RALLYE VOSGES-GRAND-EST 2019
Published on 28 June 2019
The Loeb effect in Gérardmer has again attracted immense crowds who have come to support and cheer the crew of the Hyundai New Generation i20 WRC N°19 which is the uncontested boss of the Rallye Vosges-Grand Est 2019
As well as the summary below, watch this rally on video with the 1st stage of the rally and the 2nd stage of the race
It was over 2 days of battle that Sébastien Loeb won this 4th round of the French Rally Championship leading from the start of the race until Sunday, the finishing day of the Vosges-Grand Est rally , the region’s big event. Leading the event, Quentin Gilbert, 1st in the general classification, made a serious exit in SS1 and has had to abandon the rally definitively. Many are the competitors who once on the finishing podium expressed their support and thoughts for Quentin.
Yoann Bonato and Benjamin Boulloud themselves finished in 4th position in this rally. Mechanical problems causing a loss of power penalised the performance of the C3 R5. Yoann tried to make repairs at the Corcieux regrouping park under the very eyes of Sébastien Loeb but he had to go to the service park to fix the problem definitively. The delay was partially recovered but not enough to mount the finishing podium. These are the rules of rally driving. Until the finishing line is crossed, nothing is won, anything is possible…
On the side-lines of the competition, the current IGOL team, Jean-Marc Anguenot, Chantal Doisy and Jean-Paul Muringez, welcomed their clients invited for a festive day on Saturday. After breakfast opposite Gérardmer lake it was time to get in the bus to go to the public viewing area for the Mandray number 1 special stage. There, the day’s guests were in prime position to see the competitors go past while sharing a little bite to eat in the IGOL tents.
12:30pm…the lunch gong sounded, so off to the nearby inn where a typical Vosges menu awaited our guests. After lunch, it was time to come back for the afternoon special stage. A huge crowd, grouped together, waited religiously for the competitors so that they could, of course, watch the performances of each driver from the ‘public viewing area’ secured in advance by the rally organiser. This sun drenched location allowed IGOL’s guests to be as close as possible to the competitors going by, each of them practising style, work and trajectory, doing their best to tackle the curve and long, straight line.
At the end of the day, our guests were awaited at the heart of the service park under the French Federation of Automobile Sport structure, made available to share one last friendly drink. This was the opportunity for them to see the competitors going through servicing. Yoann Bonato came to meet IGOL’s guests, with simplicity and kindness. So, everyone was able to take a souvenir photo with the defending champion of the French Rally Championship. A moment they will surely never forget.
As for the other competitors wearing IGOL’s colours, from the 2C Compétition team Sylvain Michel didn’t let us down because among the many drivers competing, he finished in 10th position.
In the middle of Sunday afternoon a large audience was gathered near the finishing podium on the banks of Gérardmer lake. Sébastien Loeb’s finish under the summer sun brought the public together, cheering him, applauding him, asking him for autographs and selfies… That’s the “Loeb effect…! ”
So Sébastien Loeb finishing at the head of the rally won the first prize of the IGOL Competition Trophies. For IGOL’s anniversary, a statuette of the IGOL 70 years pin-up has been created in limited edition. She was given to him as well as a second copy for his co-driver Daniel Elena.
Results and classification
And as usual, it is with pleasure that the recipients were given the IGOL Competition Trophy which, depending on the rules in place, rewards the driver and co-driver, 1st in each group.
Winner of the IGOL COMPETITION TROPHY RALLYE VOSGES-GRAND-EST 2019
| GROUPE | PILOTE | COPILOTE |
| R | Yohan ROSSEL | Benoît FULCRAND |
| A | Alain VAUTHIER | Yohan LEFEBVRE |
| N | Jean-Nicolas HOT | Christiane NICOLET |
| F 2000 | Yoan CORBERAND | Mélanie GRANDJEAN |
Following the various moments in the race, between the exit of Quentin Gilbert which pushed him to drop out, and the mechanical problems of Bonato, the championship was relaunched with Yoann Rossel leading strongly with 116 points, followed by Bonato with 102 points, Gilbert with 93 and Ciamin with 90.
It should be noted that among the first 10, Sylvain Michel finishes this top ten. Let’s remember that he is member of the 2C Compétition Team and drives at the wheel of a Skoda R5 in IGOL colours
The next round of the championship takes place in Rodez on 5 and 6 July.
