The 2025 French Gravel Rally Championship (CFRT) blasts off this weekend with the Rallye Terre des Causses in Capdenac Gare, Aveyron, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive year. With seven rounds planned for this season and over 140 teams in the modern category, this season’s atmosphere is charged with anticipation.
Shifting Dynamics and Intense Rivalries
With the departure of last season’s champion, Matthieu Margaillan, who moved on to the ‘CFR’ (the national asphalt series), the fight for the gravel championship is wide open. Laurent Pellier emerges as a favorite, driving a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 for Team 2C Compétition. However, he faces stiff competition. Notably, Emmanuel Gascou and Pierre Ragues from the Equipe de France FFSA Rallye squad, along with Sarah Rumeau and Pablo Sarrazin from Team Sarrazin Motorpsort Iron Lynx in their Citroën C3 Rally2 machines, are all serious contenders.
Local talents such as Florian Condamines, Simon Heinemann, and Jean-Michel Da Cunha also add depth to the competition, showcasing the high caliber of participants and making each of the event’s 10 stages a showcase of driving excellence and strategic racing.
A Varied Field of Competitors
The rally’s appeal is broadened by the inclusion of the CFRT VHC for vintage car enthusiasts and the Trophée National Terre Yacco, which features nearly 20 vintage cars. The event is not just about professional racers; the Clio Trophy France Terre and the Rally3 categories also see 26 participants. Tom Pellerey, debuting his official Alpine Racing program in a Renault Clio, highlights the influx of new talent ready to make an impact.
Event Highlights and Looking Ahead
The rally is meticulously organized, with stringent technical and administrative inspections ensuring high standards of competition integrity and safety. Spread over three days, each leg presents unique challenges that test the drivers’ skills and resilience. It takes in 295km in total, with 156km being timed special stages mileage.
As the first of seven rounds in this season’s championship, the Rallye Terre des Causses has set a high bar for excitement and competition. With the stakes elevated, the motorsport community eagerly anticipates the stages. Will Laurent Pellier take the lead, or will we see a new champion emerge? The winding roads of the French gravel rally stages hold the answers.
Keep up with all the action of the CFRT 2025 season on HHRally.com. Whether you’re a seasoned rally fan or new to the sport, this season promises adrenaline-filled moments and memorable races.