Rally: No easy game for the Loeb couple
RALLY Of course, Sébastien Loeb won the Rallye du Chablais with wife Séverine at his side. But Swiss champion Sébastien Carron challenged the nine-time world champion and even led the overall classification in the first half of the race. It was the best advertisement for Swiss rallying, what happened on Friday and Saturday in the Chablais region and Lower Valais. [...]
It was the best advertisement for Swiss rallying what happened on Friday and Saturday in the Chablais region and Lower Valais. Navigated by Frenchman Vincent Landais, Sébastien Carron showed the megastar why he has been unbeaten on the national stage for almost two years.
With the proven Ford Fiesta R5 from Balbosca, the Valaisan decided the first three stages of Friday's first loop in his favor. Thus, Carron's lead after 41.37 km - which corresponded exactly to one race quarter - was an astonishing 18.3 seconds.
Loeb, for his part, was still struggling a bit with the set-up of his Peugeot 208 T16 R5. "I've never driven a car from this category before. I also have to get used to it first, plus my tire choice was not ideal. And Carron drives really well...", explained the Alsatian, who lives in Prangins on Lake Geneva.
His participation, the third in the competition after 2012 and 2013, was for Loeb a leisure pleasure with his wife Séverine in a beautiful area. "We pay for the rent of the car and the infrastructure, but we pay that from a separate budget," emphasizes Loeb's friend and organization manager Eric Jordan.
However, the Loebs took the matter seriously. In the morning of the second stage, Carron managed to set another fastest time in Val d'Illiez, but then the Loeb couple pulled out all the stops. After the first of three fastest times, the prominent Swiss-by-choice were in front and remained so until the finish.
Carron set another fastest time on SS11. The somewhat unlucky Jérémie Toedtli in the Skoda Fabia R5 (only P9 after losing time), who was beaten below his value, managed another best time on the final SS14. Sébastien Loeb was fastest eight times.
Words of praise from the record world champion
At 34.5 seconds in a total driving time of 1:36 h, Carron's deficit turned out to be highly modest. "When Loeb was ahead, I just concentrated on securing victory in the Swiss classification," explained the champion. That he will now defend his title until the end of the season despite other predictions may now be assumed.
For his part, Loeb had nothing but praise for the beautiful event and its namesake on the podium. "I've contested a few rallies like this outside the WRC, but I've never had to fight for victory like this." There is probably no nicer compliment for the currently best Swiss rally driver. Chapeau, Sébastiens!
Ivan Ballinari was clearly the third best driver and second best Swiss in the terrific field with eleven R5, two GT and four S2000 cars (plus all the others). Although the Ticino native was not satisfied with his performance at the start of the third SM round, his third place on the overall winners' podium is absolutely deserved.
The Belgian Peter Tsjoen, who has come to know and love the area from his skiing vacations in Verbier and two participations in the Rallye du Valais, was only able to displace the spectacularly driving Olivier Gillet in the Porsche from fourth place overall towards the end of the race.
Aurélien Dévathéry won the Clio Alps Trophy after an accident by Florian Gonon, Nicolas and Gaëtan Lathion with their Peugeot 208 R2 in the ASS Juniors. Sébastien Loeb also enjoyed this - he took the Lathions into his team, gave them tips and in this way also made a contribution to the promotion of Swiss rallying.
Merci et au revoir, Sébastien Loeb!
