Author: Sandy Divelec

Our guest François Chatriot, Victorious Pilot of the 1989 Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally, with Didier Lefort come back to this 53rd edition : “it’s exceptional to see 170 competitors on the start line. This event always was famous !

Our Antibes Rally was long and very difficult with special stage during the night ! And today, this rally keep his pirit. For the service, it was a rally in the rally too.

To drive during the night, it was magic! It has an extraordinary charm. And from the moment when we are good, we go so fast of day as of night! I would like to see again this configuration but for safety reasons, it’s impossible now and I can understand.

Personally, in Antibes I always played to win !
Congratulations to all the organization staff and I’m anxious for the overall …

The 53rd Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally
French Rally Championship
French VHC Championship
18th – 20th May 2018

The rally can start! Everything has been made up in order to make of the 53rd Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally a Racing Event.

The entry lists of the French Championship and the Historic VHC and VHRS Rallies are a victory in themselves as over 170 teams are participating.

We shall welcome warmly the return of Giandomenico BASSO on the Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally, leader of the Tour European Rally, winner on our event in 2009, who for our most great pleasure will quarrel with numerous other pretenders at the victory.

Concerning the Rally VHC, the fight will be nonetheless very interesting as numerous specialists of the Region will be present and will try to steal the victory to French Championship leaders.

The organisation committee has built around the event numerous new actions that certainly will hold exciting moments.

This great sporting week will start on Friday 18th May from 5.30 pm on the podium at Gould Square in Juan-les-Pins will take place the presentation of the French Championship teams. All structures will start being set up from the beginning of the week in order to give the best start possible to this 2018’s edition.

Our website: www.antibes-rallye.com will enable you to find any practical or technical information (Entry list, convocation, and program) and to follow the Rally in live.

An Informations and « souvenirs »’s stand will be held next to the podium at the Gould Square in Juan-les-Pins from Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th May.

Our offices remain available for any further information by
email contact@antibes-rallye.com or telephone on +33 4 93 61 78 66

The Organisation Committee

The PODIUM of departure and arrival as well as the CLOSED PARK will be based in the SQUARE GOULD, Boulevard Baudoin, in Antibes for this 53rd edition of the Rally Antibes Côte d’Azur from 18th until 20th of May !

The best European drivers will participate in one of the most mythical French rallies that it is to score points in the French championship of the Rallies (modern) or in the French VHC championship, intended for the historic vehicles. This rally will also count for the European Tour Rally.

Without forget the VHRS championship in the  category of “regularity”.

Crews and public will find the Service Park of the 53rd Rally Antibes Côte d’Azur by the DOOR B near the “Flower market” by the boulevard of Mercantour.

The Northeast Parking will receive all the Teams, the Refueling Zone, the Manufacturers, a FFSA hospitality “information/press” and the official shop of our GT2i Partner.

Be aware and drive slowly !

The 53^rd Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally
French Rally Championship
French VHC Championship
18th – 20th May 2018

For this edition, three races will take the start of the Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally from 18^th to 20^th May in the Alpes Maritimes.

Supported by the city of Antibes, the Departmental council of the Alpes Maritimes and the Region Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur, the 3rd step of the France Championship, the Antibes VHC Rally registered at the VHC French Championship as well as the Antibes VHRS Rally will stide along the 2018 itinerary. Please note the return of the Rally at an international level with the participation to the Tour European Rally.

The organization committee will propose a very interesting and selective edition in accordance with the economical situation in order to allow as much participants as possible.

Juan-les-Pins will be in the heart of the competition, with the starts and finish podium from the “Pinède Gould” famous place of the Juan Jazz festival. The official presentation of the teams as well as the autograph’s session will take place there on Friday 18th May as well as various animations during the whole week.

The assistance park will find the enclosure of the MIN of Nice.  The Rally headquarters will be held this year at the Palais  des Congrès in Juan Les Pins will gather all the information related to the safety of the event as well as the press room. Azur Arena will welcome the technical and administrative checking before race.

CFR : This Rally will start at 08:15  Saturday morning and will finish on Sunday around  05:00 pm. 12 stages are to be run with 6 different ones with 204 kms qualifying distances. The Saturday legs take on 6 ES including the selective SS « Col de Bleine – le Mas – Aiglun » which will allow a first ranking before the Sunday and the famous « Col du Turini » whose itinerary has been completely renewed.

Please note de participation of the competitors of the «Peugeot 208 Rally Cup» as well as the Junior French Championship.  These promotion devices allow our best young pilots to pretend reaching a professional level.  

Historic (VHC): This rally will start at 01:00 pm on Saturday and finish on the Sunday around 04:25 pm with 9 stages

for 150 kms qualifying distances. This Rally will join the CFR at the assistance park, and will take departure before it.

Historic (VHRS): This Rally will take place only on Sunday. 98 Kms of regularity zones. The Saturday afternoon will be reserved to verifications, followed by a welcome cocktail. The price giving will take place during the Cocktail organized by the city of Antibes at the Azur Arena on Sunday evening.

A very short timing for a very economic event.

Engagements: The rules books will be published from 15^th March.

You will find all infos on the following websites: www.antibes-rallye.com et  www.patricksoft.fr

Or on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rallye.antibes come and join us.

We rely on you to write the following with us with the same excitement and thank you in advance.

The Organization Committee

In 2018, the Antibes Cote d’Azur Rally will once more be the 3^rd event of the French Rally Championship, and will write the 4^th event of the French Rally Championship VHC for historic cars.

This is such good news for our Association which is recognized for its professionalism though all Motor sports world.

Our will to always push optimal organization to a full quality rally in the proper respect of all security rules have influenced our Federation to confirm our position within the National Championship and we would like to thank them for this.

It is also a great news for the city of Antibes which has always been fond of the Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally, for the Alpes Maritimes department and for the Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur Region and all our partners, who are all aware of the positive impact of the media cover of our event, but also for all the pilots however they are professionals, participating to the French Rally Championship or of our Committee.

We also have the pleasure to welcome again Peugeot Sport with the 208 RallyCup, and for the first time the Junior Championship organized by the FFSA in 2017 with Ford Fiesta R2.

This promoting formula allows our most talented pilots to be brought up to the top list and reach a high motor sport level.

Once again this year, we are delighted to renew the organization of the Regularity Rally (VHRS) at the same time as the two others.

All the French Champions, all the mighty names of the French and Foreigner’s Rally World as well as our bests committee drivers have come through the Antibes Côte d’Azur Rally.

The show must go on, we are counting on you to write more best lines of our adventure…

Thanks all and best season greetings.  

The Organization Committee.

2018 CALENDAR OF FFSA FRENCH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

March 15-17 : Touquet
April 19-21 : Lyon Charbonnières
May 18-20 : Antibes Côte d’Azur
June 08-10 : Vosgien
July 06-07 : Aveyron Rouergue Occitanie
September 06-08 : Mont Blanc Morzine
September 28-30 : Cœur de France
October 26-27 : Cévennes
November 22-25 : Var