Dominique Dubourg, President of the FFSA Rallycross Commission: “Making the right decisions for the future of Rallycross”

What convinced you to accept this role?

In 2024, I had a long discussion with Pierre Gosselin, the president of the FFSA. I presented him with my ideas and my action plan to be effective as quickly as possible. The FFSA then appointed me to head the commission and did everything possible to enable us to move forward quickly.

What is your view on the evolution of the discipline in recent years?

« When the head is fine, everything is fine! "I'm talking about the World Championship here. We've had some prosperous years, marked by a strong enthusiasm, both among drivers competing in France and abroad. New faces have appeared, new cars too. Today, the dynamic is calmer: the top of the pyramid is losing momentum. There is also a difficult economic context. However, the Rallycross remains a solid and spectacular discipline, supported by a loyal audience. We are going through a downturn, but the recovery will come.

One of your first decisions was to return to pole position. Why did you make this choice?

This development is due to the former members of the commission who had made this proposal, which was validated by the FFSA. This return is in the spirit of the sport by rewarding performance. I didn't like the random draw. This will create additional excitement and, above all, there will be a sporting logic in the composition of the series.

What goals have you set for the next few years?

It is essential to restore a climate of calm in the paddocks and to renew dialogue between officials, drivers, and organizers. A good understanding of the decisions made must be shared by all stakeholders. With this in mind, we will collaborate closely with AFOR (French Association of Rallycross Organizers) and its new president, Francis Pottier. This joint effort will allow us to make informed decisions to ensure the future of rallycross. Finally, we are committed to returning an FIA event to France.

Precisely, when will a world or European event return?

As I said, the World Championship is going through a period of transition. This season promises to be a "remake" of last year, with a new technological battle on the horizon. As for the European Championship, the engine remains exclusively thermal. All that's missing is an additional spotlight from the FIA ​​for this series to regain its full appeal. The good news is that our discussions with the FIA ​​are very constructive. The desire to return to France with an international event is clearly expressed. The FFSA will fully support any initiative in this direction: it will encourage, support, and act as a relay for any organizer wishing to host a round.

Are you worried about the Supercar field with only 11 drivers entered for the year?

We all agree, these aren't the best conditions. We always want more. Until now, the discipline has evolved with methods that have given complete satisfaction, but it's clear that we've reached the end of a system. This is independent of the skill and quality of the people present. The approach will be different with the arrival of new resources, such as the presence of a drone at the start and on the first turns to facilitate decision-making. There will be more human and technical resources for greater efficiency.

Interview by Emmanuel Naud