After Valencia last year, the Clio Cup France makes another trip to Spain, this time to Barcelona. As was the case with the previous visit of the category in 2016, the show promises to be magnificent and indecisive with just one free practice session before qualifying. The races also promise to be action-packed on this track with its two long straights, which are ideal for slipstreaming and late braking.

Thanks to an exemplary first part of the season with four wins, a fourth place and a retirement due to a mechanical problem, Dorian Guldenfels (TB2S) is the odds-on favourite for this year’s title. The Alsace native has an opportunity to take a large step towards the title on a track he knows very well after racing last year in the Clio Cup Spain !

At the time, Thibaut Bossy (TB2S) was ahead of him while David Pouget (GPA Racing) and Nicolas Milan (Milan Compétition) shared the wins. Today, these three drivers are now the chasers and they hope to rely on their experience to narrow the gap to the leader. The stakes are even higher for them as they are also entered in Clio Cup Spain, whose field will fill the Barcelona grid.

2018 Junior category winner Corentin Tierce (Tierce Racing) is another of the drivers eager to score a lot of points to cement his place in the top five in the general classification against other competitors, including Luis González (Team VRT), who is aiming to follow in his footsteps. After a so-so weekend at Lédenon, the Spaniard is keen to bounce back on home soil to pull away from his rivals, which include Antoine Prenveille (Team Prenveille).

A little bit further behind, Guillaume Savoldelli (TB2S) and Anthony Jurado (Milan Compétition), the only driver along with David Pouget and Dorian Guldenfels to win a race this year, wants to return to the podium to contain Alexandre Albouy (GPA Racing), who put in a season-best third place at Lédenon.

The new leader in the Gentleman category after his double at Lédenon, David Pajot (Vic’Team) heads to Spain looking to extend his lead but he will have to deal with the return of his main rival, Mickael Carrée (T2CM). Stéphane Auriacombe (Tierce Racing) as well as Emmanuel and Samuel Raffin (Autosport GP) will also be looking to score their first success of the year and stay in the race for the title.

In the field, the show should be as intense as usual between Clio Cup France regulars Mathieu Lannepoudenx (Milan Compétition), Lionel Viguier (TB2S), Emmanuel Alliot (Emma Compétition), Kevin Jimenez (GPA Racing) and three-time runner-up and third on five occasions in the Clio Cup Spain Jordi Palomeras (GPA Racing) !

Jordi Palomeras will be one of the nine drivers entered in both in France and Spain, but eight competitors will be entered in the Spanish category. Among them, there is 2017 champion Alex Royo (Team VRT), James Ross (Bob Ross Racing), Marc De Fulgencio (Team VRT) and Javier Cicuendez (MACISA Motorsport), who has raced in France in the past. Nico Abella (Chefo Racing) and Antonio Aguado (VSR Motorsport) will mix it up in the Junior battle while Joaquin Rodrigo (Automóvil Club de Zaragoza) and Henk van Zoest (Skualo Competición) will fight among the amateurs.

The Clio Cup France races from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will be aired on the Renault Sport YouTube channel as well as the Renault Sport Series Facebook page.

TIMETABLE

Friday July 19
12:00-13:00 : Free-practice
16:15-16:35 : Qualifying 1
19:30-20:00 : Race 1 (25 minutes + 1 lap)

Saturday July 20
10:00-10:20 : Qualifying 2
16:35-17:05 : Race 2 (25 minutes + 1 lap)

Entry list