Two official Renault Clio Rally3s will contest the Rallye Monte-Carlo to kick off the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship season. 2024 WRC3 runners-up Matteo Chatillon and Maxence Cornuau have lofty ambitions while Lény Cols and Pascal Lopes will make their debut on this motorsport landmark thanks to their outstanding performances in Clio Trophy Belgium. Both crews will sport their respective flag colours.
With Clio Rally5, Clio Rally4 and Clio Rally3, competitors can climb the ladder of the FIA rally pyramid, from their first runs to their four-wheel drive debut. Building on their long-standing commitment to promoting talent, Renault and Alpine Racing offer an official drive for the most promising hopefuls from the Clio Rally5 trophies to accelerate their rise to the top. Making full use of this opportunity, Matteo Chatillon, the top Junior in the Clio Trophy France Terre in 2023, caused a sensation on the international scene last year.
Increased support for Matteo Chatillon
After a meteoric rise in the Clio Rally5 trophies in France, the 23-year-old confirmed his talent in his first full campaign with Clio Rally3. Competing for victory in the RC3 class on the Rallye Monte-Carlo before taking the overall win on the Rallye de la Vienne, Matteo Chatillon came close to the top with WRC3 podium finishes in Croatia and Portugal.
Despite a spectacular accident in Finland, the Frenchman co-driven by Maxence Cornuau made a strong comeback with his first success on the international scene on the Central European Rally. Back in WRC3 this year, he will race with the 3P Racing by ARL Sport team while benefiting from official Alpine Racing backing and increased technical support from the customer racing department. The crew is expected to continue its programme in Sweden, Kenya, the Canary Islands, Portugal, Estonia and Finland.
Matteo Chatillon: “At the start of 2024, we gave ourselves two years to reach the top step on the world stage: one to learn, one to win. I was happy with our first season because we couldn’t have imagined finishing second in the championship without any experience at this level. These results have opened up many opportunities for us, and I’d like to thank Renault and Alpine Racing for their confidence in including me in their official programme. It’s the culmination of many years of hard work, and I’m proud to represent a brand so dear to me. We can’t wait to bring them success on the international scene. With what we’ve learnt over the last year, we have just one goal: to win the WRC3 title!”
Lény Cols to represent Belgium
Since his first rally in 2023, Lény Cols has enjoyed a phenomenal rise to second place in Clio Trophy Belgium, a top Junior finish and an RC5 title on the national scene with Clio Rally5. On the strength of this successful season, the 21-year-old Belgian will also be in action in the Rallye Monte-Carlo in an official capacity with Clio Rally3. Grandson of ‘Didi’ and son of Larry, two Belgian Rally Championship legends, Lény continues to make a name for himself and will have the opportunity to experience four-wheel drive. Co-driven by Pascal Lopes, the Verviers native will face the biggest challenge of his young career, benefiting from the wealth of experience of the Chazel Technologie Course team, which finished on the WRC3 podium at last year’s Rallye Monte-Carlo.
Lény Cols: “It’s wonderful to contest the Rallye Monte-Carlo with Clio Rally3. With only three starts before my first Clio Rally5 campaign, I didn’t think I could finish as the top Junior in Clio Trophy Belgium, but now I’m about to compete in one of the most challenging events in our sport. Consistency often pays for a result at Monte-Carlo, and I will focus on my race and my progress with Pascal, an excellent co-driver due to his hard work, commitment and experience. Even though the roads have changed significantly since his last Monte-Carlo with the Clio S1600 in 2004, my father will be my gravel crew with his former co-driver, Filip Goddé. There will be many new things as I’ll also be working with Chazel Technologie Course for the first time, an excellent team with whom the initial contacts have been excellent. It’s a fantastic opportunity, and I’d like to thank Renault for it!”
Alongside the two official Clio Rally3s, other talented crews will be in the service park with five other Clio Rally3s and six Clio Rally5s. Based in Gap, the 2025 edition promises to be one of the most challenging in recent history. After the shakedown on Wednesday 22 January and the start ceremony the following day, the hostilities will begin with three night stages. The Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence will host the bulk of the action on Friday before the longest leg on the route on Saturday. On Sunday, competitors will take on three timed sectors between Gap and Monaco before the finish at the Place du Casino.
The best juniors in the Clio Trophy France Asphalte and Clio Trophy France Terre, Arthur Pelamourgues – entered as a privateer in the Rallye Monte-Carlo – and Tom Pellerey will also have an official Alpine Racing programme with Clio Rally3. Like their counterparts, they will receive support from Alpine Racing and its partners on each rally to facilitate their transition to four-wheel drive. Their calendar with Fun Meca Sport, the title-winning team on both surfaces in France, will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
