Cherain Shines in Wallonia
The 42nd Rally of Wallonia unfolded under a promising sun that had long been awaited. Anticipation had been high, particularly among the “experts,” who tipped Cédric Cherain to contend for the quickest times in his Porsche 992 GT Rally. To his own astonishment—and that of the spectators—Cherain dominated the opening lap, securing the three fastest times. “The car is working excellently. I maintained a comfortable safety margin during the first lap, so I was thrilled to see my times,” he remarked, undoubtedly aware that the Porsche’s initial fastest time in an official event would etch itself into the annals of rally history.
Jos Verstappen, navigating his way as expected in the Rally2 classification alongside Renaud Jamoul, emerged as the quickest amongst his peers. Despite setting the fastest time on the Wartet stage, he found himself a considerable 8 seconds adrift of the leading Porsche but comfortably ahead of Vincent Verschueren. The recent winner of the TAC Rally engaged in a close contest for third with Adrian Fernémont, Niels Reynvoet, and Bastien Rouard, all battling within a mere 7 seconds of one another.
A Tense Duel Unfolds
As the second lap commenced, Cherain continued to exhibit his prowess, notching up the fastest times on the Mohiville, Natoye, and Crupet stages, extending his lead to 17.3 seconds. However, a minor error on a right-hander during the last stage of the loop saw him stall the engine, costing him 8 seconds and reducing his advantage to a mere 9.2 seconds upon returning to Jambes. Meanwhile, Verstappen maintained his unassailable position within the RC2 category, while Verschueren clung to third place, yet 31 seconds behind Verstappen’s Skoda. Fernémont persisted in closing the gap, growing ever more confident as the day wore on.
As the opening day of the rally drew to a close, Cherain asserted his lead in a spectacular fashion through Mohiville, although he conceded some time during the final two stages, both of which were claimed by Verstappen. The duo concluded the day with a difference of just 12.9 seconds, setting the stage for an exhilarating showdown the following day across 9 special stages spanning over 90 kilometres.
In the ongoing contest for the podium, Verschueren maintained a slender 6.1-second cushion over Fernémont, whilst Niels Reynvoet lingered, albeit frustrated by a lack of top speed from his Hyundai. Behind them, Battin Rouard and Tom Rensonnet lingered outside the top three. Completing the Top 10 were Thibaut Mazuin (Skoda Fabia), Patrick Snyers (Porsche 997 GT3), and Nicola Stampaert (Skoda Fabia), who encountered difficulties with course knowledge.
Cédric De Cecco faced even greater misfortune with his Porsche 992 GT Rally. Just as he began to find his rhythm, he suffered a mishap on the same stretch as Cherain, leading to significant radiator damage and ultimately forcing his retirement. Nevertheless, De Cecco intends to return on Sunday for the final day, which promises three rounds of three stages (Naninne, Fernelmont-Eghezée, and Vedrin), ensuring that all eyes remain fixed on both Cherain and Verstappen as they chase victory. Meanwhile, the thrilling contest for third place appears poised to captivate, with all contenders—Verschueren, Fernémont, and the previous year’s champion Reynvoet—looking to claim their stake. In parallel, the Stellantis Cup sees Nard Ippen leading ahead of Junior BRC frontrunner Lander Depotter, whilst Thomas Carlier dominated the Historic BRC scene.
