Rally des Bornes: This is where the elite meets
TENSION TOTAL The 2021 Swiss Rally Championship enters its second round on Friday and Saturday - with the Rallye des Bornes halfway between Geneva and Chamonix. Numerous Swiss starters have signed up. A total of 116 cars are on the start line in the modern cars. Among the favorites for the overall victory are the Frenchmen Kevin Bochatay [...]
A total of 116 cars will be on the start line in the modern cars. Among the favorites for overall victory are the Frenchmen Kevin Bochatay (Skoda Fabia R5) and Ludovic Gal (VW Polo R5), who finished first and second in the last edition of the 2019 Rally des Bornes for the time being.
Mike Coppens in the fight for overall victory
The favorite to win the championship is Mike Coppens (gallery, right). The 42-year-old from the Valais was the only driver to stand up to the winner Sébastien Carron at the Rallye du Chablais.
Whether Mike Coppens will be able to intervene in the fight for overall victory remains to be seen. For the Skoda driver from Verbier, this will be his first participation in the Rallye des Bornes. And the sixth rally in 2021 overall.
Mike Coppens: "I will concentrate on my job and my goals; as always. The results will then be the logical consequence - or not. But I'm not even thinking about a possible victory. Especially not an overall victory. The French are unbeatable on their terrain."
The Chablais reflects the balance of power
Besides Mike Coppens, Ivan Ballinari and Jonathan Michellod are likely to decide the two remaining places on the podium between themselves under normal circumstances.
Reigning Swiss champion Ivan Ballinari, who will once again be relying on Marco Menchini as his co-driver at the Rallye des Bornes: "It would be exaggerated to think that, without having done a test, we stand a chance against Mike. The Chablais final classification accurately reflects the current balance of power in the Swiss championship. And my teammate Jonathan Michellod has also shown what he can do. So it's going to be very close."
Other Swiss in the top class include Joël Rappaz and Alain Blaser, who finished 5th and 6th respectively at the Chablais.
Top 3 juniors will give nothing to each other
Excitement is also the order of the day in the Juniors and the Clio Swiss Trophy. The top three in the Chablais, David Erard (center gallery), Sacha Althaus and Jérémie Toedtli, will be giving each other a run for their money in their Renault Clio RSR Rally5 cars in France. At the first meeting at the end of May, the trio was only 7.1 seconds apart at the finish.
Also at the start is Ismaël Vuistiner. The Valais native is no longer eligible to compete in the juniors due to his age, but was leading the Clio Swiss Trophy at Chablais by a commanding 25 seconds until his accident.
New edition duel Walter Mathieu against Didier Postizzi
The Trophée Michelin Suisse will also be exciting again this weekend. There it comes to the new edition of the duel Walter Mathieu from France against Didier Postizzi from La Chaux near Morges.
And as at the Chablai, fans of historic rally cars will also get their money's worth. 34 teams have registered in the VHC category. One of the favorites is Pascal Perroud (gallery, left). The 40-year-old driver from Vaud was in second place at the Chablais until the fourth special stage - and then dropped out.
A total of eleven special stages over two days
The rally starts on Friday morning (June 18, 2021) with SS1 from Monnetier to Cruseilles. A total of eleven special stages are scheduled over two days.
Dates Swiss Rally Championship 2021
- June 18 and 19, 2021, Rallye des Bornes (F)
- September 2 - 4, 2021, Rally du Mont-Blanc Morzine (F)
- September 24 and 25, 2021, Rally del Ticino
- October 21-23, 2021, Rally International du Valais
Photos: Eichenberger/Kaufmann
rallyedesbornes.sitew.fr
