Anglais Passion

Catégorie : Anglais Passion

Registration is now open!

See you in the centre of Huy on September 18th and 19th, 2026

Preparations for the third edition of Rally 4 Passion are running like clockwork! In the third weekend of September, Huy and the surrounding region will come alive with the Rally 4 Passion – Huy Rally Festival. This event offers a home to iconic rally cars on an equally iconic course, without any form of competition.

After Namur in 2024 and Ciney in 2025, it is now the city of Huy’s turn to be the epicentre of Rally 4 Passion. Even better, the event is taking over the city centre on the Meuse, which evokes pleasant memories for all rally fans. “We will indeed set up our tents on the banks of the Meuse, specifically along the famous Avenue Delchambre where the teams can set up their service zones,” says a delighted Yves Matton, the driving force behind Rally 4 Passion and, for several months now, also president of the Royal Motor Club de Huy, henceforth the organising club of the event.

“I am already looking forward to the excellent cooperation between the members of the RMCH and the small R4P team, which had already organised the first two editions of Rally 4 Passion,” continues Yves Matton. “Moreover, the merging of regional forces will be the order of the day more than ever, as we still enjoy the support of the Automobile Club de Namur for the organisation of the event.”

A more compact course

The organising committee of the Rally 4 Passion – Huy Rally Festival is always open to tips and questions from participants. They have compiled a menu for the third edition based on the experiences of the first two. “Any notion of competition or timekeeping remains absent,” continues the president of the Royal Motor Club de Huy. “On Friday, we stick to our formula with the traditional and spectacular Ben-Ahin demo run. It is mapped around the Moulin de Solières, and organised with our friends of La Cabane. On Saturday, our course will be more compact than last year. There will be shorter liaisons and three different demo runs in the Huy area. I am sure all fans and participants will be very happy with our route.”

Registration for participants for the third edition of the Rally 4 Passion – Huy Rally Festival opens on April 15th. Until June 15th, the registration fee is 790 euros, which also includes the traditional and convivial closing dinner, another typical feature of Rally 4 Passion!

Info and registration on the website rally4passion.be

3rd Rally 4 Passion – Huy Rally Festival : 18 & 19 September

Engines on, passion unleashed! The 3rd edition of Rally 4 Passion returns on 18 and 19 September 2026 – once again as an exciting non-competitive rally festival celebrating legendary cars, iconic stages, and pure motorsport spirit.

This year, the action moves to Huy, offering a compact and spectacular route packed with demonstration stages near the home of one of Belgium’s most beloved and historic rally events. Expect atmosphere, adrenaline, and unforgettable moments for fans and participants alike.

Curious to know more? Stay connected… more exciting details coming soon!

Aftermovie Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival 2025

See you on September 18th and 19th, 2026, for the 3rd edition!

Save the dates: the third Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival is set for Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19, 2026. Preparations for the event have already begun!

As soon as the second Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival wrapped up, the organising team got together to plan ahead and choose the date for the next event. “The past two years have taught us how important it is to set the date early,” says Julien Frère, who leads the project at R4P. “People who join festivals like ours often plan their year in advance. To make sure we’re ready to welcome everyone in the best conditions possible, we needed to announce the 2026 dates now.”

Choosing a date for a motorsport event is always a careful process. « There are many things to consider. For example, we look at other events that have already set their dates to make sure enough security teams and volunteers are available. We also check for local festivals in the towns and villages we visit. On top of that, we need to be sure the right infrastructure is available, and for an event like Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival, the time of year matters too, » says Yves Matton, who started the Rally 4 Passion concept.

An ideal time

The organizing team soon realized that a date similar to the one of the 2025 edition, at the end of summer or start of autumn, would work best for the third edition in 2026. « Many people are still on holiday in August. Starting October, the days get shorter and the weather is less reliable, which could mean fewer entries. A winter date is not even an option, » says Julien Frère. « We think September is the perfect time in the second half of the season. »

September is a busy month for motorsport events, both in Belgium and abroad, on circuits and rally roads. « We had to make a decision. In the end, the third weekend of September – Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th– turned out to be the best choice. We’ve already started preparing for the 2026 Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival, and we’ll share more details with participants and fans soon. We can promise there will be lots of great surprises again! » says Yves Matton with excitement.

