Cherain and Rouard show the colors of the BMA Hyundai I20 Junior Team at Vresse-sur-Semois 22.03.2023: In the wake of the Rally van Haspengouw, the Belgian championship experienced a second exciting episode this Saturday in the region of Vresse-sur-Semois, on the occasion of the South Belgian Rally. Just like in Sint-Truiden, the BMA Hyundai i20 Ju

In the wake of the Rally van Haspengouw, the Belgian championship experienced a second exciting episode this Saturday in the region of Vresse-sur-Semois, on the occasion of the South Belgian Rally.



Just like in Sint-Truiden, the BMA Hyundai i20 Junior Team shone, with Cédric Cherain and Damien Withers taking the first place, while Bastien Rouard and Amandine Cornet kept on increasing their power to collect the points for the 4th place...



Two Hyundai i20 N Rally2 prepared in Bernard Munster's workshop were present in Vresse-sur-Semois this Saturday, for a 'Cup' type event with a field worthy of the reference rounds of the Belgian Rally Championship.


Right from the start of the day, Cédric Cherain and Damien Withers were in the leading pack, and despite a small mistake, in the form of a spin, which cost them 10 seconds in the tricky Hayons special stage, the duo finished the first loop strongly, signing the scratch in SS4 Nafraiture!



A performance that Cherain would repeat in the afternoon, taking Bellefontaine 2 and Nafraiture 2. Once settled in 2nd position of the general classification, Cédric only had to keep some pressure on the leader Maxime Potty, to sign two new scratch times in Bellefontaine and Nafraiture, and finish the event in 2nd position, 10''5 from the win...



"First of all, I would like to say that Maxime Potty deserves his victory, and I congratulate him," said Cédric Cherain. I drove fast, but we still lack a little experience in terms of set-up to be able to win. We made a small mistake in the morning, and it's these small details that can make the difference. We will now analyze all that with a clear head.



 It's a good second place, and we've shown once again that we're up to scratch. When we do the perfect rally, we'll clearly be in the game! But all in all, it's very positive..."



Co-driven for the first time this season by Amandine Cornet, Bastien Rouard was able to build up a good lead throughout the day. If the first loop was tricky, with a few small mistakes, the rest was much better, and it is at the foot of the podium that the driver of the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 in the colors of B&N Metal ended his course ...



The drivers ahead of us have much more experience of the Rally2 category than I do, and yet at the end of the day, we came very close, even setting equivalent times, which is very positive for the future," commented Bastien Rouard.



When you're within a second and a half of the scratch time, it means you're doing something big and it's starting to happen. In just two rallies, we've made a lot of progress, and from the point of view of the championship, fourth place is another good result. All this bodes well for the Ardennes Rally and the Wallonia Rally which are coming up. And in my region, we will be in great shape... "



Another positive result for the BMA Hyundai i20 Junior Team in the Belgian Rally Championship. The next two rounds of the competition are on the agenda, with a 'Cup' Rally of the Ardennes, and above all the TAC Rally which will be the second 'Championship' round of the competition a week later...




BMA- also photos