The young Malagasy driver Mika Rasoamaromaka has had a string of successes in the Clio Trophy, which counts for the third round of the French gravel rally championship. After his extraordinary feat at the 23rd Rallye Castine Terre d’Occitanie, at the beginning of May in Bretenoux, taking the third step of the podium, as well as first place in the junior category, Mika, in the company of Pouget Bastien on Renault Clio RS Rally 5, finished fifth overall and third among juniors at Rallye Terre d’Aleria in Haute Corse this weekend. “We were hoping for better, at least the podium in the general classification. We lost at least a minute on the last stage. Our windshield was covered in sludge after going over part of a puddle, and we had to stop for a while. My co-driver had to unfasten his seat belt and go out to wipe it off” regrets Mika. “Furthermore, we had to stop again in the fourth stage. Spectators signaled us to stop.
The car in front of us had an accident and the ambulance had to intervene because the crew was injured,” he explains. “As a result, our time was not taken into account. All the crews behind the one with the accident had to settle for a fixed time similar to the third time of the three who were in front” recounts the Madagascar Rally champion in 2021. “We only did more than manage, keep our position and ensure fifth place overall, third among juniors. We thus kept our advantage over the pursuer because catching up with those in front was too difficult,” he confided. His twin, Faniry Rasoamaromaka, ranked third among juniors and fifth overall at the 26th edition of the Rallye des Causses in early April, retired for the second consecutive time this weekend. The fourth and next round of the French championship will be the land rally of Langers in Haute Marne, from July 21 to 23. But very soon, the Rasoamaromaka brothers will compete in the Grand Rally of Madagascar, as they have already announced after the second round of the French championship.