The Rallye de Wallonie sits on the Belgian Rally Championship calendar as one of its established tarmac rounds, held in the Walloon region of southern Belgium. For 2024 the event drew a full field of Rally2-spec machinery, among them car No. 9 prepared by Ecurie Hesbaye for driver Cédric De Cecco and co-driver Jérôme Humblet. IXO Models has now committed that entry to die-cast metal at 1:43, a scale at which the French-Portuguese manufacturer has built its reputation over decades of rally and racing replicas.
The Citroën C3 Rally2: Rally2 Architecture in a Compact Shell
The Citroën C3 Rally2 is the direct successor to the C3 R5, developed by Citroën Racing and homologated under FIA Rally2 regulations. Its 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine produces approximately 280 bhp, channelled through permanent four-wheel drive and a sequential five-speed gearbox — the standard mechanical package mandated by Rally2 technical rules. That homologation makes the car eligible for WRC2, the European Rally Championship, and national championships across the continent, giving privateer teams a competitive and well-supported platform.
Ecurie Hesbaye and the 2024 Rallye de Wallonie
Ecurie Hesbaye is a privateer motorsport club rooted in the Hesbaye agricultural plateau of Wallonia, with a track record in Belgian and Walloon regional rally championships. The club campaigns Citroën C3 Rally2 cars with privateer crews, and at Rally Wallonien 2024 entered car No. 9 for the Belgian pairing of Cédric De Cecco and Jérôme Humblet. Both driver and co-driver are regulars on the national Belgian rally scene. The team livery carried by No. 9 reflects genuine club-level Belgian motorsport rather than a factory or semi-works programme — a distinction that makes this entry notable in its own right.
The IXO Models 1:43 Die-Cast
IXO Models is a French-Portuguese die-cast manufacturer whose rally car range, distributed widely across Europe, has long specialised in 1:43 replicas of competition machinery from WRC down to national championship level. This release reproduces the Ecurie Hesbaye No. 9 in die-cast metal, replicating the team livery as run at Rally Wallonien 2024. IXO's decision to document a Walloon club-level entry from 2024 rather than a factory WRC car is itself a point of interest: privateer Rally2 subjects at 1:43 from regional Belgian rounds appear infrequently in the manufacturer's catalogue.
In the Display Cabinet
This model pairs naturally with other IXO rally releases from the Belgian championship calendar — entries from the Ypres Rally or Spa Rally in the same scale build a coherent national series collection. Collectors focused on the Rally2 ecosystem will find the C3 Rally2 No. 9 a useful contrast alongside Hyundai i20 N Rally2 or Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 replicas competing in the same championship. For those tracing the Citroën rally lineage at 1:43, it sits alongside C3 R5 predecessors as evidence of how the privateer Rally2 class has evolved since the R5 era.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Citroën C3 Rally2?
It is the successor to the Citroën C3 R5, developed by Citroën Racing and homologated under FIA Rally2 regulations. It uses a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine producing around 280 bhp, permanent four-wheel drive, and a sequential five-speed gearbox, making it eligible for WRC2, ERC, and national championships.
Who are Cédric De Cecco and Jérôme Humblet?
Cédric De Cecco is a Belgian rally driver and Jérôme Humblet his co-driver. The pair competed together in Belgian and Walloon regional rally championships, running as car No. 9 for Team Ecurie Hesbaye at Rally Wallonien 2024.
Who is Ecurie Hesbaye?
Ecurie Hesbaye is a privateer Belgian motorsport club based in the Hesbaye region of Wallonia. It campaigns Citroën C3 Rally2 cars in national and regional Belgian rally championships.
Who manufactures this model and what material is it made from?
The model is produced by IXO Models, a French-Portuguese die-cast manufacturer specialising in 1:43 rally and racing replicas. It is made from die-cast metal.