So, see you during the third weekend of September 2026 for the third edition of the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival!

Patrick Snijers and Robert Droogmans each with a Ford Sierra Cosworth Gr.A!

Patrick Snijers and Robert Droogmans, fierce rivals throughout the 1980s and 1990s, will reunite this weekend at the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival. Both will be at the wheel of a car that defined their careers: Snijers in a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4WD Gr.A « Bastos » and Droogmans in a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 2WD Gr.A. This promises an exciting event for rally fans.

Alongside Bruno Thiry and Stéphane Prévot, Pascal Gaban, Renaud Verreydt, and Yves Loubet, the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival will welcome two additional prominent rally drivers. In partnership with Gazmot Motorsport and Auto Trends magazine, the organizers are pleased to confirm that Robert Droogmans and Patrick Snijers will each drive a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth Gr.A, a car that contributed significantly to their success in the 1990s.

« For this second edition of Rally 4 Passion, we were secretly hoping to bring together our famous Three Musketeers from the 1980s – Robert Droogmans, Patrick Snijers, and Marc Duez. These are three drivers who have shaped Belgian rallying and made rally fans dream for many years », says Yves Matton. “As part of a recent agreement with the Poland Rally Legend for the promotion of our respective festivals, we travelled to Poland, where we naturally met many rally enthusiasts. Among them was Marek Suder, the boss of Gazmot Motorsport, who let Patrick Snijers drive a ‘Bastos’ Ford Sierra Cosworth and who owns a magnificent collection of Ford rally cars. Thanks to his enthusiasm, the project gained momentum.”

Seven-time Belgian rally champion Patrick Snijers remains active, regularly competing in the BRC with a Porsche. At the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival, he will drive the same Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4WD Gr.A with ‘Bastos’ livery as in Poland. Robert Droogmans, a three-time Belgian champion and European runner-up, also drove a Porsche at last year’s event. This year, he will drive a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 2WD Gr.A, a car central to his career. A car that also boasts doubly legendary status, as the Belgian public will be able to admire an equally faithful and powerful replica of the Ford of Marian Bublewicz, a very popular figure in Poland.

Naturally, the organizers of the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival and Yves Matton are delighted with the dual presence: “Robert and Patrick, both first and foremost huge rally enthusiasts, immediately accepted the invitation. And so did Marc Duez. Despite his enthusiasm and determination, he won’t be able to drive Team Gazmot’s third car this weekend. But he promised he’ll try to be there this weekend, both to cheer on his old comrades and to greet the many fans.”

Auto Trends as a partner

This project was made possible in part by the support of Auto Trends, a partner in the entire operation. « The recent publications about Rally 4 Passion on our website, with tens of thousands of views, confirm that rallying remains very popular in Belgium. We are therefore delighted to be joining this project featuring iconic rally drivers and cars », emphasizes Olivier de Wilde, head of the magazine’s sports section. « In only its second edition, Rally 4 Passion has already managed to bring together an impressive field of participants in a region – the Condroz – that boasts a large number of rally enthusiasts. We are delighted to be able to support such an event. »

The public will have the opportunity to see the two Ford Sierra Cosworth Gr.A cars throughout the weekend on 11 demonstration stages. They will also be on display during the ceremonial start and autograph session on Friday afternoon at Place Monseu in Ciney, as well as Saturday morning, shortly after noon and in the early evening in Villers-le-Bouillet, where numerous activities are also planned.

Yves Matton in a Hyundai Accent WRC formerly driven by Loix!

Yves Matton is bringing out one of MY Gallery’s gems for the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival.

WRCs also occupy a major place in rallying history. Before the advent of the current ‘Rally1’ cars, World Rally Cars were the premier class of rallying for nearly 25 years.

