of judgement proved very costly. The four drivers were relatively closely matched in terms of performance, proving that standards are high in the Clio R3T trophies. They were all honoured to have competed on behalf of Renault Sport." Luca Panzani (winner of the Clio R3T Italia Trophy/2nd in the WRC 3): "It has been a magical week. I still can’t quite believe that I competed at the Rallye Monte-Carlo, in a works car, and managed to finish first! Sometimes, I felt like I was going to wake up. It was a difficult race, but along with Federico, my co-driver, we tried to find the best compromise. We had a lot of support from Renault Sport and we learned about working in a works team. It has been a wonderful experience for us. I would like to thank all my supporters, as well as Renault Sport, thanks to which – through the trophy – I have been able to get to this level." Charles Martin (winner of the Clio R3T France Trophy/3rd in the WRC 3): "It was a long rally but in the end, it was a bit short for us; we just needed a few more kilometres. We didn’t have the right tyres on the first stage and the puncture lost us quite a lot of time. Despite the conditions, in keeping with some of the most iconic Rallye Monte-Carlo, we were able gradually to close the gap. But we had started too far behind to complete the job. Although I feel a little bit frustrated, I’m pleased with the performance level we showed at the end, as well as the work done with Matthieu Duval, my co-driver, and Cédric Robert, my ice crew driver. I would like to thank Renault Sport for this superb opportunity to take part in the Rallye Monte-Carlo." Surhayen Pernia (winner of the Clio R3T Iberia Trophy/4th in the WRC 3): "I would like to thank Renault Sport Racing, for everything they have done this week in order to provide us with the best possible conditions. It was an exceptional experience; finishing third among the Clio R3Ts and fourth in the WRC 3 is just rewards for last season’s
efforts." Cédric Althaus (winner of the Clio R3T Alps Trophy): "It has been a magnificent week and it was a tough rally. I’ve never experienced conditions like these at this event. I wasn’t expecting to go off on this stage; we lost grip on a dirty section, in the same place as Neuville. In terms of performance, we drove well on Friday, almost matching the times of Charles. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the guys at Renault Sport Racing, who provided us with incredible support during this rally." After the Rallye Monte-Carlo, the season continues in the coming weeks for Renault Sport Racing, with the opening rounds of this year’s Clio R3T trophies.