Rally: Hirschi tries it with Hyundai 🎥

Exactly 21 Swiss participants with modern and eleven Swiss participants with historic vehicles are at the start. In total, more than 280 teams are registered, more than 50 of them in the historic class VHC. In addition, there are around ten teams from the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, which has also competed in the Rallye du Chablais this season, among other events. Favorite for the overall victory is Yoann Bonato on Citroën C3 Rally2. The Frenchman has been unbeaten at the Mont Blanc since 2020.

Jonathan Hirschi with new team

The participation of Jonathan Hirschi is eagerly awaited. Last year's Swiss champion from Cernier in Neuchâtel decided not to take part in the third SM round in Burgundy and will be contesting the Mont Blanc event in a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 from Team 2C Competition instead of a Citroën C3 Rally2. Hirschi tested it for the first time a few days ago.

Jonathan Hirschi, who will be navigated by Michaël Volluz again at the upcoming rally for the first time since the fire incident at Monte Carlo: "The test went well. I'm happy to have found a new team. That's not so easy in the middle of the season."

The third in the championship is still unbeaten this season. Both rallies in which he has taken part have gone in his favor: the Critérium Jurassien and the Rallye du Chablais. It will be interesting to see the performance of two drivers who have made a very positive impression so far this year: Sacha Althaus (center gallery), currently second in the championship, and Thibault Maret (5th). The two Skoda drivers have both stood on the SM podium for the first time this year - Althaus at all three rallies, Maret for the first time in Burgundy.

Jonathan Michellod on the right track

The situation is different for Skoda driver and overall SM leader Jonathan Michellod (gallery, right). The 29-year-old from the Valais is well on the way to his second SM title. In 2019, he already won the junior championship. This year, he could triumph in the top class. He already has one victory under his belt in 2023. At the Rally Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise, the third SM round, Michellod (with co-driver Stéphane Fellay) stood at the top of the podium. In the last two editions at the foot of Mont Blanc, Michellod finished third on each occasion (behind Mike Coppens).

Mike Coppens (left gallery): "The rally is very fast. And you won't be able to drive at the very front there as a Swiss. That doesn't make things any easier, but you have to accept that and try to do your best anyway."

Althaus and Maret in the spotlight 

The performance of two riders who have made a very positive impression so far this year will be interesting to see: Sacha Althaus (center gallery), currently second in the championship, and Thibault Maret (5th). The two Skoda drivers have both stood on the SM podium for the first time this year - Althaus at all three rallies, Maret for the first time in Burgundy. Both have experience at Mont Blanc. Althaus has already won twice in the juniors (2020 and 2021) and can look back on three participations. And Maret, too, despite his youthful 23 years, has already competed three times in the rally on the other side of Lake Geneva.

Swiss teams at a glance

Among the other Swiss with Rally2 cars at Mont-Blanc are Yoan Loeffler (Citroën C3) and Simone Tettamanti (Skoda Fabia). Sergio Pinto is also taking the Rally Mont-Blanc under his wheels. With his Alpine A110 RGT, the man from Valais is considered the favorite to win the Michelin Trophy Alps Open. As he is only 0.8 points behind brand colleague David Lamarche from France in the championship, and the latter will be absent at Mont-Blanc, Pinto is likely to retake the overall lead. In the Michelin Trophy Alps 2WD, championship leader Jérémy Michellod is also missing. Victory there will most likely be fought out among the pursuers Alexandre Bastard (F), Claude Aebi, Olivier Ramel and Philippe Broussoux.

Mountain cup and historical class

Broussoux, Ramel and Aebi are also entered for the Swiss Mountain Cup. Together with Laurent Rossi, the trio will try to catch up with leader Alphonse Kilchenmann. In the VHC, Pascal Perroud is considered the favorite. The BMW driver from Vaud still has a clean slate in the season so far and leads the historic class with the maximum points after three of six rallies.

The rally kicks off on Friday, September 1, with the first special stage starting at around 11 am. The program includes 13 special stages (seven on Friday, six on Saturday). A total of 442.9 kilometers will be covered, of which 185.19 kilometers will be classified.

Photos: Cornevaux, Eichenberger, Kaufmann; Video 01 Team3V

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... and this is how it continues this season

• September 29 and 30, Rally del Ticino
• October 26-28, Rally International du Valais

Source: Auto Sport Switzerland
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