Within the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival line-up, the ‘2-litre WRC’ era was already represented by Bertrand Pierrat’s Toyota Corolla WRC. A second WRC from this period will be present this weekend in Huy and Ciney.

And this WRC is not just any WRC, as it is the genuine ex-Loix Hyundai Accent WRC, with which Freddy competed in four rallies in 2002 and 2003 as part of the official Hyundai team, represented at the time by the British MSD team.

A car in perfect condition, part of the MY Gallery collection, which will be brought out for the occasion by Yves Matton, organiser of Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival.

The ex-Neuville DS3 WRC at the start with Xavier Baugnet!

An exceptional car with a rich history at the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival.

In 2012, Thierry Neuville made a name for himself in the premier class of the World Rally Championship by competing in the season in a DS3 WRC with the Citroën Junior World Rally Team. This was an opportunity for him to achieve his first impressive performances in the overall standings.

He secured his first Top 5 finish at the Rally Argentina. At the wheel of the Citroën DS3 WRC that you can admire at the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival! The real, authentic one…

A car that recently joined the MY Gallery collection and has been restored to its most iconic colours, precisely those of the 2012 Rally Argentina.

Already at the start last year in a Ford Fiesta Super2000 with which he put on a great show, Xavier Baugnet will be back this year with an even more powerful and even more fun car.

Much to the delight of fans and spectators at the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival!

The Breittmayer family out in force at Rally 4 Passion!

Peugeot 306 Maxi, Mitsubishi Lancer Gr.A and MG Metro 6R4 Gr.B: the public will be spoiled on 12 and 13 September!

As true enthusiasts of all kinds of competition cars and legendary rally cars, Olivier and Émile Breittmayer could not miss this 2nd edition of Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival.

Better still, the public attending the event will be able to discover two of the most recent acquisitions of the sumptuous Breitt Gallery: a Peugeot 306 Maxi sporting the official livery of Gilles Panizzi at the 1997 Tour de Corse and a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6 Gr.A in Marlboro colours.

« This Peugeot 306 Maxi recently belonged to Thierry Neuville, and we decided to give it what is undoubtedly its most iconic livery, that of Gilles Panizzi’s official car in the 1997 Tour de Corse (editor’s note: where the Frenchman finished on the podium behind Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz’s WRCs). I will have the pleasure of driving it on the roads of Rally 4 Passion,‘ smiles Olivier Breittmayer. ’As for Emile, he will be driving a former Aghini Mitsubishi Lancer from Ralliart Italia.« 

This Mitsubishi, often referred to as the Carisma GT, will also sport a well-known livery, the Ralliart/Marlboro of the official Mitsubishi team.
The Breittmayer family will also be bringing along a car that we love to see at Belgian events, Marc Duez’s MG Metro 6R4 Gr.B ‘Belga Team’, which has already been seen at the Spa Rally!
In short, three superb cars that are sure to delight enthusiasts!

An iconic duo returns to the rally stages…

Thiry and Prévot reunite in a Subaru Impreza Gr. A Winfield!

28 years later, history repeats itself… During the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival, Bruno Thiry and Stéphane Prévot will once again be competing side by side in a Subaru Impreza Gr. A in Winfield livery. The iconic duo will be reunited once more, during an event entirely dedicated to the passion and enjoyment of rallying.

Their last collaboration dates back to 2017. That was during the Condroz Rally, when they drove a Citroën DS3 R5 to a top-5 finish. On September 12th and 13th, Bruno Thiry will hear Stéphane Prévot’s voice in his helmet for the first time since then. « I’ve really missed that voice… When someone came up with the idea, I was immediately on board! » says Bruno with a broad smile. « Together with Stéphane, I drove the Winfield Subaru twice in 1997. A Group A-version at Ypres and the S5 WRC at the Condroz. Those are some wonderful memories. I’m as happy as a child to be driving a Subaru with Stéphane again. It’s not the 555 from back then, but it’s still a magnificent car. After all, everyone knows the owner’s talent for decoration. You can count on me to give the spectators as much enjoyment as I’ll get from driving the car! »

