Laurent Pellier and Kevin Bronner triumphed at the opening event of the 2025 French Gravel Rally Championship, Rallye Terre de Causses, driving Team RS 2C Yacco’s Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Initially trailing behind Emmanuel Gascou in SS1, Laurent Pellier quickly took the rally lead in the subsequent special stage and maintained it throughout. The intense rivalry with Gascou kept the competition fierce until the end of the first day, with only 16.1 seconds separating them. However, Pellier dominated the second day, mastering his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 and leaving no openings for his weekend adversary.
Laurent Pellier (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 – Team RS 2C Yacco), said: “It’s simply fantastic! This was a discovery weekend for both us and the team. Everyone did a stellar job—my co-driver Kevin, the team, and the Michelin tyres performed exceptionally well. It’s a fantastic start, leaving us with maximum points.”
Emmanuel Gascou, finishing as the runner-up, showcased his prowess by claiming the fastest times on two stages, signaling his potential dominance in the 2025 season. His strength in end-of-season rallies such as Lozère and Cardabelles suggests he will be a formidable competitor.
Gascou (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 – Team AMD Motorsport), said: “I had a strong performance. Towards the rally’s end, I felt some pressure as I didn’t want to slip up. Laurent is a top-tier driver, but we managed to stay close on the initial loop, and we’re not far behind overall. There’s room for improvement, but the championship is still long.”
The fight for third place was a spectacular showdown between Pablo Sarrazin and Sarah Rumeau, driving the Team Sarrazin Motorsport Iron Lynx Citroën C3 Rally2s. Rumeau, who held third place since SS1, ultimately fell to Sarrazin’s persistent challenges in SS9. Sarrazin clinched a well-deserved podium spot after overcoming a pre-rally crash and engine issues that plagued him in the earlier stages.
Sarrazin (Citroën C3 Rally2 – Team Sarrazin Motorsport Iron Lynx), said: “It was a challenging rally for us, starting with the crash during the test stage. We had to rebuild our confidence. Additionally, some engine issues during the first stage cost us valuable time. I’m grateful to the entire team; this podium finish is a testament to their hard work.”
The top five was rounded out by Charles Munster (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) and Cédric Rabasse (Skoda Fabia Rally2, Team Sarrazin Motorsport Iron Lynx), followed by Pierre Ragues (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, Team 2C Yacco RS) who set a remarkable stage time, and Pierre Lafay in Team AMD Motorsport’s second Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Mika Rasoamaromaka (Renault Clio Rally5) clinched a dual victory, topping the Two-Wheel Drive Championship and the Clio Trophy France Terre. Quentin Vialatte (Peugeot 208 Rally4) and Florian Bouchonneau (Renault Clio Rally5) completed the podium in the ‘CFRT 2 RM’. In the Clio Trophy France Terre, Bouchonneau and Bastien Bergounhe secured second and third places, respectively.
The Terre Yacco National Trophy was intensely competitive, with Maxime Lafon (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 A8) emerging victorious over the seasoned Subaru Impreza N4 duo of Guy Bekaert and Jean-Luc Morel. Tom Pellerey also made headlines by winning the inaugural CFRT FFSA GT2i Trophy round, showcasing his Renault Clio Rally3.
The rally circuit continues with the Rallye Terre de Castine on May 2, 3, and 4, marking the second leg of the 2025 French Gravel Rally Championship.
Overall Rallye Terre de Causses Results
01: L. Pellier/K. Bronner (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) – 1h 32m 15.7s
02: E. Gascou/G. De Turckheim (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 39.3s
03: P. Sarrazin/Y. Roche (Citroën C3 Rally2) + 50.4s
04: S. Rumeau/J. Amblard (Citroën C3 Rally2) + 57.3s
05: C. Munster/L. Pascaud (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) + 1m 31.7s
06: C. Rabasse/S. Rabasse (Škoda Fabia R5) + 1m 51.3s
07: P. Ragues/J. Pesenti (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 2m 08.9s
08: P. Lafay/A. Chioso (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 2m 47.2s
09: J-M. Da Cunha/B. Dumas (Citroën C3 Rally2) + 3m 03.6s
10: J-C. Beaubelique/A. Dunand (Citroën DS3 WRC) + 3m 07.4s
See the full results here.
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