Clio Trophy: an accessible and competitive rally promotion series

After presenting the Clio 5 in the French FFSA Junior Rallycross Championship and in the Clio Cup Series on circuit in our previous articles, let’s now take a look at its use in rallying. The Clio Trophy is a one-make rally trophy organized in several countries, where all crews use the same car: the Renault Clio Rally5. Launched in 2020, this concept quickly won over many drivers – both amateurs and young talents – thanks to its controlled costs and professional support 👍

In France, the Clio Trophy has even been split into two distinct versions: one on asphalt and the other on gravel, each integrated into the corresponding FFSA national championship. Other Clio Trophy championships have emerged in Belgium (until 2024), Switzerland, Spain (where a gravel series was added in 2023 alongside the asphalt cup) and Italy. More recently, similar formulas have been developed in Germany (Clio Trophy DE) and the Netherlands (Motul Clio Rally Trophy, promoted by Heuvel-Motorsport). There is also a Clio Trophy in Portugal, while other formats have existed in the past, notably in Turkey and in some other countries where Renault is present 🌍

In all cases, the principle remains the same: to provide a fair framework for all competitors (same car, mandatory Michelin tires, etc.) and a training ground towards higher rally categories. The philosophy is to guarantee absolute technical parity between participants, with first-class technical support, while keeping reasonable costs (for example, a limited tire quota per event – 8 in France).

Beyond these official cups, the Renault Clio Rally5 has established itself as a true international commercial success. Present across the globe, it racks up victories wherever it competes and frequently dominates the RC5 category in many national and international rallies. The Clio Rally5 has thus become the best-seller of Renault’s competition range 🏆

Clio Rally5: a small car playing in the big league

The single-make car of the trophy is the Renault Clio Rally5, a customer racing version of the fifth-generation Clio, developed by Alpine Racing (formerly Renault Sport). Homologated in the FIA Rally5 category (two-wheel drive cars ~180 hp), it features a 1.3 L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine producing 180 hp and 300 Nm of torque, a 5-speed Sadev sequential gearbox, and a reinforced chassis derived from the production Clio R.S. Line 😋

Launched early 2020, the Clio Rally5 immediately became a commercial success. Its base price at launch – around €42,000 excluding VAT (about €50,000 including VAT) ready to race – and its reasonable running costs made it the perfect car for young beginner drivers or promising talents. According to drivers, it impresses with its balance and ease of handling. Its efficient chassis quickly inspires confidence, while the Sadev sequential gearbox and the hydraulic handbrake are among the most appreciated features in race conditions. These strengths made the Clio Rally5 a best-seller from the start 💪

🔗 Click here to discover the official Clio Rally5 brochure

ℹ️ Since then, like many things in recent years, its price has increased: the asphalt version is now listed at €49,900 excluding VAT and the gravel version at €52,900 excluding VAT (options not included). In addition, the Clio Rally5 has benefited from a facelift aligned with the production Clio V: since the end of January 2024, all new Clio Rally5s are delivered in Phase 2 (facelifted version), which is now mandatory to take part in the one-make trophy.

The Clio Rally5 thus took over from the Clio R3T in the Renault trophies starting in 2020. The final seasons of the Clio R3T Trophy France crowned Florian Bernardi (2018) and Boris Carminati (2019), before the new Rally5 appeared in 2020 as the “zero car” at the Monte Carlo Rally. Today, the Clio Rally5 shines on all surfaces (specific asphalt or gravel setups) and is praised by hundreds of crews.

This new Clio Rally5 has already been exported worldwide, and Renault announced in early 2024 that more than 400 units of the Clio Rally5 had been sold. It is safe to assume that more than a year later, this number has increased significantly 📈

Alpine Racing doesn’t just supply the cars. The organization also provides comprehensive support: spare parts truck at every rally, hospitality, technical assistance, and a service park kit. Added to this is a strong promotional commitment, with regular exposure in the press and media, further boosting the appeal of the trophy 👌

ℹ️ Since early 2025, Renault has also been offering a kit to build a Rally6, still based on the Clio V. More information in this dedicated article: Clio, Corsa, Ypsilon... Rally6 welcomes new cars.