Stéphane Prévot is still very active—he’s already competed in almost fifteen rallies this year—and he too didn’t hesitate when the opportunity to drive with Bruno again arose. « Intuitively, my years with Bruno were the best of my career! Years with quite a few ‘firsts,’ too », he explains. « Just yesterday, I spoke with Malcolm Wilson at M-Sport, and we reminisced about all the Ford days, including, of course, that infamous 1995 Tour de Corse. Bruno is the driver who has shaped my career the most. And the context for this reunion is also very pleasant. Goesnes, Ben-Ahin, and even more so, Villers-le-Bouillet: the ‘stages’ of this Rally 4 Passion are really close to home. There may not be a Condroz Rally this year, but we’re still getting a great event with plenty of spectacle. Since there’s no timekeeping, Bruno and I can probably go all out again! » (laughs)

Enseignes Plexi

The fact that this project came to fruition is largely thanks to Julien Elleboudt and his company Enseignes Plexi. The Dinant-based company specializes in vehicle wraps, a wide range of signs, and all types of printed materials. Every year, Enseignes Plexi successfully handles hundreds of projects. It has built a more than solid reputation in the motorsport world. « Our activities extend beyond motorsport and transcend our borders, but I am and will always be a great enthusiast », says Julien. « I’m therefore very happy to be able to take this Subaru out of the garage again. The car has been through the hands of Nicolas Plas and Motorsport International, and I’m already looking forward to seeing it driven by an iconic and passionate duo. It’s not a 555 Prodrive, but a solid Group A, based on the Japanese RA-version used to homologate the rally car. It already has plenty of racing parts and is also equipped with a robust Prodrive gearbox. In short, the ideal car to have fun! »

Julien Elleboudt is a big fan of Rally 4 Passion and was also present last year. He’ll also be running his Ford Escort MkII Gr.4 on September 12th and 13th. « But I don’t know with which livery yet… I’ll find some inspiration! And of course, the show will be the most important thing! »

The start of the adventure

For Yves Matton, the founder of Rally 4 Passion, the reunion of the Thiry-Prévot duo will also be a special moment: “The 1997 Ypres Rally, when Bruno drove the Subaru Gr. A Winfield, was the true start of my professional career in rallying. I accompanied Stéphane Prévot there, and immediately afterwards, I made my debut with Future World at the Condroz Rally, where they won driving the WRC. After having already brought Bruno and Stéphane together in a Citroën at the 2017 Condroz Rally, I’m thrilled to see this happen again now as part of the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival. Everyone will have a great time. Bruno and Stéphane themselves, but certainly the spectators as well.”

Information and registration (closing date: September 5th): rally4passion.be

Pictures Willy Weyens/Rallyworld, Jonathan Godin/R4P & Enseignes Plexi/Motorsport International.

The Belga Team will be well represented at Rally 4 Passion

In the 1980s, two major cigarette sponsors fought a fierce advertising battle on the special stages of Belgian rallies. Different times, different customs…

Between Belga and Bastos, it was also something of an arms race, with factory cars entrusted to the greatest drivers of the time: Robert Droogmans, Patrick Snijers and Marc Duez, among others.

At Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival, there will be many cars sporting the Belga livery… In addition to the Porsche 911 SC RS Gr.B Replica ‘Droogmans-Joosten Belga Team 1984’ driven by Britain’s David Jennings and our compatriot Hans Calsius, we will have the pleasure of welcoming two Ford Escort MkII Gr.4 ‘Belga Team’ cars.

Already present last year in an Escort MkI Replica ‘Jochi Kleint’, Tanja Zingelmann-Hartjen will be back this year with a superb Escort MkII Replica ‘Droogmans-Joosten Belga Team 1983’.

In an identical car, we will also have the immense pleasure of welcoming Adrian Fernémont, the two-time Belgian Rally Champion, who will be partnered by the young Martin Lefevre!

In a few days’ time, a fourth car in Belga Team colours will be unveiled… And it will also be a huge treat for rally fans… Stay tuned!