Jean-Paul Cottret: “My life revolved around the Dakar, before it existed”

Machine covered with stickers, harness, GPS system inside and even a snorkel on the windshield; Wouldn’t it be a Dakar competition 4x4?

Pas tout à fait. Il s’agit d’un Toyota modifié pour le tout-terrain que nous réservent Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) sur le Dakar, et Organisation David Castera (ODC) sur d’autres épreuves comme le Rally from Morocco or Andalusia. I use it for stage openings with my friend Thierry Magnaldi (ex-biker, 2nd in 1999. Editor’s note), who is behind the wheel. I stay in the right seat, we won't see each other again.

Where does this passion for rally raid come from?

I have always loved motorsport. It even followed me to school, because the husband of the teacher in my village (Beaumont. Editor's note) of 500 inhabitants drove a Matra Djet and Renault 12 Gordini. In fourth grade, I chose to write an essay about this car. At home I read Exhaust. Then, at the end of 1975, a Parisian came to us. This is Maurice Sartiaux, then trainer notably for the Star Racing Team in Simca. He built a workshop on a farm to prepare cars. It was improbable, I was captivated. After classes, I went to see him and on weekends, I accompanied him on the circuits. He received one of the first Volkswagen Golf GTIs in France, I was amazed to see it. Then, in 1979, Maurice Sartiaux closed the workshop to become Jacques Laffite's chief mechanic at Ligier in F1.

Where is the rally raid in all this?

Maurice Sartiaux practiced trials. His friends were called Thierry Sabine (founder of the Paris-Dakar in 1978. Editor’s note) and Hubert Auriol (motorcycle and car winner of the Paris-Dakar. Editor’s note)! My life revolved around the Dakar, before it existed. In 1983, Maurice and his friend Dominique Copin founded the company Faster. Thierry Sabine leur a confié