WEC
Before Ogier, these rally drivers who tried their hand at Le Mans
Sébastien Loeb tried his hand at Le Mans. ©DPPI
It’s a new face that the WEC This year. In search of new adventures and still in love with Le Mans, Sébastien Ogier will be part of the Richard Mille Racing crew for this new year of the world championshipEndurance. With this reconversion, the Gapençais will finally be able to compete in the classic Le Mans, thus adding his name to a long list of pilots of rally having taken the start of the Le Mans double clock tower.
- The Champions WRC at Le Mans
Several crowned heads of the World Rally Championship tried to conquer the Mulsanne Straight. Sébastien Ogier is therefore not the first to try it. The first was Markku Alen. Crowned in 1978. the Finn tried his luck in 1980 but unfortunately could not go to the end due to an engine problem on his Lancia Beta MC which forced him to retire. He is also the only champion who did not manage to reach the arrival of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Björn Waldergård (champion in 1979) and Walter Röhrl (champion in 1980 and 1982) and Colin McRae (champion in 1995) saw the checkerboard. At the start of the 1971 edition, the first of the three finished 13th overall with the Porsche 911S from Ecurie Jean Sage. The second is credited with 2 starts in Sarthe with a 7th position in 1981 as his best result before retiring in 1983. The Scotsman only has one participation which he finished in 9th place.
Record holder for WRC titles with 9 crowns, Sébastien Loeb was the best representative of the Le Mans rally since he was the only one to be on the podium. After retiring in 2005, the Alsatian attacked again the following year where he crossed the line in 2nd position with the Courage C60 from Pescarolo in the company of Franck Montagny and Éric Hélary.
Sébastien Loeb's podium at the 24H. Le Mans in 2006 © Franck Faugere / DPPI
- The victorious drivers in the category at Le Mans
While none won overall, some rally drivers won their category during one of their participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This is the case of Simo Lapinen who won in GT with Jean-Jacques Thuner and their Triumph Spitfire in 1965.
Leo Cella tried his luck in this event and brilliantly. With an ambitious vision about to Alpine A210 entered in the Proto 1.3 L category, the Italian won the prize alongside Henri Grandsire in 1966. Paddy Hopkirk also tried, four times and won the GT category in 1963 driving an MG B with teammate Alan Hutchenson.
Jean Ragnotti performed well and climbed to the top of the podium three times in seven appearances, two in group 6 and one in GTP. Finally, Vic Elford, European champion in 1967, won in S1601-2000 with a Porsche 906 in 1967 where he was associated with Ben Pon. He will taste the champagne of category victory six years later with the triumph over the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 from Automobiles Charles Pozzi shared with Claude Ballot-Léna.
24H. Le Mans 1966 © DPPI
- The French at Le Mans
The legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans event attracts drivers from all over the world, but winning an event at home is also an achievement. So, French drivers tried to tame the circuit in order to win a victory.
Bernard Darniche, Jean-Pierre Nicolas and Michèle Mouton all three won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in their categories.
Bernard Darniche won twice, in 1979 in Group 6 and in 1980 in GTP. For his counterpart Jean-Pierre Nicolas, he climbed to the highest step twice. In 1968 with his Alpine A220 in SP2501 and in 1968 in SP 1001 in Alpine A210.
Jean-Luc Thérier, for his part, tried to overcome the double clock four times. His best result being 10th.
Jean-François Piot, being less fortunate, managed to reach 14th place.
Jean-Claude Andruet and Guy Fréquelin arrived in the top 5, reaching 5th and 4th place.
Finally, Michèle Mouton, the most victorious woman in rallying, did not stop at her championship. She thus participated in the 24 1975 Hours of Le Mans, and managed to win in S-2000. Moreover, today she is still the youngest French woman to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (24 years old), she will be beaten this year by Lilou Wadoux (21 years old).
Michèle Mouton at the 24H. Le Mans 1975 ©DPPI
- They took their chances
And then, other rally drivers will have tried their chances. Notably, Rauno Aaltonen European rally champion in 1965 with a participation in 1964 from which he was forced to abandon by a problem with his transmission.
Thus, out of 20 drivers, none managed to reach the top of the event. Will the feat be achieved by Sébastien Ogier This year ? See you on June 11 and 12 to follow its performances on AUTOhebdo.
The Richard Mille Racing Team is replacing its driver line-up with a new trio combining ambition, experience and talent: eight-time world rally champion @SebOgier, @LWadouxD44, a rising star in motorsport and @Charles_Milesi, reigning champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans. pic.twitter.com/BMWIPvKARP
— Richard Mille (@Richard_Mille) January 31, 2022
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DOMINIQUE LAURENT
06/02/2022 at 04:32 a.m.
Not only Gérard Larousse and these 2 victories at Le Mans with Matra and Pescarolo, but there are other French people who knew how to shine at Le Mans and on the roads, like Stéphane Sarrazin for example. It’s a shame not to have explored this subject further…
ERICK WILMART
05/02/2022 at 07:09 a.m.
And the versatile Gérard Larrousse, great rallyman, at Alpine, then Porsche, have you heard of it?
GUY DESGROPPES
05/02/2022 at 01:50 a.m.
Although he was not French champion, the Belgian Lucien Bianchi distinguished himself in rallies and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968 with Pedro Rodriguez
Thierry Delporte
04/02/2022 at 06:56 a.m.
And the great Marc Duez! (12 participations only...)