🎥 Onboard footage in a Clio Rally5 with Yoan Corberand and Amélie Pierron 🤯

Record grids with more than 50 entries

France is the country where the Clio Trophy has gained the most traction. From its very first season in 2020, the Clio Trophy France (asphalt version) attracted more than 40 crews, a remarkable figure for a brand-new trophy despite the unusual context of 2020. The phenomenon grew further afterwards: in 2022, as many as 51 Clio Rally5 cars entered the same rally (record set at Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine 2022), and the 2024 season gathered a total of 94 different crews across both the asphalt and gravel rounds 😲

The French trophy is divided into two distinct championships: one held on five asphalt rallies from the French Championship (Charbonnières, Rouergue, Mont-Blanc, Cœur de France and Var in 2025) and the other on five gravel rallies from the national calendar (Terre des Causses, Aléria, Lozère, Cardabelles, Vaucluse).

Each trophy crowns its own champion, as well as the best Juniors (under 28), Gentlemen (senior drivers), Women, Teams, and dealers (Renault Network Challenge) of the season. To spice things up, the finals of each trophy benefit from a 1.5 coefficient (multiplied points) to keep the suspense alive until the very end. In 2025, a new feature called Clio Full Challenge was even introduced: a combined asphalt+gravel ranking to reward the most versatile driver competing on both surfaces 👏

This French enthusiasm can be explained by the competitiveness and friendly atmosphere of the trophy. The races are fiercely contested, mixing young hopes of French rallying with seasoned amateurs eager to compete in a one-make series. The format has also attracted some foreign drivers who don’t hesitate to challenge themselves on the famously demanding French roads.

Proof of the quality of the field, several winners of the Clio Trophy France have managed to move up despite budgetary difficulties. Drivers like Anthony Fotia, Thomas Chauffray or Romain Di-Fante continued their careers with notable appearances in Rally2. Benjamin Stirling, 2023 champion on asphalt, moved to the Stellantis Cup with the 208 Rally4, while Arthur Pelamourgues, crowned in 2024, currently holds 2nd place in the overall WRC-3 standings 💪

Attractive prizes and real opportunities

If the Clio Trophy attracts so many participants, it’s also because the prizes and rewards are particularly generous for an amateur series. In France, the reward system – combining cash prizes and credits for Renault Sport parts – represents more than €250,000 over a full season (both asphalt and gravel championships combined) 🤑

At each rally, the best-ranked crews receive prizes according to their position and category. There is also a starting bonus (one Michelin tire offered to each registered crew) as well as a loyalty bonus for those who contest all the rounds of the trophy. At the end of the season, beyond immediate financial rewards, it is mainly the official drives at stake that motivate competitors: the best Junior on asphalt and the best Junior on gravel each win an official program in 2026, including several rallies at the wheel of a Renault Clio Rally3 (see photo below) within the champion team structure 😍

In Belgium, the Clio Trophy existed until 2024 and offered a particularly attractive prize fund: more than €7,000 per round — for example €2,200 for the winner, €1,500 for second place, €1,000 for third — along with vouchers for parts awarded to the top three Juniors (€600, €400 and €200). The top Junior in 2024 even earned a free entry to the 2025 Rallye Monte-Carlo in a Clio Rally3, a prestigious reward allowing him to showcase his talent on the international stage. However, the trophy was not renewed in 2025.

In Spain, to revive the format, Renault announced that the winner of the Clio Trophy Spain Asfalto 2025 would directly join the official Alpine Recalvi team in the Spanish Rally Championship. This is a strong signal of the brand’s commitment to promoting its local talents by creating pathways to the highest level.

ℹ️ In France, the rules prohibit the overall winner of a Clio Trophy (asphalt or gravel) from coming back to defend their title the following season, in order to encourage progression to Rally4 or Rally3. In Belgium, when it existed, the rule was even stricter: the promoter could refuse entry to any driver who had already won a Clio Trophy — whether in France, Spain, or Italy — or had already made a name at national level. In both cases, the goal remained clear: prevent “veterans” from blocking young drivers and preserve the developmental spirit of the Renault trophies. 👍

Some trophies also encouraged diversity. In Belgium, until 2024, registration was free for 100% female crews. In France, the rule remains in place: female drivers still benefit from a free entry to encourage more women to take up competition ♀️

A tough budget to balance for participants

Despite the prizes and rewards, participants must deal with a significant budget. The rewards never cover the full cost of a season.

