The final of the 2024 Coupe de France des Rallyes was held in Nice and its surroundings. It was marked by unexpected twists and the memorable victory of Patrick Magnou, who triumphed in front of his home crowd.
Despite being threatened by severe weather conditions, it finally took place after days of uncertainty due to torrential rains and landslides in the Nice hinterland. The concern was palpable until the eve of the event, as explained by Rémi Tosello, president of the PACA league: “We have done everything possible to ensure the rally could take place today in the best conditions[…] I am very proud of the organizing team and I thank all the volunteers for their involvement.”
Many roads remained impassable for the 226 qualified crews. The organizers, in cooperation with the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile (FFSA), took exceptional measures to ensure that the competition could still take place.
The initially planned route had to be modified to ensure the safety of the participants. The Prologue, which was to take place at Col de Vence, was canceled. The Friday evening stages were also uncertain. But the decision was finally made: the final would take place in a single day, on Saturday, with three special stages to be run twice, reducing the competition to a sprint format. With only 80 kilometers of racing, there was no room for error, and strategic choices, particularly regarding tire selection, would play a key role for the teams.
Composure and a strategic move
Patrick Magnou and Anthony Villanova managed to stand out from the first loop. Thanks to a tire choice perfectly suited to the uncertain conditions, combining “Super Soft” and “Soft” tires, they gained a decisive lead over their competitors. They quickly built a 15-second gap over the duo Cyril Audirac and Romain Roche. The two men then handled the last three special stages with composure, despite Cyril Audirac’s attempts to catch up, as he achieved the best times in several sectors. But the gap was too significant to close. Patrick Magnou ultimately secured the victory with a 5.6-second lead.
This home success held special significance for Patrick Magnou and his co-driver Anthony Villanova. After a serious accident at the Rallye du Var last year, they overcame numerous physical and psychological hurdles to return to the top. Their triumph in this final, held in their region, symbolizes remarkable resilience after a year of rebuilding. At the parc fermé, the winner reacted emotionally: “This is truly incredible! It’s the result of work throughout the entire season and especially a team effort. My brother prepares a fantastic car for me, and winning here is a just reward. It’s huge, thank you all.”
Despite a shortened schedule, the 2024 Coupe de France des Rallyes final delivered on its promises. The next edition, in October 2025 in Normandy, is already highly anticipated, and the qualification period has already begun.
The final standings:
- Patrick Magnou / Anthony Vilanova (Citroën C3 Rally2) in 58m21s2
- Cyril Audirac / Romain Roche (Volkswagen Polo Rally2) at 5s6
- Louis Constant / Pierre Delorme (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) at 14s2
- Bruno Riberi / Valentin Salmon (Citroën C3 Rally2) at 51s5
- Anthony Puppo / Virginie Puppo (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) at 1m11s9
- Denis Millet / Matthieu Douville (Volkswagen Polo Rally2) at 1m20s5
- Ludovic Godard / Matthieu Bole-Richard (Alpine A110 RGT) at 2m51s8
- Yannick Vivens / Elodie Alle (Citroën DS3 Rally2) at 3m22s5
- Thomas Badel / Aurélie Badel (Renault Clio Williams F214) at 3m36s3
- Xavier Quinsac / Patrice Gullino (Citroën C3 Rally2) at 3m37s9.
