The final Clio Cup Series weekend of 2023 began on Friday. Gabriele Torelli, determined to close the gap on David Pouget in the Clio Cup Europe title race, led the way in the collective tests, but the Italian was edged out in qualifying by Anthony Jurado, who won the pole position for 0.003s ahead of the two contenders to succeed him on the European scene.

Anthony Jurado kept his advantage from pole position, while Gabriele Torelli and David Pouget battled for second place. Behind the leading trio, Luca Franca (MC Motortecnica) spun at the exit of turn one and Jordi Palomeras took advantage to move up to fourth place. However, the order quickly changed, with Gabriele Torelli taking the lead from Anthony Jurado just before a safety car period to allow for the removal of Horn’s car (GPA Racing) from the gravel trap.

At the restart, Anthony Jurado pressured Gabriele Torelli whilst David Pouget found his mirrors full of Jordi Palomeras and his Clio Cup France title rival, Nicolas Milan (Milan Compétition). The field also came alive with an intense battle during which Pierre Bredeaux (Comte Racing Team) passed Adrian Schimpf (AST Competition) for seventh place on lap seven.

After several laps, Anthony Jurado surprised Gabriele Torelli on lap ten, but the Italian was back in the lead a few corners later. The duel continued all the way to the chequered flag, with Gabriele Torelli holding on to take his eighth win of the year, less than a quarter of a second ahead of Anthony Jurado. David Pouget completed the podium ahead of Nicolas Milan and Challengers Jordi Palomeras, Damiano Puccetti (Rangoni Corse) and Pierre Bredeaux. Starting outside the top ten, Tomas Pekar (Carpek Racing) and Cristian Ricciarini (Essecorse) finished eighth and ninth, followed by Adrian Schimpf, who was penalised five seconds for track limits. Sixteenth-placed Stephan Polderman won amongst the Racers.

With the victory, Gabriele Torelli seals third place in the Clio Cup Series general classification, behind super-winner David Pouget and runner-up Nicolas Milan. Anthony Jurado and Adrian Schimpf will battle it for fourth place in the season’s final race on Sunday.

CLIO CUP EUROPE

Gabriele Torelli also claimed his eighth Clio Cup Europe victory of the season ahead of Anthony Jurado and David Pouget. The win sees the Italian driver maintain the suspense in the title race. Pouget has a 27-point lead and will seal the deal if he finishes in the top seven tomorrow. Meanwhile, Damiano Puccetti led from start to finish to claim his first Challengers Cup victory ahead of Pierre Bredeaux and Adrian Schimpf, who clinched the category title at Imola. Lastly, Stephan Polderman scored his third Racers Cup win of the year, beating Rene Steenmetz (AST Competition) and Lionel Viguier (T2CM) to move to within ten points of Luca Franca. Sunday, all four drivers will vie for the three season-ending podium places.

CLIO CUP ESPAÑA

On home soil, Jordi Palomeras claimed his first Clio Cup España victory of the year. The Catalan won ahead of Adrian Schimpf and Alex Royo (Team VRT), who was promoted to the podium after Alejandro Schimpf (AST Competition) was penalised ten seconds for his part in an incident with Alexandre Finklestein (GPA Racing). Adrian Schimpf thus consolidates his lead at the top of the general classification and Challengers Cup and the Spaniard only has to reach the finish line tomorrow to claim both titles. Meanwhile, Jérémy Bordagaray (Milan Compétition) overcame an accident in the first collective tests session to win in the Racers Cup, where he has already secured the crown, ahead of Alejandro Romero (Team VRT) and Jean-Louis Carponcin (Teamalcar).

CLIO CUP FRANCE

Clio Cup France leader David Pouget did well to beat his rival Nicolas Milan, now relegated to 12 points with 50 at stake on Sunday. Podium finisher Alexandre Albouy (GPA Racing) strengthened his grip on third place, even though Jérémy Bordagaray, Alexandre Finkelstein and Florian Venturi (GM Sport) could still deprive him of it mathematically tomorrow. Florian Coruble (GM Sport) scored his maiden win in the Challengers Cup ahead of Florian Venturi and David Pajot (Vic’Team). Florian Venturi and Alexandre Finkelstein will then go into the final tied on points at the top of the category. Lastly, Fabien Julia (LR Performance) won in the Racers Cup ahead of Lionel Viguier (T2CM) and Jérémy Bordagaray, who sewed up the class title at the Circuit Paul Ricard meeting.

The competitors will be back in action on Sunday for the 26th and final race of the 2023 Clio Cup Series season. After qualifying at 10:25 a.m., the drivers will battle it out one last time from 2:25 p.m. in a final race live-streamed on the Renault Clio Series Facebook page and Renault Clio Series YouTube channel.

Results - Clio Cup Series - Clio Cup Europe - Clio Cup España - Clio Cup France