First, there’s the price of the car: a new Clio Rally5 costs around €50,000 excluding VAT ready to race, often with a few essential options added, such as a light pod, a setup kit or a complete onboard kit. On the used market, prices range between €40,000 and €50,000 excluding VAT, depending on condition and, above all, the spare parts supplied (asphalt and gravel kits, spare parts, etc.).

➡️ See all the rally cars (Renault) listings on GoToTheGrid 😋

On top of that come the participation costs for each event: entry fees, servicing, fuel, tires… all of which weigh heavily on the overall budget. For those who do not wish to invest in their own car, the most common solution remains turnkey rental from a specialized team. Observed rates range from €3,500 for a regional rally, to €5,500 for a national, and between €8,000 and €10,000 excluding VAT for a Clio Trophy round in the French Championship. A specific insurance is also required, at least €3,000 per rally, with a deductible that can reach several thousand euros in case of damage.

ℹ️ On GoToTheGrid, teams such as PIT STOP RALLY TEAM, RSV Racing, SAILLATLOC, A2S Compétition, LEZEAU Compétition, RALLYE COMPETITION 24, VT Cars Compétition or GBSport Racing offer Rally5 cars for rent.

Also read: "How much does it cost to hire a rally car ?"

Some teams offer solutions to reduce tire costs, for example by providing used sets or buying back unused new tires at the end of an event. Despite these tricks, a full season of five rallies remains a major investment: often between €40,000 and €50,000 excluding VAT at minimum, not counting possible testing sessions.

This is why most young drivers must secure sponsors and partners to finance their program. Many testify to the difficulty of raising the budget, but all agree that the effort is worth it: the Clio Trophy is now an almost essential step to get noticed and hope to climb the rallying ladder.

🏆 Clio Trophy winners by country (2020-2024)

Here are the main winners of the Renault Clio Rally5 trophies in each country since their launch in 2020:

📍 Clio Trophy France Asphalt

Year	Champion	Best Junior
2020	Anthony Fotia	Anthony Fotia
2021	Romain Di-Fante	Romain Di-Fante
2022	Thomas Chauffray	Tom Pieri
2023	Benjamin Stirling	Benjamin Stirling
2024	Arthur Pelamourgues	Arthur Pelamourgues

📍 Clio Trophy France Gravel

Year	Champion	Best Junior
2021	Quentin Ribaud	Quentin Ribaud
2022	Florian Bouchonneau	Florian Bouchonneau
2023	Jean-Sébastien Vigion	Mattéo Chatillon
2024	Benjamin Boulenc	Tom Pellerey

📍 Clio Trophy Belgium (until 2024)

Year	Champion	Best Junior
2021	Gilles Pyck	Gilles Pyck
2022	Benoît Verlinde	Benoît Verlinde
2023	Lander Depotter	Lander Depotter
2024	Nard Ippen	Leny Cols

📍 Clio Trophy Switzerland (until 2022)

Year	Champion
2021	Jérémie Toedtli
2022	Guillaume Girolamo

📍 Clio Trophy Spain

Year	Champion
2020	Jorge Cagiao Suárez
2021	Jorge Cagiao Suárez
2022	Miguel García
2023	Carlos Rodríguez (Asphalt) / Ramón Cornet (Gravel)
2024	Juan Carlos Fernández (Asphalt) / Aritz Iriondo (Gravel)

📍 Clio Trophy Italy (until 2023)

Year	Champion
2021	Davide Nicelli
2022	Giovanni Marco Lanzalaco
2023	Edoardo De Antoni

📍 Clio Trophy Portugal

Year	Champion
2024	Danny Carreira

In France, the record also includes the winners of the Junior standings, sometimes different from the overall winner. For example, in 2022 Thomas Chauffray won the Trophy France Asphalt while the Junior title went to Tom Pieri, and on gravel Jean-Sébastien Vigion won in 2023 with Mattéo Chatillon crowned best Junior.

Clio Trophy: a springboard true to Renault’s spirit

As we can see, the Renault Clio Trophy series now holds an essential place in the rally landscape. These affordable customer championships have revived the category of small two-wheel drive cars and revealed many talents — some of whom became national champions. While the format no longer exists in Belgium, it is still thriving in France, Spain and other countries, where it continues to play its role as a springboard. Decades go by, but the spirit of the Renault cups remains: from the R8 Gordini to today’s Clio Rally5, racing accessible to all remains at the heart of the brand’s DNA 🤩

Want to know more? Visit the official Clio Rally website 😉