The 46th edition of the Condroz Rally will close the 2019 Belgian Rally Championship in Huy on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 November. On the traditionally very treacherous course the spectacle promises to be grandiose, because the entry has more than 30 R5s and a series of fast Porsches. The fans will be treated to a great show!
There will also be tension, because the Belgian title fight is not yet decided. Kris Princen starts as a favourite in Huy, as he fights to retain his Title. With a victory or second place Princen is assured of the title, but that is easier said than done, because the switch from the VW Polo R5 to the Skoda Fabia R5 Evo by Pieter Tsjoen Racing was not immediately successful in Sankt-Vith . But The Condroz Rally is Kris Princen’s favourite race. He will be navigated in Huy by Peter Kaspers.
Sébastien Bedoret, the official Skoda Belgium driver, won the Omloop van Vlaanderen, and will be looking for a third place to improve his 2019 points tally – as the BRC counts only the best six scores. Bedoret follows 2 points from Princen, but he has to improve a score of 12 points, the equivalent of a third place.
Rather the danger comes from Adrian Fernémont, who convincingly won the East Belgian Rally, with the Skoda Fabia R5 from SAN Mazuin. Just like Princen, Fernémont has only five scoring positions, as the difference with leader Princen is only 8 points, everything remains possible.
The two foreign drivers will play no role in the title battle. Stéphane Lefebvre, who is starting for the first time with a Ford Fiesta R5 MkII, wants to repeat his victory last year. Young talent Pierre-Louis Loubet wants to follow the example of his countryman with a Skoda Fabia R5.
While Ghislain de Mevius wants to confirm his handsome second place in the East Belgian Rally, two VW drivers are fully aiming for a top result. Cédric Cherain knows what it’s like to win the Condroz Rally. Vincent Verschueren will be introduced to the VW Polo GTI R5 from THX Racing for the first time, as a test for the upcoming season.
There are a number of challengers who want to get involved in the battle for the podium, starting with Kevin Demaerschalk, who came close to victory with his Ford Fiesta MkII in Roeselare. Xavier Baugnet has already shown his speed in the Condroz Rally. This time he can count on a VW Polo R5, just like Xavier Bouche, who always has a strong presence in Huy, although he may miss competition rhythm. Melissa Debackere will certainly not lack rhythm. The fastest lady in Europe won with her Skoda Fabia R5 and navigated by the Dutch Marlon Krieger last week in the Netherlands in the Twente Rally. Melissa is aiming for the Top 10.
The same goes for Cédric De Cecco, the youngsters Niels Reynvoet, Junior champion Grégoire Munster and Pieter-Jan Michiel Cracco, all with a Skoda Fabia R5, just like Yves “Mr Rally” Matton, who naturally does not want to miss his home rally. We are also curious about the times of the Citroën drivers Guillaume de Mevius, in the RACB colors, and Davy Vanneste.
A lot of drivers seem to match each other. It will be drumming for a place in the top 10, because that is also the ambition of Bastien Rouard (Skoda), Olivier Collard (Skoda), Amaury Molle (Citroën C3 R5) and circuit racer Maxime Potty (VW Polo R5), without Neil Simpson (Skoda), Harry Bouillon (Ford), Jourdan Serderidis (Skoda), Henri Schmelcher (VW), Emmanuel Gonay (Citroën), Alain Litt (Skoda), Etienne Monfort and Christophe Verstaen (Ford).
Florian Jupsin provides an exotic note by launching a Dacia Sandero R4. Cédric Hubin opts for the brutal power of a Skoda Fabia WRC.
And then there are the Mitsubishis of Cédric Verhees and Jean-Fred Colignon, but especially the spectacular and very popular Porsches. Patrick Snijers is unfortunately not among them, but Romain Delhez can expect weather from Pascal Gaban, Frédéric Bouvy, John Wartique, Renaud Verreydt and especially Gino Bux, who makes his debut with a Porsche.
And that is just the first part of the beautiful event with 140 cars at the start. It will be a particularly exciting 46th edition of the Condroz Rally, which will be run over 20 special stages, together accounting for 221 km. The race starts on Saturday morning at 9 am in Huy, where the winner will ride on the finish stage around 16h on Sunday.
