After an incredibly competitive first season, the Alpine Elf Rally Trophy returns to the French Rally Championship in 2022.
As a true showcase for the Alpine A110 Rally on the national scene, this competition has been expanded to six rounds on the most challenging events in France.
The race to succeed Julien Saunier and Jean-Luc Roché is already underway with several protagonists from all horizons of motorsport just about to enter the trophy.
Created in the wake of the outstanding debut of the Alpine A110 Rally in France and internationally in 2020, the Alpine Elf Rally Trophy had since last year offered a framework exclusively reserved for drivers wishing to display their talents behind the wheel of the A110's rally version.
Symbolising Alpine's reaffirmed commitment to motorsport with this latest customer racing activity, the Alpine Elf Rally Trophy has been a great success for its first edition. Proof of the incredible level of competitiveness, many of the contenders for victory were also able to regularly compete for the overall podium in the FFSA French Tarmac Rally Championship and the leading positions among the two-wheel-drive cars.
On the back of this success, Alpine and Signatech Automobiles are renewing the Alpine Elf Rally Trophy while making adjustments that will enable it to consolidate its cornerstone position in France.
As a link between its proud heritage and its future, the calendar will include six rallies that have marked Alpine's history in the sport. The season will kick off with the Lyon-Charbonnières Rhône Rally, a first for the trophy, before the crews head to the stages of the Antibes Côte d'Azur Rally and the Aveyron Rouergue Occitanie Rally. After a short summer break, the Mont-Blanc Morzine Rally will precede the final two outings of the season, the Rallye Cœur de France and Rallye du Var.
To guarantee perfect fairness among the participants, Signatech will provide technical support and spare parts service for customers at all the events in the trophy via a dedicated team. Furthermore, one person will be in charge of managing and coordinating relations with competitors throughout the season.
The points scale will adapt to the expanding field by increasing from the top six to the top ten at each rally. Henceforth, the five best results will establish the final trophy classification.
Thanks to the support of Elf, Michelin and Bahco, loyal official partners of the Alpine Elf Rally Trophy, the prize system will be generous, rewarding the top five finishers in the general classification and the first Gentleman on each rally. More than €8,000 in prize money will be up for grabs at each round while Julien Saunier's successor will win €5,000 in prize money and €5,000 in parts vouchers from the Signatech Automobiles shop. The winner of the Gentlemen's Trophy will also receive a prize.
In addition, the competitors entered in the Alpine Elf Rally Trophy will also have the chance to fight for the title in the FFSA French Tarmac Two-Wheel-Drive Championship as they will receive an automatic entry in this national category.
Philippe Sinault, Signatech-Alpine Director
"We are all looking forward to the second act of the Alpine Elf Rally Trophy. It was a long wait for the inaugural campaign, but the excitement generated last season made it even longer this year. We have laid solid foundations for the future and we are delighted to see the trophy grow after an extremely successful first year. Whether they are experienced drivers, young hopefuls or gentlemen looking for new challenges, we have seen a community being created around the trophy, as is already the case on track with the Alpine Elf Europa Cup. Season two should allow us to confirm the growing enthusiasm for the Alpine brand in rallying. It is a real pleasure to feel the public's enthusiasm, and there is always a kind of communion when the A110 Rally passes through the stages. We want to thank our partners Michelin, Elf, Bahco and Roole for continuing the adventure with us, as well as the FFSA and the organisers of each event, without whom nothing would be possible. We are sure that the show will be just as spectacular, and we are already looking forward to seeing the crews on the most exciting stages in our country!"
2022 Alpine Elf Rally Trophy calendar
28-30 April - Rallye Lyon Charbonnières Rhône
19-22 May - Rallye Antibes Côte d’Azur
7-9 July - Rallye Aveyron Rouergue Occitanie
8-10 September - Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine
29 September - 1 October - Rallye Cœur de France
24-27 November - Rallye du Var
