Pascal Gaban at the wheel of a Mazda 323 “Replica”. The second edition of the Rally 4 Passion is scheduled for Friday, September 12th, and Saturday, September 13th, and it promises to be an exciting event. Several participants who were impressed by the first edition have already registered, in addition to some prominent names from the rallying world. And that certainly includes Yves Loubet, Pascal Gaban and Pierre Delettre, who together highlight the diversity of the entry list in the categories ‘Original’, ‘Replica’ and ‘Historic’!
The Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival is a must-see event for rally enthusiasts and fans of historic rally cars. The festival will highlight spectacular driving and impressive slides. On September 12th and 13th, festival participants will enjoy a route designed to showcase thrilling performances. The event will kick off with two demonstration stages at Moulin de Solières Show on Friday evening, followed by more demonstration stages on Saturday: Goesnes, Havelange-Clavier, Villers-le-Bouillet, and Ben-Ahin. These names will surely evoke fond memories for many rally fans.
With less than two months until the event, new registration requests are coming in daily. Thanks to the support of dedicated enthusiasts, two notable drivers have confirmed their participation: Yves Loubet and Pascal Gaban. Both of these drivers made significant impacts in the World Rally Championship during the late 1980s and have strong ties to Belgium. Loubet will compete in the original Alfa Romeo GTV6 Gr. A car he drove at the 1986 Boucles de Spa, while Gaban will be at the wheel of a replica of a works Mazda 323 that Hannu Mikkola drove in the 1988 Rally of Portugal, the year Gaban took the Gr. N world title!
The incredible story of Loubet and the Alfa GTV6
Just mentioning the Alfa Romeo GTV6 lights up Yves Loubet’s eyes and quickens his voice: “The story of the Alfa GTV6 is incredible. When my journey with the Alfa GTV6 began in France in 1982, it started as a crazy idea with a few friends. I had already achieved some good results with the Opel Kadett, but it was the Alfa that helped me become a professional driver. My success with the GTV6 Gr. N in France, as part of a promotional cup organized by Alfa Romeo France, allowed me to enter the 1983 Monte Carlo Rally as a factory driver. I competed in a Group A version of the car, originally developed for circuit racing by a famous Belgian tuner, Luigi!”
Loubet finished 15th overall and also won in Group A, after which he enjoyed a successful streak in France for four seasons with this unique car. “In rallying, the GTV6 faced challenges early on, as certain components were not ideal. But its exceptional balance, with a 50/50 weight distribution and a V6 engine mounted behind the front wheels, made it stand out. And who called me on a blue Monday in 1986? Luigi! He suggested I drive his Alfa GTV6 Gr. A in the Boucles de Spa! Competing against powerful Group B cars on snow-covered special stages was no easy feat. However, it’s going to be a huge pleasure to drive the Alfa again at Rally 4 Passion. The car is the real deal! Additionally, I’ll be partnering with Bruno Brissart, a co-driver I’ve worked with in 1994 when he was just starting his career.”
The fact that this incredible story can continue on September 12th and 13th around Huy and Ciney is thanks to passionate enthusiasts, including Léon Plaire, the owner of the Alfa Romeo GTV6 Gr. A. “I’ve always been a devoted fan of Alfa Romeo and motorsports”, Léon admits. “In Belgium, there were only two rally versions of the GTV6 Gr. A: those driven by Gaby Goudezeune and Dany Delettre. When Yves Loubet – my idol, because he was the only one who could really put the Alfa to the test – drove Dany’s GTV6 at Spa in 1986, I promised myself that I would buy the car one day. A year later, the opportunity arose, and I went for it! I’ve long dreamed of letting Yves drive this car again, and I’m thrilled that he’ll have the opportunity at Rally 4 Passion.”
Pierre Delettre also joins the Festival
When you think of Boucles de Spa, Pierre Delettre always comes to mind. During the 1986 Boucles de Spa, Pierre was not yet in charge of the rally he would go on to organize for two decades. “I was still doing an internship with the organization led by my brother Dany, who took over after our father Alphonse passed away in 1984. He organized the 1985 and 1986 editions. Yves Loubet’s participation with the Alfa Romeo that my brother drove the previous year brings back many memories. I even had the chance to experience being a passenger in the GTV6 during a test,” recalls Pierre, who is credited with building the ‘Legend’ concept from the ground up in 2006. “I was also delighted to give Yves the opportunity to drive a replica of the Stratos during the 2011 Legend Boucles de Spa. I’m very pleased to see him in action again at Rally 4 Passion.”
Pierre Delettre will be participating in Rally 4 Passion as well, driving his Ford Escort MkI with Aurélie Van Houdenhove as his co-driver. Delettre stated: « Since I drove my first rally in 2019, I’ve been hooked. Whether competing in VHC or demonstration stages like the Montée Historique du Maquisard, I continue to have a lot of fun with my Escort—a car that I dreamed of owning even as a teenager. »
Pascal Gaban at the wheel of a Mazda 323 Gr. N
During the 1987 Boucles de Spa, the first edition organized by Pierre Delettre, the young Pascal Gaban – fresh off his title as ‘National’ Champion with Porsche – began a successful collaboration with the Mazda Rally Team Belgium. By the end of that season, he secured the Group N title in the ‘Inter’ championship, and the following year, he became the Group N World Champion with his Mazda 323 4WD. During Rally 4 Passion, Pascal Gaban will also drive a Mazda 323 4WD Gr. N, a former Lareppe car. The car was recently restored by its owner, Thierry Quaas, and Nicolas Plas’s Motorsport International team. This Mazda 323 sports the livery of Hannu Mikkola’s works car in the 1988 Rallye du Portugal. In this edition of the Portuguese World Championship round, Pascal Gaban finished eleventh overall and second in Group N. A key result in the campaign that earned him the world title at the end of the season!
« Great memories! Sometimes it’s good to look back on ‘the good old days' », Pascal says with a smile. « We owe this project to Thierry Quaas, a passionate mechanic with whom I’ve worked for a long time. Over the years, I’d found several of my old cars, but I never had the time to properly restore them. This project was a success thanks to Thierry. And because I’m still young in my 60-year-old head, this participation in Rally 4 Passion is just the first step: our goal is to also be at the start of the Monte-Carlo Historique! »
These early announced entries clearly highlight the diverse range of cars that the public and fans can expect at the Rally 4 Passion – Condroz Rally Festival on September 12th and 13th, with Yves Loubet and the Alfa GTV6 Gr. A in the « Original » category, Pascal Gaban with the Mazda 323 4WD Gr. N in the « Replica » category, and Pierre Delettre with his Ford Escort MkI in the « Historic » category.
