where the Rallycross France field had full grids, mixed weather and some visiting drivers making their mark. At the end though, it was Jonathan Pailler (Peugeot 208) who grabbed the event win. Juha Rytkonen (Hyundai i20) was top qualifier after being fastest in all but the third heat in which title holder Davy Jeanney was top in his Skoda Fabia. Hungarian Tamas Karai qualified second, ahead of Jeanney and Pailler. Rytkonen and Karai won the semi-finals. Pailler started last on the final grid but got his head down and worked his way through the pack before taking the lead when PGRX duo Rytkonen and Steve Bossard went to the Joker at the same time. Over the following couple of laps Pailler established enough of a lead to be able to complete his own pass through the Joker Lap without losing the lead. Julien Febreau (Peugeot 208) split the Hyundai’s in the last lap, placing third behind Bossard who had led much of the final. Nicolas Eouzan (Renault Twingo) was eight at the intermediate which was topped by Romain Barre (Peugeot 208). The finals brought a switch in fortune, Barre not progressing to the final while Eouzan clambered in after being third in his semi, and then went on to win. Balazs Kormoczi (VW Polo) placed second after his trip from Hungary and Jeremy Lambec (Audi A1) was third. Valentin Lumet was best of the all Renault Clio Junior series, the more experienced racer leading home Kelig Gouesbet and Hugo Jouan. Axelle Corolleur was best of the 24-strong Coupe Feminine, leading home the similar Renault Twingos of Chloe Danveau, and Coralie Boree. Nicolas Beaucle collected another Division Three win with his Mercedes A Class and Luc Derrien (Honda Civic) was best of the Division Four field.

28 April / Germany’s DRX started its season with a double-header event at Schluchtern where Italian Werner Gurschler (Ford Fiesta) bagged a pair of wins. In Saturday’s first event Austrian Ignaz Schneider (Lancia Delta Integrale) placed second with Andreas Traudt (Audi A4) thrid. Home drivers did a little better on Sunday, Mark Bohling (Audi TT) second ahead of Dietmar Brandt (Audi S3). It was also a good weekend for visitors from Belgium and Holland who led a rout of the DRX2 class. Yorick Maeyninckx (Volvo 242) on Saturday, leading honme Belgian compatriot Kristof Bex (Volvo S40) and Dutchman Bart Bel (BMW E30). In round two, Bex took the win ahead of Maeyninckx with Bel again third. The DRX3 and DRX4 classes were combined, Markus Rosrud winning on Saturday in his DRX3 Honda Civic while third placed Sven Seeliger was best of the DRX4 runners. Rosrud won again on Sunday, Seeliger this time placing second for the class win. Daniel Habicht (BMW 120) won the N1 class on Saturday but had to settle for second place to Philipp Knof (Peugeot 205) on Sunday. In N2 Mika Henning won on both days with his VW Polo. The Cross Car senior category was won by Bryan Neumeyer (LifeLive TN5) on Saturday and by Max Reiter (TN5) on Sunday, the latter bouncing back from sixth place on the first day to take the R2 victory ahead of Neumeyer. There were just two starters each day in the Junior section, Sven Haaf winning on saturday before Henri Haaf took the Sunday win. Ben Henschel was second on both days.

This weekend / Plenty on this weekend, Macao Verde Horizonte hosts the Portuguese Rallycross Championship while RX Italia takes a short seas crossing to Sardinia to race at Ittiri. Bikernieki at Riga welcomes the Rallycross LV series as Latvia’s season begins and Fuglau’s MJP Arena is the scene for the Austrian season opener which will also welcome the second round of the Czech Rallycross Championship.

pics: World RX, Red Bull media pool, Eesti Rallikross, DRX, Rallycross France, cportugalralicross