The ink on its homologation papers was barely dry, yet the Porsche 992 Rally GT didn’t waste a second making its presence felt on the stages. In a historic debut across two countries—at the Rallye de Wallonie in Belgium and Rallye Rhône-Charbonnières in France—the newest rally GT contender didn’t just show up, it showed off.
The verdict after one adrenaline-charged weekend? The Porsche 992 Rally GT is fast, competitive, and already turning heads across Europe’s rally stages.
A dream debut at Rallye de Wallonie
From the very first stage of round two of the 2025 Belgian Rally Championship in Namur, Cédric Cherain wasted no time sending a message: the Porsche 992 Rally GT is a contender. The reigning Belgian champion opened the rally with a stage win and went on to dominate the timesheets with an incredible 13 fastest times out of 20 stages—more than any other driver.
The performance was blistering, the pace undeniable. But with just two stages remaining, cruel luck intervened. A faulty sensor—likely dislodged by a jolt at the start of a gravel section—caused the Porsche to stall in SS19 Naninne. It restarted eventually, but the lost time cost Cherain and co-driver Damien Withers what would have been a sensational maiden victory.
Despite the heartbreak, Cherain’s performance cemented the Porsche as a genuine title threat. “We proved the car has the speed to win,” said Cherain. “The pace was there, and the team gave me a perfect car throughout. We’ll be back even stronger.”
De Cecco gains ground, confidence
While Cherain captured the spotlight, Cédric De Cecco also used the weekend to build seat time and confidence in the new car. The Liège native was struck by misfortune on Saturday—contact with an object caused radiator damage—but he rejoined on Sunday with renewed purpose.
His efforts paid off. De Cecco posted a string of competitive times, including a fifth, two thirds, and a stunning second-fastest time—proof that the car can perform in multiple hands. “This car clearly has what it takes,” De Cecco said. “I’m excited about what’s coming next.”
French Flair: Cosson impresses at Rhône-Charbonnières
Meanwhile, in France, Anthony Cosson and co-driver Kévin Millet piloted the 992 Rally GT in the Rallye Rhône-Charbonnières, also marking the car’s debut in the French national championship. The result? Bronze in the GT+ category and the highest-placed Porsche overall—just outside the top ten in a fiercely competitive field.
Importantly, the car ran faultlessly throughout the rally, giving the team a clean, high-confidence result in a demanding event.
The team behind the machine
Lionel Hansen, the technical mastermind behind the Porsche program, was full of praise for the drivers and the development effort: “We’re proud of this weekend. Cédric Cherain and De Cecco showed the car’s true performance, and Anthony Cosson’s result in France proved its reliability. Yes, we narrowly missed the win in Wallonie, but that doesn’t take away from the incredible pace we saw.”
Hansen confirmed that a solution is already in the works for the sensor glitch that halted Cherain’s run. “We’ll develop a bypass system so a similar issue costs seconds—not minutes. This is part of the learning curve. But what matters is the performance was there.”
The Porsche squad also took valuable lessons in tyre wear and setup, and all signs point to more to come.
Momentum builds ahead of Ypres
Yves Matton, who oversees Porsche’s motorsport programme, echoed the excitement: “The buzz is real. We’ve delivered five 992 Rally GT kits already, five more are in production, and we’re receiving international inquiries daily. On May 7, around 15 Belgian drivers will gather at Circuit Mettet to experience the car themselves.”
It’s clear the Porsche isn’t just a head-turner—it’s already a hot commodity in rallying circles.
With the legendary Ypres Rallyon the horizon at the end of June, anticipation is growing. The Porsche’s unique flat-six soundtrack and thrilling pace are sure to be a highlight in West Flanders—Belgium’s biggest rally stage.
In one weekend, the Porsche 992 Rally GT went from unknown quantity to front-runner. It blitzed Belgian tarmac, held its own in France, and sent a clear signal: Porsche is back in rallying, and it means business.
The champagne may have to wait, but if this weekend was anything to go by, the corks won’t stay in the bottle for long.