The 49th Sezoensrally was already shaping up to be a spectacle, but a last-minute twist has added an unexpected layer of intrigue — and noise — to the Maas gravel classic.
Olivier Breittmayer and Pierre Sibille were originally set to continue their Historic BRC campaign aboard the Opel Manta 400 Gr.B. However, plans unravelled just days before the event when a newly installed gearbox failed on Thursday, before the car even turned a wheel in shakedown. Rather than withdraw, the team reached deeper into its collection and emerged with something far more exotic: the BMW M1 Procar Gr.B.
It’s a car rarely seen in rallying, let alone on the loose gravel of Bocholt. Breittmayer previously campaigned the machine in events such as the Tour Auto and Costa Brava Historic, but its Sezoens debut promises something special. Powered by a 3.5-litre engine, the M1’s soundtrack alone is expected to turn heads.
“The fans are going to love it,” said Emile Breittmayer, fresh off victory at the Tour Auto in a Ford GT40. “It screams almost like a Formula 1 car — a magical machine. I think it’s the first time an M1 will be seen on the Maas gravel.”
The team has been working against the clock to adapt the car for the unique conditions, including raising the suspension to better cope with the rough, unsealed stages.
While the BMW brings spectacle, another major storyline comes from local favourite Gunther Monnens. The “king of the Maas gravel” will debut his latest acquisition: a Ford Escort WRC from 1997, sourced from Norway and meticulously rebuilt over the past year.
Despite the anticipation, Monnens is keeping expectations in check.
“We haven’t driven a single metre with the car yet,” he admitted. “There could still be teething problems, and I need time to get comfortable with it. The bench tests have been promising — the two-litre turbo produces 309 horsepower, slightly less than the top Rally2 cars, but we have more torque. I’m curious to see what kind of times we can set.”
Monnens is the clear benchmark among the Youngtimers, though his ambitions stretch beyond that category as he eyes competitiveness against the Rally2 field.
Elsewhere, a fascinating intra-team battle is brewing between the XLT-prepared Subaru Imprezas. Jo Muylle, a Sezoens regular with strong ties to Bocholt, is determined to come out on top in the Subaru duel against returning driver Peter Hopmans, who makes his rally comeback after a 13-year absence.
“This all started over dinner with my friend and co-driver Johan Bormans,” explained Hopmans. “He wanted to do a rally again, and XLT rebuilt this Subaru from the ground up. Since we’ve only done the Monteberg Rally, we’re not setting any targets — we just want to enjoy it and reach the finish.”
Adding further depth to the field, Dirk Ceyssens lines up on home soil with his Toyota Celica GT-Four, while Eddy Buntinx returns with his ever-popular Citroën Saxo VTS — a familiar sight in the Youngtimer ranks.w
