Last year’s race attracted a record crowd and the 2016 edition will be even more special as it marks the 40th anniversary since rallycross was first introduced in France.
Set in the small Breton village of Loheac, a total of 72 cars will go head-to-head at the ninth round of the World Championship including the biggest S1600 entry of the year (34 entries) plus 38 600bhp Supercars that have the ability to accelerate from 0-60mph in less than two seconds. Out of the 72 entries, there will be a total of 21 Frenchmen for the home fans to cheer on including superstar driver, Sebastien Loeb.
Loeb – who drives for Team Peugeot-Hansen alongside last year’s Loheac winner Timmy Hansen – will race at his home event for the second time, following his debut in 2013. He won’t be the only French driver competing in the seven permanent teams, however, as Yann Le Jossec will deputise for Sweden’s Kevin Eriksson in the Olsbergs MSE squad. Eriksson will instead race at a RallyX Nordic event in Sweden as he aims to secure his national title for the second year in a row.
Meanwhile, at the top of the World RX standings, the battle for the number one spot continues between Petter Solberg and Mattias Ekstrom who are separated by just four points going into Loheac. Following a collision between Anton Marklund and Solberg at the end of the final in Canada when Marklund lost the brakes in his car, Solberg’s mechanics and Volkswagen RX Sweden have had mammoth tasks to repair their cars in time for France.
Solberg explained, “The condition of my car was pretty bad after the accident that occurred after crossing the finish line in Canada. Luckily my sponsor Bertel O. Steen, one of Norway’s biggest car dealerships, proved to be an amazing partner. Immediately after the accident the CEO gave me a phone call to ensure that the company was ready to do what it takes to help us repair the car.
“My PSRX mechanics and our friends at Bertel O. Steen have had some long days and nights and the car now, it’s perfect. Actually, it’s better than perfect. The car will be quicker than it was before; the complete rebuild of the car has given us the chance to add in some small details to the chassis that we probably wouldn’t have done in the middle of the season.”
Other French drivers competing on home turf include former French Rallycross Champion Davy Jeanney who will partner Kevin Hansen in the Peugeot-Hansen Academy team. Guerlain Chicherit – a quadruple World Champion in freeriding – will return to World RX in a JRM Racing MINI RX Supercar, while Adeline Sangnier will make her World RX debut at the wheel of a privately run Peugeot 207 – she is only the second ever female in RX to drive a Supercar after Ramona Karlsson.
Jean-Baptiste Dubourg scored an incredible podium finish at his home round of World RX last year and the reigning Andros Trophy champion will be hoping for a repeat performance at the wheel of DA Racing’s new Citroen DS3. A number of French Rallycross Championship regulars will also join the line-up including Patrick Guillerme, Pascal Le Nouvel, Fabien Chanoine and experienced driver, “Knapick”.
Philippe Maloigne completes the list of French drivers, driving for Albatec Racing alongside the team’s FIA European Rallycross Championship competitors Tommy Rustad and Andy Scott. Fellow Euro RX campaigners Fredrick Salsten, Michael de Keersmaecker, Ollie O’Donovan, Derek Tohill, Tamas Karai and Max Pucher will also compete. Lithuania’s Nerijus Naujokaitis will make his World RX debut in a brand new Skoda Fabia Supercar.