To mark the launch of this latest edition at an altitude of 2,400 metres, the trophy organised within the GSeries is expanding with a field of 16 drivers, all ready to put on a more spectacular show than ever!
Since its launch in 2022, the Clio Ice Trophy has been a resounding success. Drawing on all the qualities of the Clio Rally5 and Clio RX designed by Manufacture Alpine Dieppe Jean Rédélé, the trophy continues its ascent by becoming the de facto premier category of the GSeries, the benchmark for ice racing.
For the start of this third campaign, 16 competitors from different horizons were seduced by the adventure proposed by promoter Driveland Events and Alpine Racing's customer racing department. After the coronations of Romain Di-Fante in 2022 and Dylan Dufas In 2023, the title fight promises to be particularly open between the young hopefuls and their more experienced rivals.
After missing out on the crown by just two points last year, WRM by Chanoine Motorsport / SRD Racing will be out for revenge with rallycross drivers Charlie Freard and Gautier Sarhy. The former will share his car with Alain Cusimano, who has decades of Renault experience, including an appearance in the Clio Ice Trophy. A transfer from the French Junior Rallycross Championship with Clio RX, Gautier Sarhy will team up with Quentin Ribaud, who won the Clio Trophy France Terre in 2021 before going on to excel with Clio Rally4 and Clio Rally3.
For its third season in the trophy, the Brunet Competition team is also aiming for the top with Jordi Queralto, who has several Dakar starts to his name, and his son Alex, who is ready to make the leap into car racing after having cut his teeth in karting. Meanwhile, Driveland is betting on Guillermo Millan and Markel de Zabaleta, two leading names in Renault Group customer racing activities in Spain who have already tried their hand at the Clio Ice Trophy. Puzzle Motorsport will also be at the start with its two rally driver duos: the first made up of Daniel Del Villar and Antonio Otero, seen in the 2023 season finale, and the second formed by multiple Turkish Rally Champions Ercan Kazaz and Volkan Isik.
Newcomers Casanova Sport Auto can't be underestimated after their fine performances in the Clio Trophy France. The Corsicans will be fielding their manager and experienced rally driver Christophe Casanova, in tandem with Yannick Francisci, who has experience in Clio Rally5. A second car is entered for VHC class winner Pierre Vivier and the 2023 Ultimate Cup Series Single-Seater Challenge winner Paul Trojani.
The top six finishers in each event will win prizes. The eventual winner will receive a prize donated by Michelin and an entry for a full campaign in one of the Clio Trophies. The second and third-place finishers will also win entry into the world of rallying.
With more driving time this year, the third edition of the Clio Ice Trophy will get underway late on Saturday afternoon. In free practice, the drivers will discover the first of four tracks on the Pas de la Casa Circuit proposed this season before attacking two qualifying sessions. Q1 will determine the starting grid for the finals while Q2 will award intermediate points. The day will conclude with the A and B Finals, contested over six laps and with more points at stake. You can follow the ice-racing action on the GSeries website.
ROUND 1 – ENTRY LIST
| RACE NUMBER | TEAM | DRIVER | COUNTRY |
| 10A | DRIVELAND | GUILLERMO MILLAN | ESP |
| 10B | DRIVELAND | MARKEL DE ZABALETA | ESP |
| 11A | CASANOVA SPORT AUTO | PIERRE VIVIER | FRA |
| 11B | CASANOVA SPORT AUTO | PAUL TROJANI | FRA |
| 13A | PUZZLE MOTORSPORT | ANTONIO OTERO | ESP |
| 13B | PUZZLE MOTORSPORT | DANIEL DEL VILLAR | ESP |
| 14A | PUZZLE MOTORSPORT | ERCAN KAZAZ | TUR |
| 14B | PUZZLE MOTORSPORT | VOLKAN ISIK | TUR |
| 20A | CASANOVA SPORT AUTO | CHRISTOPHE CASANOVA | FRA |
| 20B | CASANOVA SPORT AUTO | YANNICK FRANCISCI | FRA |
| 33A | BRUNET COMPETITION | JORDI QUERALTO | ESP |
| 33B | BRUNET COMPETITION | ALEX QUERALTO | ESP |
| 77A | WRM BY CHANOINE MOTORSPORT / SRD RACING | CHARLIE FREARD | FRA |
| 77B | WRM BY CHANOINE MOTORSPORT / SRD RACING | ALAIN CUSIMANO | FRA |
| 88A | WRM BY CHANOINE MOTORSPORT / SRD RACING | QUENTIN RIBAUD | FRA |
| 88B | WRM BY CHANOINE MOTORSPORT / SRD RACING | GAUTIER SARHY | FRA |
2024 CALENDAR
- 13 JANUARY 2024: ROUND 1
- 20 JANUARY 2024: ROUND 2
- 3 FEBRUARY 2024: ROUND 3
- 10 FEBRUARY 2024: ROUND 4
TIMETABLE – SATURDAY, 13 JANUARY 2024
- 4:27-4:59 pm: free practice (2 x 7 laps)
- 6:38-7:10 pm: QUALIFyIng 1 (2 X 6 lapS)
- 7:57-8:29 pm: QUALIFyIng 2 (2 X 6 lapS)
- 9:33-9:48 PM: B FINAL (6 lapS)
- 10:03-10:18 pm: a FINAL (6 lapS)
THE REGULATIONS
Competitors will be allowed seven laps of free practice before attacking two qualifying sessions, both contested over six laps. The best time achieved by each driver in Q1 will determine the starting grid for the finals, while Q2 will award intermediate points according to the 15-13-11-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 scale. The protagonists will battle it out at the end of the day in the A Finals (odd classification in Q1) and B Finals (even classification in Q1) over six laps with a scale of 25-21-17-14-11-8-5-3-2-1 at the finish. All results will determine Dylan Dufas' successor at the end of the season.
Source: Renault Media Website