Venezuela's Alejandro Lombardo was delighted to finish second in the WRC 2 Production Cup at Rallye de France in his Ralliart Italy-run Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. He was pleased to find himself on the podium on his first ever WRC Tarmac round and his first event in Europe.

He was promoted into second in the category after Italy's Marco Vallario retired on SS15. A clear drive for Lombardo left him comfortable in the runner-up's spot only needing to complete the itinerary to claim the second spot on the podium two events in a row.

Lombardo11FRA13cm060The tricky itinerary of Rallye de France challenges any driver. However, for a novice, the fast asphalt roads and unpredictable conditions offer a test like no other. Rain was the order of the weekend and many competitors fell foul of the damp and muddy terrain, but Lombardo drove a steady event finding his own pace and brought his Mitsubishi home safely.

He was satisfied with his performance and can't wait for his next Tarmac test on the mixed-surface Rally de España: "The rally is fantastic. My car was really good. I enjoyed the event and found a good feeling immediately. I improved throughout the event and can't wait to compete in Spain later this month."

Ralliart Italy Team Manager Bruno De Pianto was pleased to see Lombardo on the podium after such a determined drive throughout the event: "I'm very happy with Alejandro's improvement throughout the weekend. There is still some work to do, but this was an important result for him and his confidence as we head to Spain. We hope to see our Rally Team Venezuela drivers on the Production Cup podium again there, representing both Venezuela and its Ministry of Sport."