Class win for Meeke and Citroen in France

5th September 2010

By Anthony Peacock

Reigning Intercontinental Rally Challenge champions Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle have taken class victory on Rallye Mont-Blanc, round five of the French Rally Championship.

Meeke and Nagle, who were contesting the all-asphalt event for the second time, were at the wheel of Citroen’s new DS3 R3 – which recently won its class on International Rally of Northern Ireland in the hands of Bryan Bouffier.

Meeke set nine fastest stage times to win Group R on the French event, based in the skiing resort of Morzine close to Geneva. He also finished 11th overall, making up for the disappointment of last year when he retired from the rally with a mechanical failure on his Peugeot 207 S2000.

The 31-year-old claimed the class lead during the afternoon of day one, which he maintained to the finish in sunny conditions. He also clinched the two-wheel drive category, while veteran Dany Snobeck won the event overall in a Peugeot 307 WRC, with a 1m20s advantage over Pieter Tsjoen in a Ford Focus WRC. Bouffier finished third in a 207 S2000.

The DS3 R3, which was only on its second competitive outing, is next scheduled to appear on Rallye Sanremo from September 23-25. There is currently no confirmation of who will drive the car.