Buggyra Academy France drivers claimed three of the four available victory trophies over the weekend at the challenging Charade circuit. Téo Calvet emerged victorious twice, while Raphaël Sousa took the top step once. Amassing 210 points, Téo fortified his lead in the French championship, while Raphaël continued to dominate the Juniors’ standings with 153 points, maintaining his fourth position overall. José Sousa, finishing in ninth place, earned 71 points. Buggyra Academy France also leads in the team standings.
“It was a tough weekend—rain on Saturday, sunshine on Sunday. We took first place overall, and we were also the best team,” said a satisfied Buggyra Academy France manager, Fabien Calvet.
On Saturday, fans witnessed only competitors in Buggyra Academy France colors claiming first place. The first heat even saw a one-two finish for the team. Trailing the victorious Raphaël Sousa, Téo Calvet finished in second place, 5.8 seconds behind.
“It didn’t go quite as planned. Raphaël passed me in the first corner, but he delivered an excellent performance and won the main race for 20 points for the first time this season. I encountered a minor technical issue, so it was all about making it to the finish line. Second place still gives good points. I’m thrilled to see Raphaël’s progress at Buggyra Academy France,” Téo Calvet commented.
Téo celebrated his win in the second race, leading by over two seconds ahead of Yorick Montagne driving a Renault. Raphaël Sousa finished in sixth place.
“It was like a rollercoaster. Five minutes before the start, it began to rain, so we had to alter the entire truck setup. I took advantage of a collision involving a few competitors in the first corner, managed to overtake Montagne, and maintained a comfortable lead till the end,” said the elated young French driver.
Téo kicked off the second day by winning the main race, starting from the pole position, with José Sousa finishing in fourth place. “I had an excellent pace and felt fantastic in the truck. Earning a second win in a single weekend is remarkable,” Téo enthused.
In the end, only the second handicap race of the weekend saw a winner not from Buggyra Academy France. Yorick Montagne took the win, followed by Thomas Robineau in second place, and, after receiving a penalty, Téo Calvet, who had initially crossed the finish line first. Unfortunately, Raphaël Sousa faced technical issues and did not score on Sunday.
“The last race at Charade was going well until one of my rivals braked 50 meters earlier than on the previous lap. I wasn’t prepared for that and ended up crashing into him, landing in the gravel trap. I received a 30-second penalty post-race, but it was still enough for a third-place finish. I can live with that, but I’m delighted that we won the entire Grand Prix,” Téo Calvet concluded.
The French truck championship will continue with its penultimate round at Le Mans on September 23 and 24. Much like at the Nürburgring, the Goodyear FIA ETRC will be part of the race weekend.
