Ardenne Rally Festival Holiday Atmosphere in Alle-sur-Semois!

The Ardenne Rally Festival has become a wonderful tradition for fans of demonstration runs featuring the historic and iconic rally cars that helped write the sport’s rich history. For the 2026 edition, organiser DG Sport moved the event headquarters to Alle-sur-Semois, and after two action-packed days, there were smiling faces everywhere!

“It really felt like a holiday,” said Florian Jupsin on behalf of DG Sport. “The weather in the Semois region remained beautifully summery throughout the weekend. On Saturday, temperatures even approached 30 degrees Celsius, giving the Ardenne Rally Festival an even more relaxed atmosphere. Everyone was in great spirits and thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle. Once again, it was a true pleasure to see such a diverse range of rally cars in action. It highlighted not only the importance of every era in rally history, but also just how much the sport has evolved over the years. None of this would have been possible without our loyal participants, particularly those who travelled from abroad, and all the DG Sport teams, who once again paid attention to every detail. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone involved!”

Some spectators prefer the oldest rally cars from the 1960s and 1970s, while younger fans are often more impressed by the machines of the 1990s and 2000s. That helps explain the popularity of cars such as the ex-Ott Tänak Ford Fiesta R5 of Italians Maurizio Stazia and Claudio Cappio, as well as the Skoda Fabia R5 of Sylvain Cunin and Sylvain Jaminet.

As in previous editions, Dutch duo Gerard and Mike Stacey provided plenty of spectacle with their Ford Escort Mk2 in its iconic “Vatanen-Richards” livery. Their car was a crowd favourite throughout the weekend, just like the almost constant appearances of the various Audi models that have carried the Quattro name and legacy through the decades.

Another cherished Ardenne Rally Festival tradition is the presentation of trophies following the demonstration runs. The Fans Award went to Dion Walet and Mark van ’t Loo, who delighted spectators with their DAF 66 Marathon while proving that even one of the oldest cars in the field — the little Dutch pocket rocket dates back to 1973 — can still deliver plenty of excitement.

The jury was particularly impressed by the commitment shown by Emile Breittmayer and Stéphane Prévot behind the wheel of the exceptional Lancia Delta S4 Group B, formerly driven by Markku Alén. The legendary rally car remained intact throughout the weekend, much to the delight of the crew. It was easy to imagine the smiles on the faces of both driver and co-driver, for whom the Group B era undoubtedly represents a dream chapter in rally history.

The Spectacle Award is always one of the most difficult prizes to decide, as a drift or two is hardly enough to stand out at the Ardenne Rally Festival. To ensure some variety among the winners, Julien Elleboudt and Julien Delleuse were honoured on Saturday evening for the complete oeuvre of a duo that ‘carefully provided the artistic touch in the final demorun’: their BMW M3, whose colours evoked memories of the exploits of Grégoire de Mévius and Willy Lux with the legendary Bavarian machine, hardly stopped spinning. Congratulations to them both!

And so the curtain fell on the 2026 Ardenne Rally Festival, once again ending on a highly positive note. All the more so when one considers that the most important ingredients remain the enjoyment of participants and spectators alike, all set against the backdrop of a truly enchanting region.

Here's to the next edition!