Clio Cup Middle East

Initially scheduled to be run at the Bahrain International Circuit, the second meeting of the calendar finally saw 16 Clio Cup Middle East drivers join the Pro Car Championship grid. After Eduardo Miranda (Uniq Racing) and Ilya Sidorov (Continental Racing) dominated the practice sessions, Stanislav Novikov (Continental Racing) set the fastest time in qualifying. However, the first race was won by series leader Eduardo Miranda ahead of Stanislav Novikov and Ilya Sidorov before both Gentlemen drivers came back to win ahead of the Challenger a few hours later. The competitors will be back in action at the Yas Marina Circuit (Abu Dhabi) from 5 to 7 January 2024.

More information here and here.

Elsewhere

Clio Rally continued its superb run of successes in the French Rally Cup. Clio Rally3 and Clio Rally5 scored one-two finishes, led by Ghjuvanni Rossi and Kylian Sarmezan (Rally3) and Christophe Fontaine and Thomas Chauffray (Rally5) at the Sainte-Baume Rallycircuit. Allison Viano and Romain Tavolaro also took Clio Rally4 to the podium in its class on the same event.

Alessandro Casella, who had won the Italian Junior Rally Champion with Clio Rally5 in 2022, claimed another victory with the model and led a sweep of the top six with co-driver Vincenzo Pino at the Ronde di Sperlonga. Still on Italian tarmac, Maicol Cecchi and David Castiglioni dominated a lockout of the top four for Clio Rally5 on the Rally Il Ciocchetto. Meanwhile, Clio Rally5 put in a superb performance in the hands of Mitja Velkavrh and Nina Gorenc, victorious in the 4 and Junior categories but also second overall on the gravel of the Rally Show Quadruvium Karojba (Croatia).

Coming up

While several crews prepare to continue competing in Clio Rally3, Clio Rally4 and Clio Rally5 over the holiday season, many competitors now turn their attention to their first rallies of the 2024 season. On the Clio Cup front, the first race meeting of the year will take place from 5 to 7 January, with round three of the Clio Cup Middle East at the Yas Marina Circuit (Abu Dhabi).