The first team to have opted for an R4 kit is now known!
After several months of design & development, and the recent first testing sessions, ORECA can now officially announce the name of the first team to have opted for an R4 kit. Spanish team RMC, with support from Renault Spain, is the first to confirm its choice to be part of this brand new class, meaning that in 2018 a Clio 4 R4 will enter the Spanish Rally Championship. Other squads, based in different countries, will also announce their programme in the upcoming weeks.
In early 2017, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) appointed ORECA Group as exclusive supplier of the R4 kit for the class of the same name. Over the next three years, the French company will thus be in charge of developing and selling the kit, offering contenders an opportunity to compete in a brand new class as part of national and international championships.
Several months of development have passed since this official announcement and the first shakedown happened two weeks ago with the Etios R4. Two first testing sessions were conducted with drivers Stéphane Sarrazin and Julien Maurin, big names in rallying. The R4 kit ticked all boxes and did not encounter a single issue despite the significant number of kilometres completed.
Building on this successful outcome, ORECA Store’s crew then got down to work, introducing the kit to teams and preparation companies. Spanish squad RMC was the first one to fully subscribe to the idea. With support from Renault Spain, it’s now time for Roberto Mendez’s men to move on to the manufacturing and development phases of the Clio 4 R4!
“We really wanted to be the first ones to get involved in this project” Roberto Mendez explains. “With the traditional 4-wheel drive Group N coming to an end, we’re aware that the R4 class will fill the gap between R2, R3 and R5. The R4 kit’s bound to global success, it’s going to allow drivers to enter championships on a low budget but with 4-wheel drive cars still. With the R4, all manufacturers will also have the opportunity to develop their own rallying car. I’m 100% sure that, considering the sequential gearbox, differential, brakes and suspensions chosen, the R4 class is going to be very attractive to many drivers.”
“This first official sale makes us feel very enthusiastic!” FIA R4 Kit project manager Matthieu Bassou says. “It’s interesting and encouraging to see those involved in rallying support this initiative and agree on the importance of the R4 Group. We’ve got a kit which is reliable and fits well between R3 and R5. Teams now understand that the R4 kit can allow them to position themselves as manufacturers in their own right. Thanks to RMC, we’re going to see 4-wheel drive Clio in the Spanish Rally Championship and internationally. RMC are aware of the challenges ahead of them, being the first ones to work on manufacturing this Clio R4. At the design bureau, we’re looking forward to starting working on the project and to support them in the manufacturing of this new R4 model.”
With Spanish team RMC getting involved in the R4 project, new marketing channels are opening up, particularly in South America.