The first event of the year in a competition in the Kroon Oil Belgian Rally Championship, the Rally of Haspengouw within ten days. will have a few big names at the start.
Frenchman Stéphane Lefebvre will be present, along with Xavier Portier as navigator, in a Citroën C3 Rally2 supported by the Belgian-Luxembourg importer. Stéphane Lefebvre was born and raised in the Hauts de France, just on the other side of the border. He is a true lover of the Belgian rallies, which gave him the passion for the sport.
We have often seen him at work in Belgium, notably in the Condroz Rally, which he has already won three times, and in Ypres. However, he will be at the start of the Rally of Haspengouw for the first time. His opponents do realize that if they want to win, they will have to beat this former Junior World Champion (2014) and factory driver of Peugeot and then Citroën at the highest level.
However, Adrian Fernémont, two-time reigning Champion of Belgium, does not come to the start to be satisfied with a second place. He can rely on a trusted base, with Samuel Maillen at his side and with the Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo with which he finally took the title last year. He undoubtedly wants to further expand his palmares with some resounding victories, because he has only 4 overall victories to his name (2nd behind Breen in Aarova, 2nd behind Rossel in Spa…, 8x win in the BRC) in five seasons with an R5 in the BRC.
The already busy Rally2 category has been further supplemented with another car: the Ford Fiesta of regional driver Johnny Poelmans, who has provided his car with a very beautiful and colorful decoration.
Another very interesting entry is that of local specialist Jonas Langenakens, whose speed is known, but who was not always so lucky. Jonas Langenakens remains faithful to his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo7, which, by the way, continues to evolve. He dreams of creating a surprise by mixing with the top cars. The starting field also gets impressive in the other categories.
Frank Baert joins the list of candidates for victory in the numerous group of BMWs in the M-Cup. In Historic, a side championship in which Chris Dobbelaere (Opel Kadett GT/E) strangely does not want to participate, we are pleased to see the comeback, after 5 years of absence, of Frank Jorissen with an Opel Ascona 400, which pays tribute to the regretted Herwig Nelissen.
It will be exciting at all levels, especially at the front of the game, on February 26 in the Sint-Truiden area. Be many of the party, because you won’t regret it. We also mention that the traditional presentation of the competition is scheduled for next Monday, immediately after the closing of registrations. Since the situation is not yet ideal due to the health crisis, the show will be organized by invitation “in a limited circle”.
To ensure that everyone can experience the performance without having to travel, the performance will be broadcast live on the Facebook page of the Rally van Haspengouw and on that of the Kroon Oil Belgian Rally Championship from 8 pm.
