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208 Rally cup action resumes in France’s Lozère region

Following a two-month summer break, the 208 Rally Cup resumes with next weekend's Rallye Terre de Lozère - Sud de France which will kick off what promises to be an exciting second half of the season, with the likelihood of a fierce fight for the 2016 title and four events in the space of just three months.

Round 4 of the 208 Rally Cup (Rallye Terre de Lozère - Sud de France) has attracted a bumper entry of 24 crews!

Since the beginning of the year, the Juniors (under 23 years old) have tended to rule the roost, and Pepe Lopez, William Wagner and Jérémie Toedtli currently sit at the top of the points table.

The Terre de Lozère has not figured on a Peugeot Sport single-make championship calendar since 2012. It will therefore be new territory for everyone and a particularly close contest is to be expected.

A POTENTIALLY THRILLING END TO THE SEASON

With four rounds still to come (Lozère, Vosgien, Cardabelles, Var), it will be important to come away with a big points haul this weekend since the remainder of the year is likely to favour the competition's asphalt experts. The 24 Peugeot 208R2 crews entered for the Rallye Terre de Lozère - Sud de France face a menu of 11 stages totalling 143km, including ‘Le Born' (23km), one of the event's traditional highlights.

JUNIORS IN CONTROL

After winning the Causses and Langres rallies respectively, Pepe Lopez (Sainteloc Racing) and William Wagner (PH Sport) are split by just one point at the top of the order ahead of this weekend's Mende-based fixture. Both drivers naturally figure amongst the favourites this time round, as does Jérémie Toedtli (CHL Sport Auto) who has made consistent progress since the beginning of the year. Other Juniors to watch are newcomer Quentin Ribaud (CHL Sport Auto) who has scored at every event to date, and the ever-quick Jean-Baptiste Franceschi who has failed to finish the last two fixtures.

Meanwhile, Finnish gravel specialists Aki Sahila (CHL Sport Auto) and Tade Lario (CHL Sport Auto) will be keen to build on the first points they scored just before the summer break, while Guillaume De Ridder (Pit Stop), Guillaume de Mevius (PH Sport), Joachim Wagemans (Triman) and Efren Llarena (Raceseven) all look strong at the moment, too.

THE OMNIPRESENT THREAT OF THE OLDER COMPETITORS

Antibes victor Andrea Carella (Power Car Team) will be out to make his mark on dirt and build on his position in the 208 Rally Cup standings. He is currently equal fourth with Nil Solans (Mavisa Sport). Other likely front-runners include Patrick Magnou (Pit Stop), who came second on the Terre de Langres, and Jean-Paul Monnin (JPM Sport Auto), always a strong contender on the loose.

Expect good performances, too, from Thomas Baudoin (Chazel Technologie Course), Yann Clairay (PH Sport), Joël Guerrero (GC Motorsport), Ashley Haigh-Smith (Pit Stop), Alexandre Mollard (PH Sport), Jose Luis Pelaez (Raceseven), Olivier Ramiandrisoa (CHL Sport Auto), Antoine Rocard (PH Sport) and Sam Taveneau (PH Sport) who will all be eager to notch up their first points.