A record comeback for the French Rally Championship in Morzine

With 216 crews entered, the Mont-Blanc Morzine 2022 rally is full. In quantity but also in quality… Because in addition to the two main contenders for the title of champion of France, Quentin Giordano and Nicolas Ciamin, there are beautiful people at the start of Morzine. The two men are separated by 22 points (110 to 88 in favor of Giordano), but the gap drops to 11 units if we count their worst current result, which will be the case at the end of the season.

Winner last year with a margin of 5”3 on Giordano, Yoann Bonato is in his garden in the Alps, he who won the event five times (a record tied with the late Philippe Bugalski). The Citroën C3 Rally2 CHL Sport-Auto driver will therefore be a luxury referee, he who, barring a miracle, can no longer claim a fifth title (two victories but three retirements this year).

Giordano can start managing

Quentin Giordano (Volkswagen Polo GTi R5 – Sarrazin Motorsport), the leader of the Championship, also strong with two successes, is ideally placed. He will mainly have to focus on his duel with Nicolas Ciamin (Hyundai i20 N Rally2 – 2C Compétition) and not necessarily seek to win at all costs. The Niçois was waiting for the latest developments in his Korean car (in particular the anti-roll bars) to be able to express himself fully and regain success, his last going back to Le Touquet in March, for the opening of the season.

In addition to his three men, Cédric Robert (Alpine A110 Rally RGT) will also have his say on roads which had allowed Emmanuel Guigou’s Alpine to climb on the podium (3rd in 2020). His main opponent will be Quentin Gilbert, second here in 2018 and 2020, third in 2019 and 2021, who is trying Dieppe propulsion for the first time.

The outsiders will also be numerous: Hugo Margaillan (C3 Rally2), William Wagner (VW Polo R5), Florian Bernardi (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo), Jérémi Ancian (VW Polo R5), Thibault Habouzit (DS3 WRC), Pierre Roché (C3 Rally2), among others… Note also the presence, 25 years after his victory in Morzine, of Simon Jean-Joseph, at the wheel of the Subaru Impreza 555 of the time. Without forgetting the protagonists of the Swiss Championship, the Alpine Trophy and the Clio Trophy.

183.7 km timed are on the program of the rally, with 14 special stages (7 Friday and 7 Saturday), including the mythical Samoëns-Morzine via the Col de Joux Plane.