After stops in France and Italy, the Clio Cup Europe heads to Germany for round four of the season. A new confrontation between two series awaits at the famous Hockenheim circuit, with this time drivers from Group B drivers taking on their Group C counterparts.
Tension is rising in the Clio Cup Europe with this third meeting in as many weeks. The venue for the German Formula 1 Grand Prix will be the scene of heated battles between the Group C drivers in their season opener and the Group B drivers who are already about to complete the first half of their season.
The fight continues in the Clio Cup Europe
While the hierarchy is beginning to emerge in the Clio Cup Europe, the championship is still very open and uncertain.
Leader of the general classification, David Pouget (GPA Racing) arrives in Germany with some revenge to take from Nicolas Milan (Milan Compétition), who won both ends last weekend at Magny-Cours. Despite their solid starts to the season, they will have to be wary of those behind them, starting with Marc Guillot (Milan Compétition), who has his sights set on his first victory on the European scene this year.
With four victories in the Challengers Cup, Kévin Jimenez (GPA Racing) looks to put daylight between himself and Alexandre Albouy (GPA Racing) after seeing his lead reduced last week. At the same time, several competitors such as Nico Abella (Chefo Sport) want to take advantage of Mickaël Carrée’s absence to move into the provisional top-three of the category.
The action will be just as intense in the Gentlemen Drivers Cup, where Laurent Dziadus (Team Lucas) looks to build on his two wins at Magny-Cours. Nevertheless, the Frenchman will have to face his stiffest rival, "Horn" (GPA Racing), and several others determined to deprive the two leaders of maximum points in Germany.
A quality Group C
It promises to be an action-packed season-opening round for Group C with some competitors able to race at the pointy end of the order of the European scene from the outset.
With three Clio Cup Central Europe titles to his name, including those of 2019 and 2020, Tomáš Pekař (Carpek Services) will be one to watch on a track he knows well after his two podium finishes in the Clio Cup Open held at Hockenheim in 2019. He will be joined by one of his biggest rivals, Switzerland’s Andreas Stucki (Écurie Basilisk), who won race two in the curtain-raiser to the German F1 Grand Prix in 2019.
Other contenders include past Clio Cup Spain and France winners Marc Guillot and Dorian Guldenfels (TB2S) as will Thibaut Bossy (TB2S) and Romain Boeckler (BRS Racing by GM Sport), the best Juniors in France in 2010 and 2020.
The Challengers will also have their say after the promising debuts of Jerzy Spinkiewicz (Uniq Racing) and Paul Cocaign (TB2S). Henrik Seibel, the only German that will race on home soil, will be eager to star for Schlaug Motorsport, in honour of team leader Manfred Schlaug, who passed away on Sunday after a long career spanning four generations of Clio Cup.
Gentleman Lionel Viguier (TB2S) wants to put his double retirement at Magny-Cours behind him by scoring maximum points at Hockenheim, as does Challenger Mariano Alonso, who joins his father Gabriel - entered in Group B - at GPA Racing.
The halfway point of the season for Group B
Proof of the incredible competitiveness in the Clio Cup this year, the roles between David Pouget and Nicolas Milan are reversed in Group B.
Nicolas Milan is on a three-race winning streak and will defend his points lead against his closest rival but several competitors are only waiting for the slightest slip up on their part. This is the case for Kévin Jimenez, Dorian Guldenfels, Thibaut Bossy, Alexandre Albouy and Group A leader Anthony Jurado (Milan Compétition), who is determined to make up lost ground before the second half of the season.
As in Clio Cup Europe, Kévin Jimenez leads in the Challengers Cup but Alexandre Albouy wants to put more pressure on his teammate, while Mathieu Lannepoudenx (Milan Compétition), Jerzy Spinkiewicz, Paul Cocaign and Guillaume Maio (GM Sport) will try to reverse the trend.
In the Gentlemen’s category, Laurent Dziadus and "Horn" are also in the same situation as in the Clio Cup Europe, with only a two-point difference in favour of the former. They will continue their duel while trying to fend off the likes of Jérémy Bordagaray (Team Borda Rally) - who will have support from his brother Thomas - and Lionel Viguier. Michel Faye (GM Sport), Stephan Polderman (Chefo Sport), René Steenmetz (Chefo Sport) and Guy Frey (T2CM) will complete the ranks of the category in Germany.
Both races will be broadcast live on the Renault Sport Series Facebook page and the Renault Sport YouTube channel.
Entry list
TIMETABLE
Friday 14 May
9h00-9h30 : Collective tests 1
11h50-12h20 : Collective tests 2
15h50-16h10 : Qualifying 1
Saturday 15 May
9h00-9h20 : Qualifying 2
12h05-12h35 : Race 1 (25 minutes + 1 lap)
15h40-16h10 : Race 2 (25 minutes + 1 lap)
Clio Cup Europe – 2021 calendar*
2-5 April : Nogaro - Group B
30 April-2 May : Monza - Group A
7-9 May : Magny-Cours - Groups B & D
14-16 May : Hockenheim - Groups B & C
4-6 June : Misano - Group A
25-27 June : Motorland Aragón - Group D
9-11 July : Hungaroring - Groups A & C
23-25 July : Imola - Group A
28-31 July : Spa-Francorchamps - Group C
27-29 August** : Lédenon - Groups B & D
10-12 September : Red Bull Ring - Groups A & C
17-19 September : Valencia - Group D
1-3 October : Le Castellet - Group B
29-31 October : Monza - Groups A & C
12-14 November : Barcelona - Groups B & D
**To be confirmed
Source: Media Groupe Renault