A fine morning rain between Evionnaz and Vernayaz then, in the mountains, near the Tour d’Aï, then the Col de la Croix, much more serious showers: the first day of the 18th Chablais rally was complicated. For the crews, but also for the organizers, forced to neutralize the second special stage of the event, after a serious accident, the second passage scheduled for the afternoon on the same course being even canceled.
At the top of the classification after the first loop, the Neuchâtelois Jonathan Hirschi and his Valais teammate Michaël Volluz (VW Polo GTI R5) had been the most skilful in these very particular conditions: “In the rain, you had to find the right rhythm”, confided Hirschi in the afternoon, while reigning Swiss champion, Valaisan Mike Coppens (Citroën C3 Rally 2) was the big beat of the morning with his “slick” tires on the wet road: “In such a case , I only thought of one thing: to bring the car back to the service park.”
Launched with a significant delay, the second loop was only going to include two speed tests, the Col de la Croix then a second passage in the Evionnaz-Vernayaz special. Verdict: Hirschi ends this first day in the lead with 16”6 ahead of Valaisan Jonathan Michellod (Skoda Fabia) and 29”8 over last year’s winner, Sébastien Carron (also Skoda). There are eight stages on the program for the second day, Saturday.