Launched at sunset, the second race of the French FFSA Tourism Championship in Magny-Cours certainly ended in the glow of the headlights, but this atypical schedule did not prevent Stéphane Ventaja (Cupra Leon Competition TCR – Team Clairet Sport) from continuing his harvest of success in the TCR class. This sixth victory in six races was all the easier for the man from Toulouse as his main rival, Julien Paget, was betrayed by the mechanics of his Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.
In the TC class, which includes only Peugeot 308 RC cars this weekend, Florian Briché killed all suspense on the JSB Competition team’s car by distancing himself from the first lap. Behind the Nordist, however, it was lively! Author once again of a superb start, Michaël Alaurent (Micka Racing) took the second place after a light contact with Caroline Candas (JSB Compétition). A few minutes later, it was Sébastien Thome (Team Clairet Sport) who finally took the second position.
After the withdrawal of Caroline Candas following a technical problem, the fight for the last step of the podium opposed Michael Alaurent and Kevin Ropars (Ropars Racing Team). The Micka Racing boss-driver had an off-track session in the Estoril curve and saw his first podium in the category slip through his fingers. Brady Beltramelli also had a scare with a failed braking maneuver for the Adelaide hairpin, but he barely managed to hold on to fifth place against his father José (both with 308 RCs from the Ropars Racing Team) and Jean-François Chatillon (First Racing).
The two contenders for victory in GT Light also made their presence felt by animating the battles on track with the Peugeot 308 RC. Sharing the Belt Racing by LVR Ligier JS2 R with Édouard Héry, Ewen Hachez took his third win in three starts despite the best efforts of Thibaut Bossy, who shares the Sport Auto Racing Alpine A110 Cup with Enzo Carvalhido. In his ADWShop Motorsport Mini Cooper Cup, Mickaël Boisdur was keeping his distance from the TC class cars.
Having tasted victory for the first time this year in TCA Light, Ilona Bertapelle didn’t take long to repeat in this Peugeot 208 RC class. A second consecutive success that allows her to get back on track in the championship, especially since Thomas Compain was this time beaten by Vincent Vevres, his teammate in First Racing. Behind this leading trio, the three drivers of the Ropars Racing Team, Cédric Clause, Matthieu Collin and Olivier Thenaisy, finished in the same order as in Race 1.
Two other confrontations are still to be contested for the FFSA Tourisme this Sunday. Race 3 will start at 11:05 am and Race 4 at 4:00 pm, both 25-minute sprints to be followed live on the GTWorld YouTube channel.