Anthony Pelfrene will join
the FIA World Rallycross Championship for the first season of the series’ new
‘Battle of Technologies’ era in 2024, as the Frenchman bids to build upon his
startling career progression to-date.
A comparatively late starter in
the sport, Pelfrene only began racing in his thirties, initially participating
in cross-country events before making his rallycross debut in 2021, piloting a
Renault Clio to multiple race wins in the Coupe de France.
The following year, the Pontoise
native climbed to second in the Coupe de France standings, prior to stepping up
to the French Rallycross Championship’s headlining Supercar division in 2023.
Once again, it did not take him long to find his feet, triumphing in only the
second round of the season and tallying three further podiums from eight starts
to wind up third in the title table. He subsequently showcased his skills on
the ice by matching that result in the Elite category of the famous Trophée
Andros.
Pelfrene has additionally tested
his mettle on the international stage with FIA European Rallycross Championship
appearances on home soil at Lohéac in 2021 and at Montalegre last year, going
fifth-fastest in one of the heats in Portugal and advancing to the semi-final
stage in challenging and changeable weather conditions.
Having purchased a
latest-generation Peugeot 208 WRX, the 37-year-old had been planning an all-out assault on Euro RX1 in 2024, but World RX’s forthcoming ‘Battle of Technologies’ concept – which will
pit the current electric beasts head-to-head against their sustainably-fuelled
combustion counterparts – has persuaded him otherwise...
“When the chance presented itself to race in
World RX, it was impossible to turn down,” Pelfrene admitted. “It doesn’t get
better than this in rallycross – it’s the absolute pinnacle of the sport – and
the ‘Battle of Technologies’ really excites me. I think it will generate a
fantastic spectacle.
“Last year, I had the chance to compete
against Davy Jeanney, Sébastien Loeb and Yury Belevskiy in the French
Championship. They’ve all been front-runners in the world championship, so it
was good to measure myself next to them and I was very encouraged by my
relative pace. Racing against the top guys is absolutely the best way to learn
and improve. We also set some good times in Euro RX1 at Montalegre and only
just missed out on the final against a lot of drivers with much more experience
at that level.
“While I’m aware that most
of the circuits will be new to me, I’ve always tended to adapt pretty quickly –
and in any case, I’m making sure I get in plenty of practice on DiRT Rally 2.0
with my son! The Peugeot is virtually identical
to the one that Jānis Baumanis drove to second overall in each of the past two
years in the European Championship, so I have no concerns on that front, and I’m confident we will be in the mix. My goal is to reach the
final as often as I can and to fight for the podium where possible.”
Given everything Pelfrene has achieved and the
rapid progress he has made so far, it would take a brave person to bet against
him doing just that.
Portugal
Sweden
France
