March 26, 2015 – Interview with ex-Rally driver and Bassoul-Heneine – the official Renault dealer in Lebanon – co-founder Pierre Heneine during the official sponsorship announcement for the new Clio R3T rally car that will be driven by Henry Massaad in the Lebanese Rally Championship this year.
Mr Pierre Heneine, it’s a surprise to see Renault as a company and as a dealer return to support a rally team. In the old times, you yourself were present and you also supported a lot of young drivers including current champions like Roger Feghali, but then you disappeared.
Today, in 2015, you’re back in the game with a new Renault, a title sponsorship and a special launching at the Bassoul Heneine showroom. Tell us, what happened?
First of all, Renault and rallying is a long story that started in the 1950s with the Rally of Lebanon and Syria, so there’s a long history between Renault and rallying. In the 1970s, Renault won a lot of rallies, and after the civil war in the 1990s, we had foreign drivers like Alain Oreille and Jean Ragnotti, and they won rallies. After Oreille had won rallies, we founded the Renault Cup team that included several Renault Clio cars, and we also supported drivers.
You were supporting the whole rally scene in Lebanon.
That is true, we had an agreement with the ATCL in order to support drivers and increase the number of participating cars. Today, we see a lot of the Renault Clios that first started out with Roger and that are still taking part in rallies.
We pulled out when four-wheel drive cars started to dominate in rallying, and when Renault – on a global level – shifted its focus towards Formula 1, so there was no longer any support for rallying and no rally cars under development.
Henry Massaad approached us almost 2 years ago, when he was preparing for this project. And he came back this year with Raouf Menhem with a nice project.
Is it a solid project?
It’s a very solid project. First of all, he has Renault’s support, Chazel’s support and he has a new Clio R3T car that is 100 per cent factory-built. Renault is also sending out a representative to keep an eye on the car and its results.
Bassoul Heneine is, of course, willing to support such a project.
Weren’t there any other projects?
Not at all, not at all.
Weren’t you approached at all?
We were approached, but they never had a solid project.
Three years ago, we decided to support Abdo Feghali in the MINI RRC, and when someone approaches us with a solid project and a potential for good results, we are willing to give our support.
We like motorsport and we realize that it is good for the brand’s image, and we are here to lend our support to whoever has a solid project and a possibility for good results.
We’ve been witnessing a return for Renault to the Lebanese motorsport scene since 2010. There’s the Clio R3 Maxi, Clio R3 Access and today, we’re seeing the new Clio R3T with Henry.
Ghassan Khoury, Robert Aaraj and others previously drove Renault Clios, and we find it odd that none of them has approached you with a solid project, despite them spending a lot of money. The public is wondering why Bassoul Heneine decided to support Henry when they could’ve supported others?
Because nobody has approached us with a full season package. They approached us for one rally. Nobody proposed a full-year project like Henry has. Henry brought a factory-built Renault Clio R3T from Chazel Technologie Course, so there’s a team, and he will be taking part in all four rounds of the championship, so it’s not a one-time shot, it’s a long-term project.
Whether we’ll renew our sponsorship next year or not, we’re going to have to wait for the results this season, but we have a project with Renault, with Chazel and with Henry. You need a team, a driver and a car in order to accomplish good results. The car is there, the driver is there and the team is there.
Henry put on a good performance in Rally of Lebanon last year. He had a problem that forced him to retire, but it happens. Do you think he can carry the same momentum into the new season or will he need time to adapt to the new car?
I think Henry can start off strong. He participated in a rally in France and grew accustomed to the new car.
We want Henry to win the front-wheel drive class championship title and accomplish good results. I don’t know whether he can win Rally of Lebanon or not, we’re not asking him to win it. Henry has the potential to be in the top 3 in at least one of the championship rounds.
We heard that your service team would be present as a service team with Henry during championship rounds. Is this true?
There is the Chazel team, which was brought in by Raouf Menhem’s team from France.
All of the mechanics are part of Chazel?
No, Jihad Mrad’s technician will also be part of the team, and we’re lending our support but we’re not providing our own technician, we have no representatives from Bassoul Heneine. We will provide spare parts and an assistance vehicle, but there are no personnel from Bassoul Heneine.
Don’t you think it would be good experience-wise for your team to be part of the sport?
