After battling for the win Saturday evening, Nicolas Milan, Anthony Jurado and David Pouget resumed their battle Sunday morning in qualifying. The new leader of the Clio Cup Europe, Nicolas Milan claimed the pole position by a scant 0.085s ahead of Anthony Jurado and David Pouget whilst Marc Guillot and Challenger David Pajot (Vic’Team) completed the top five.

While Nicolas Milan kept the advantage at the start, Anthony Jurado resisted David Pouget whilst Alexandre Albouy jumped from the sixth position on the grid to get in between the two men, as did Marc Guillot in front of a field that was shaken up by the frantic start.

Anthony Jurado quickly applied pressure on Nicolas Milan and took the lead on lap two. At the same time, Marc Guillot attacked Alexandre Albouy in the final corner, but the resistance of his rival exposed him to David Pouget. The latter then took his chance to overtake him before moving into the top three.

Nicolas Milan took back the lead at half-distance, but Anthony Jurado countered one lap later. Their duel worked into the hands of the chase group of David Pouget, Marc Guillot and Alexandre Albouy. Back in the lead, Anthony Jurado got very loose on the right corner of Le Beausset, and David Pouget took the opportunity to surprise Nicolas Milan. Far from giving up on his main rival for the crown, the leader of the Clio Cup Europe fought back on the next lap while Marc Guillot was preparing for the final sprint.

Third going into the final lap, Marc Guillot made the most of the fractious battle between his teammates Anthony Jurado and Nicolas Milan to take the lead. Despite a final surge from David Pouget in the final corner, Anthony Jurado and Nicolas Milan finished second and third, making it an all Milan Compétition affair.

Alexandre Albouy finished fifth overall and first in the Challengers Cup while his rivals fought a constant battle. Kévin Jimenez progressively gained positions and clinched the title by finishing runner-up in the category ahead of Paul Cocaign (TB2S), Nicolas Abella (Chefo Sport) and Mathieu Lannepoudenx (Milan Compétition), who started last on the grid after a technical issue in qualifying. David Pajot completed the top ten.

In the Gentlemen Drivers Cup, Rene Steenmetz (Chefo Sport) took the lead at the start, but the Dutchman received a ten-second penalty for gaining an advantage off the track. Lionel Viguier (TB2S) moved into the lead on the last lap, ahead of Fabien Julia (LR Performance) and Horn (GPA Racing) in a class that was more intense than ever.

In the general classification, Nicolas Milan takes the lead of the Clio Cup Europe, nine points ahead of David Pouget, whilst Marc Guillot remains in the hunt thanks to his victory. Despite Alexandre Albouy’s double win, Kévin Jimenez is the 2021 Clio Cup Europe Challengers Cup winner while Lionel Viguier is now second to Horn (GPA Racing) in the Gentlemen Drivers Cup.

Group B

As Marc Guillot was not entered in Group B, Anthony Jurado won ahead of Nicolas Milan and David Pouget. Nicolas Milan took advantage of this result to extend his lead over David Pouget and Kévin Jimenez, who is still firmly in control of the Challengers Cup ahead of Alexandre Albouy and Mathieu Lannepoudenx. Meanwhile, Laurent Dziadus (Team Lucas) secured the Gentlemen Drivers Cup title in this group despite Lionel Viguier’s win today.

Qualifying 2 - Starting grid - Race 2* - Clio Cup Europe standings - Group B standings
*Results subject to confirmation following technical and sporting checks.

The Clio Cup Europe next heads to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza (Italy) for the penultimate round of the season. A record field is expected with the season finale for Groups A and C and the penultimate meeting for Group D.