The Boucles de Bastogne is a very unusual rally in that it is run as a regularity event but takes place on closed roads and its entry consists of many ‘full house’ special stage prepared historic rally cars often crewed by top names from rallying’s past and present. To keep the speeds with the compulsory 80 k/h (50 mph) average the cars are restricted to road going winter tyres though the surfaces include tarmac and gravel.
The 2016 event was won by Belgian driver Bernard Munster, co-driven by Hansen Andree, in a fabulous Porsche prepared by Englishman Rob Warmisham at Munster’s business near Spa.
From the start the battle was between Munster and Estonian former WRC driver Markko Martin who had the mercurial Stéphane Prévot reading the notes in a Mk 2 Escort resplendent in the famous Eaton Yale colours. Martin led from the start where the roads were mainly tarmac but when the surface changed to gravel in the second half of the event the superior traction of the Porsche reigned supreme.
Third place went to former winners Eric van der Wauwer and Julien Paisse in their unusual Lancia Beta Monte Carlo.
A regular visitor to the popular event is Citroen WRC team manager Yves Matton with Daniel Elena, more famous as Sébastien Loeb’s co-driver, guiding the way. Matton has previously appeared in a Peugeot-Citroen associated product such as a Citroen Visa Mille-Pistes but this year it was a Munster prepared Porsche that took the pair to fourth overall.
Only three British crews were entered and Yorkshireman Tim Pearcey with Belgian co-driver Louka Louis guiding the way in his Willowgreen homes sponsored Escort RS1800 took an excellent fifth place on his third attempt. The pair held an early second place but numerous spins and little offs caused much time loss and an inspired fight back. The car came home with few panels that had not had a magnetic attraction to the Belgian scenery!
A big loss of time on the fourth stage of the event put Chester based garage proprietor Paul Griffiths, a driver who has had much success on the RAC Rally, on the back foot when he dropped to 40th and it took a rally long battle to make 11th at the finish. He was another who had chosen a Belgian to guide the way, the very experienced Juha Bos.
The remaining UK driver was French resident and top car preparation expert Richard Lepley in one of Lepley’s own Porsches who had John Connor as his note man. Lots of problems left them a long way from the front though Lepley’s sideways driving kept the spectators on their toes.
Among the many other interesting cars on the event was the Citroen Visa Mille-Pistes driven by Matton previously and this year in the capable hands of current WRC driver Stephane Lefebvre and Gabin Moreau who only managed a rather inauspicious 93rd place and the rare Nissan 240RS of Gregoire de Mevius and Andre Leyh who made 17th.