I think rallies today have become very professional and require a dedicated group of people, you don’t want people who waste your time, you want a team of professionals, and I think that the teams provided by Raouf Menhem, Jihad Mrad and Chazel will give great support.
We’re reading some positive body language; you look very optimistic about the combination.
You’ll give us your opinion once you see the car. I think they will produce good results.
Let’s move on to the marketing viewpoint. Bassoul Heneine is a title sponsor on the new black and yellow car, so it’s good for your image. How much of an impact will it have in terms of public awareness and how much will it affect the Clio in terms of sales?
We want to change Renault’s image. Today, we’re witnessing an increase in the number of Clios in the Lebanese market; the young generation is loving the new car – it’s a great car.
Renault has to have a younger image, and with the new Clio, we’re attracting new clients that are 18 years old and above. Renault’s image today is not the one that we want, so we need a younger image and rallying should help us portray that image.
Of course, our aim is not to sell more cars; our aim is to enhance our image and highlight our Renault Sport brand. We have the Clio RS and Megane RS, and there’s one important feature on the new Clio RS, which is the dual-clutch transmission (DCT) that wasn’t on offer in previous generations. Customers who bought the Megane RS were very satisfied with the car but they complained about the lack of a DCT. Now, the Clio RS offers a DCT, so you can drive it on a daily basis and have a lot of fun with the added performance.
We usually visit Bassoul Heneine in non-sports-related events. Today, we’re seeing new faces: sports journalists. How positive is that?
Don’t forget that, today, Renault has plenty of victories in Formula 1 and the world of rallying. Renault is prominent globally and locally in motorsport.
There’s the Renault Clio and Megane, but let’s not forget Alpine – which has been officially confirmed. Alpine Renault will be introduced in Lebanon at the end of 2016. The young people in Lebanon don’t know what Alpine is, but it will make a strong debut worldwide and hopefully in Lebanon as well. Alpine and Renault are the same brand, but Alpine will be the top Renault Sport car.
Your optimism reminds us of the days when you were a champion and you had your own legacy. You’re undertaking this project with a lot of nostalgia.
I love sports, I have been in rallying and I have been in karting, and I love all things sports. I like to support drivers and I would like to see a new generation in the sport; we’re still seeing the same names, and I salute drivers like Abdo, Roger, Henry and all of the drivers who have been here for years, but I would like to see a new generation of drivers.
The ATCL needs to come up with something in order to support new drivers; they need to find ways to help new drivers. The main issue with rallying nowadays is the cost.
Definitely, the cost today is higher.
Indeed, the cost is much higher. There are plenty of good drivers that do not have the budget to take part in rallies. I realize that, today, rallying is back on TV after a long absence. They need to find a sponsor and come up with a new formula that is similar to the one we’re currently seeing in France, the Renault Twingo Cup, which is an inexpensive formula.
R3 and R2 cars are cheaper than the ones we’re seeing.
Yes, but R3 and R2 cars are still expensive.
R2 cars are not that expensive; drivers can start on an R2.
We need a new system that would allow cars with 120 or 130 horsepower, and then there needs to be a cup for those cars, so a driver with a limited budget can deliver good results in this case.
We came up with the Renault Cup in order to support the drivers.
And the Renault Cup yielded several champions, including Roger Feghali.
Roger won the Lebanese Rally Championship in a Renault Clio and on a limited budget.
And Roger was one of the newcomers back then, so you want to promote the same model today, which would help someone with potential to snatch the opportunity.
That is true. The budget for four-wheel drive cars and WRC cars is very very expensive nowadays.
Will you attend the 31st Spring Rally this Saturday or will you spend the day in your office? Now that’s a tricky question for you…
Had you had asked me that question a couple of weeks ago, I would’ve probably said that I would be in my office! But now, I feel excited amidst the Spring Rally ambience, and I think that you will see me at the start of the rally, and I will be following the event.
I was just asking Henry where the special stages are taking place, and where is the best place to go to. I think that they’re testing the car on Wednesday, and I will be there.
We wish you good luck. We hope that your involvement is positive and beneficial for you and for all the people. We are happy to see you back.
We as Renault are supporting Henry, but other car companies should be involved. I remember back in 1986 and 1987, during the civil war, we used to have 70, 80 or 100 cars on the start. I would like to see 100 cars on the start nowadays.
We’d be happy with 50 cars!
I think 50 are enough in Lebanon! Thank you!
Thank you and good luck.