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A superb day of rallying in Ardèche and Haute-Loire ended with a double surprise: the win in RS8 (Saint-Pierre-sur-Doux – Lalouvesc, 14.1km) went to an Opel Kadett GTE, driven by Régis Brezun and Elisa-Noémie Laurent, tied with the Ford Escort RS2000 of James Blakemore and John Buffum, the legendary multiple US rally champion, who is now a co-driver at the very respectable age of 81.
It was a fitting tribute to the longevity of Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, now in its 27th edition, and to the young Jules Picoreau-Camille Béal crew, who were in fine form on Sunday afternoon, taking 4th place in RS8, in their Alfa Romeo GTV, after their 2nd place in RS7. In the overall standings, Michel Decremer, the two-time Belgian winner (2017, 2024), well-assisted by team-mate Jennifer Hugo, continue to lead the way at the end of a perfectly controlled day.
While we’re on the subject of the ladies, a word about the best female crew on this 27th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, after 8 (out of 17) regularity stages: it’s made up of Carole Grimm, a Swiss, and Ingrid Peeters, a Belgian, in a superb Lancia Fulvia HF 1.6. They are 116th on Sunday evening, putting them in mid-table at the halfway stage, ahead of half a dozen other all-female crews. With a lead of around fifteen places over Frenchwomen Marie Douaré and Danièle Denuzière (133rd), in another red Lancia Fulvia.
With the Common Leg due to start on Monday morning, only 12 retirements have been recorded in the two very intense days of the Classification Stage, added to four on the Concentration Route. There will therefore be 203 cars and crews at the start in Valence on Monday morning, heading for RS9…
