Maxime Potty tightened his grip on the Kroon-Oil Belgian Rally Championship with a composed victory in the 49th Sezoensrally, beating back a determined challenge from Grégoire Munster to claim his second win of the season after the TAC Rally.
Potty arrived in Bocholt as championship leader and immediately signalled his intent by setting the pace on the opening two stages. From there, the Škoda driver managed the gap with maturity, even as Munster kept the pressure on throughout the afternoon. By the finish, Potty had done enough to take another important win on the maaskiezel and strengthen his position at the top of the standings.
“We had to open the road today, and that was definitely not an advantage,” Potty said after the finish. “On the first stages it was difficult to find the right braking points, and in the afternoon, when it got drier, we had to clear the fine dust from the gravel roads. But we kept attacking and focused on our own race. Especially when Grégoire Munster opened the chase in the afternoon, I pushed hard.”
Munster’s return to the Belgian championship, after three years in the World Rally Championship, was never going to be straightforward — and the opening loop proved it. The Luxembourg driver was immediately on the back foot after suspension damage from a heavy hit on the left-rear wheel during shakedown. That led to a damaged wheel bearing and braking issues, while a puncture further hampered his progress.
“In the first loop we had brake problems, which were still the result of a big hit on the left-rear wheel in shakedown,” Munster explained. “After the first loop it turned out the wheel bearing was damaged, so the brakes weren’t working properly. On top of that, I got a puncture because I clipped a post by just a fraction too narrowly. That puncture cost me 12 seconds. When you finish 9.8 seconds behind, you know the win was definitely possible.”
Even so, Munster ended the rally on a high by setting the fastest time on the Power Stage.
Bastien Rouard was another driver who made the podium after a strong and measured drive. Making his first competitive appearance in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, he stayed close to the leading pair early on before losing touch in the second loop. Still, third place was a highly encouraging result.
“I’m extremely happy with third place, because I was still learning the car,” Rouard said. “The Škoda gave me confidence straight away and the chassis is extremely efficient. To get the maximum out of it, I was probably a bit too spectacular and aggressive. But overall, I’m very satisfied.”
Rouard’s result keeps him second in the championship standings.
Nicola Stampaert looked set for a fine fourth place before drama struck in the final loop, when the East Flandrian hit a tree in his Škoda. That promoted Thomas Martens to fourth, with the 19-year-old Hasselt driver once again impressing in the second BMA Hyundai.
“I was just a fraction behind the top three,” Martens said. “But I really enjoyed the maaskiezel. This is still the best part of rallying.”
Steven Dolfen was another happy finisher, taking fifth in an older-generation Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. His rally began cautiously, especially after a difficult shakedown run on Thursday, when his first-ever 4×4 outing on the Bocholt gravel left him feeling lost. By the finish, though, he had found his rhythm.
“When I made my first run here on Thursday, my first-ever pass in a 4×4 on the maaskiezel, I didn’t know what we were starting,” Dolfen smiled. “I was completely lost. But today I really enjoyed myself. It was fantastic, and it’s incredible that I can score fifth place in this field. I’m very happy.”
Emile Breittmayer finished sixth on his first outing on the Bocholt gravel, ahead of Fred Miclotte, who lost time in the closing stages with an engine problem but still secured the Masters win. Richard Pex followed in eighth, while Steve Bécaert and RC3 winner Xavier Dekeyser completed the top ten.
Beyond the overall classification, Philip Lommers was quickest in the M-Cup ahead of Franky Boulat. Tom Boonen again topped the Historic BRC in his BMW 325i, Jo Muylle won the Youngtimer category, Benoit Wauthier scored maximum Junior BRC points, and Christiaan Spelmans took the 2WD Trophy victory as expected.
Potty’s win gives him real momentum in the title race, but the Sezoensrally also underlined how quickly fortunes can change on the maaskiezel. One clean weekend can make all the difference — and in Bocholt, that proved to be the case once again.
