14.09.2004 Bernd Casier and Frederic Miclotte, driving a Fiat Punto ABARTH, have clinched the Belgian Rally Championship Super 1600 title on the Tour of FlandERS

Bernd Casier and Frederic Miclotte, driving a Fiat Punto Super 1600, clinched the Belgian Rally Championship Super 1600 title with two rounds still remaining, on the weekend's Tour of Flanders.

The pair, driving for the Belgian Fiat Punto Junior Team, have been in unstoppable mode all season, and on their way to wrapping up the category they also won a titanic battle for the Super 1600 honours, eventually beating their close rivals, the Renault Clio of Emmanuel Guigou and Phillippe Droeven, by a margin of just four seconds.

Casier and Miclotte also finished the event in a stunning second place overall, beaten only by the four wheel drive Subaru Impreza of Bernard Munster and Francis Caesemaeker. It was an excellent result bearing in mind that in many places the tarmac was extremely dirty and adhesion suffered.

The achievement is put into even greater perspective if we consider the make up of the Fiat Punto Junior Team. The team, including the mechanics, almost exclusively comprises of highly motivated youngsters who are still attending school, hence the 'Junior Team' name tag. It is a situation, unique in the rally world, where experience counts for almost everything, and makes the result all the more impressive.

The 45th Tour of Flanders, run over twenty six stages, as usual attracted a strong entry list, drawn by the prestigious nature of this long-running event. Based around the historic town of Roeselare, the 95 competitors ranged from powerful four wheel drive Subarus and Mitsubishis, to a very strong Super 1600 entry, which included a literal horde of Citroen Saxo runners. Casier and Miclotte would have their work cut out to create an impact.

The Punto Junior Team arrived at the start line bolstered by successful development testing programme undertaken on the Punto since the Ypres Rally, a schedule that had included reigning Italian Rally Champion, Paolo Andreucci, getting behind the wheel of Casier's car.

The weather men had predicted heavy rain, and Casier, believing that this would favour him in the Super 1600 battle, was looking forward to seeing slippery conditions, "We would like lots of rains. That would undoubtedly give us an advantage." However it was to stay dry and Casier was philosophical, "The rain does not come and we must make without... "

The battle between the Belgian Fiat Punto crew and Frenchman Guigou's Renault raged from start to finish, enthralling the spectators with its intensity. As the event wore on the times of this pair kept getting faster and faster, and with neither crew making a mistake, the result was eventually decided by the narrowest of margins.

The Fiat Punto 1.8 HGT of Daisy Cols and Didier Jacob enjoyed a solid run to third place in Class A7, a result that keeps them in the title race. While being unable to keep up with the pace of the Ford Focus cars of Robby Vanhees and Ferdi Perheel which took the first two places it was nevertheless a strong finish for the ever-improving young Belgian crew.

"The car is perhaps a little less powerful than in Ypres," commented Daisy, who is the sister of JWRC Renault Clio driver, Larry Cols, "But it is now suited to me much better thus. The fact we have been able to carry out some tests before this rally has been beneficial. We approached this event under optimal conditions and as a consequence we have been much more competitive."

With the pressure now off, Casier and Miclotte can enjoy the final two rounds of this year's Belgian Rally Championship, the Haspengouw and Condroz Rallies, although ominously Casier stated that he has no intention of easing off.

by Edd Ellison & Pieter Lesage

45th Tour of Flanders: Classified Overall Results: 1. Munster-Caesemaeker (Subaru Impreza GT)  + 2:35'46”, 2. Casier-Miclotte (Fiat Punto S1600)  + 3'18” (1^st Super 1600), 3. Guigou-Droeven (Renault Clio S1600)  + 3'22”, 4. Lefevere-Messelis (BMW 325i)  + 4'16", 5. Lietaer-Librecht (BMW M3)  + 6'14" (1^st R12), 6. Princen-Marteau (Renault Clio RS)  +  7'33" (1^st Gr.N), 7. Dujardin-Breyne (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6)  + 7'46", 8. Bodson-Bodson (Audi S2)  + 7'54", 9. Matterne-Vandersmissen (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoVII)  + 9'01", 10. Fowden-Hynes (Subaru Impreza)  + 9'09, 27. D. Cols-Jacob (Fiat Punto 1.8 HGT)  + 20'13" (3^rd A7)