Cherain delivers first Belgian Rally Championship for Hyundai Motorsport customers
Cédric Cherain claimed his first Belgian Rally Championship title, a first for Hyundai Motorsport customers in the series, after finishing second at the season-ending Spa Rally.
Though the BMA-run driver was unable to repeat his victory on the rally from 2023, when he finished as runner-up in the championship, second place allowed Cherain to leapfrog from third in the points before the event, as his rivals were unable to match his pace. Cherain and co-driver Damien Withers made a near-perfect start to the event, winning three of the four stages on the opening loop to establish a lead they would hold until the first running of Sunday morning.
Though they dropped to second, the position – as well as second on the final Power Stage of the season – was enough to clinch the title. A poor finish – just 10th overall – earlier in the year had handicapped the BMA-run crew in the points’ standings throughout the season. However, by scoring podium finishes in all the other rounds Cherain and Withers remained in championship contention. Their chances were boosted by a second win of the season in September’s Omloop van Vlaanderen, but it was not until the points from the season finale replaced their previous lowest score that they could retake the championship lead they previously held after winning the first event of the year.
Cherain and Withers’ sixth podium of the seven-round campaign completed a season where at least one i20 N Rally2 crew finished on the podium at every event, as Bastien Rouard and Félicien Poncelet were third at the Sezoensrally. Past national champion Stéphane Lefebvre provided a third win of the season for i20 N Rally2 crews when he dominated the Ypres Rally on his competitive debut with the car, winning by 40 seconds with Cherain taking third on the famous event.
Cédric Cherain said:
“We were leading on Saturday evening, at the end of a long and difficult stage during which we clearly attacked. On Sunday morning, after losing a little time, we still had to secure second place. Mission accomplished! Beyond this final round, it was throughout the season that the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 made the difference. Not only was its reliability never in doubt, but the performance was there, on all types of terrain, as demonstrated by the number of wins. The chassis of this car is really remarkable, which enabled us to be competitive everywhere. The BMA team did an impeccable job, bringing the sporting year to a close on a high note and giving us everything we needed to win the title in a hard-fought battle!”
Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Benoit Nogier said:
“2024 has been another incredibly competitive season in the Belgian Rally Championship but the i20 N Rally2 crews have been very strong all year. Even though they won twice during the season, it was their consistency that kept Cédric Cherain and Damien Withers in title contention until the final round, and their second place at the Spa Rally was the final part of the puzzle they needed to win a first Belgian Rally Championship for them and Hyundai Motorsport customers. After finishing as runner-up last year, it’s great to have them go one better this year, and a fine reward for the BMA team who have been excellent representatives of both the i20 R5 and i20 N Rally2 in Belgium.”
