Happy Birthday, Franck Montagny!

French champion of karting A cadet in 1992, Franck Montagny started two years later in Formula Campus (ancestor of F4) and won straight away. Fourth in the French Formula Championship Renault in 1995, he suffered a serious accident at Le Mans at the start of the following season, which kept him away from the circuits for several months. Accessing the F3 in 1997, he proved that he had lost none of his abilities, ranking 4e final rank. The following year, he narrowly failed to win the title.

Two titles in Formula Nissan launch Franck Montagny towards the F1 © DPPI

After two disappointing seasons in F3000 at Dams, he bounced back in Open Telefonica (future World Series by Nissan, then Renault), dont il devient champion en 2001 et 2003. Cette dernière année, il devient pilote-essayeur de Renault F1, mais trois ans de collaboration ne déboucheront sur rien de concret. Après avoir disputé une séance d’essais sur Jordan-Toyota lors du GP d’Europe 2005 au Nürburgring, Montagny obtient enfin une vraie chance en 2006 chez Super Aguri-Honda. Engagé comme 3e driver, he started the European GP at the Nürburgring, following the ousting of the Japanese Yuji Ide. Forced to retire, he saw his first arrival in Monaco, where he ranked 16e three turns. He also finished 18e at Silverstone and 16e at Magny-Cours, conceding three rounds each time. After the French GP, he had to give up his place to Sakon Yamamoto and returned to that of test driver. A position for which he was recruited in 2007 by Toyota. As with Renault, this situation will not allow him to race.

Although he has driven in tests for Renault, Jordan, Toyota and Force India, Franck Montagny owes Super Aguri to having participated in seven Grands Prix in 2006 © DPPI

After an unsuccessful test with Force India, the Frenchman turned to Champ Car (2e in Long Beach), the A1 GP and the Superleague, then especially towards theEndurance. Seen at Pescarolo Sport, Cadillac/Dams and Oreca, it ranks 2e of 24 Hours of Le Mans 2006, on Pescarolo-Judd. He was recruited in 2008 by Peugeot of which he will be a pillar for four seasons. If success is denied to him at Le Mans (2e in 2009, 3e in 2008 and 2011, engine broken in 2010 while he was in the lead), he obtained more in Le Mans Series then ILMC (Intercontinental Le Mans Cup) or even in ALMS (American Le Mans Series) with three victories at Petit Le Mans. The withdrawal of Peugeot at the beginning of 2012 left him waiting. He finds refuge in Formula e at Andretti Autosport. A positive doping test, followed by a two-year suspension, may have ended his racing career for good. A blessing in disguise for his fans since from now on, Franck delights Canal+ viewers with his expertise, his witty words and his unalterable enthusiasm.

Margot Laffite and Franck Montagny © Florent Gooden / DPPI

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