Delecour: “The efforts paid off”

François Delecour, have you taken stock of the enthusiasm that there was around your participation in the Rally Monte Carlo ?
There was indeed a huge enthusiasm everywhere we went. I think I took advantage of my notoriety compared to today?s young drivers, who are not very well known. On the other hand, I found that there was little audience compared to recent years, certainly due to the exceptional television coverage. Eurosport took some very good images but perhaps to the detriment of the number of spectators at the side of the road.

How do we feel when we see that we are supported to this extent?
This proves that it?s a popular sport! For my part, I have done the Monte-Carlo sixteen times and people have had to learn to see me pass. In sixteen Monte Carlo events, there are inevitably people in the audience who have seen me ten times, especially since I? finished fifteen times. People have not forgotten me. At the assistance, our small Enjolras team was attacked even though we had no reception area. Many people came to ask for autographs. It made us extremely happy.

Does this popular support motivate you more to make your comeback?
I long for this return. I would already like to be at the Tour de Corse because I love Corsica, I love the special stages and in relation to Doumé (Savignoni, his co-pilot). I feel deeply attached to this Corsican land but I would also like to do other rallies. In particular, I have a project in Italy with a Citroën C4 WRC. It's on track but it's a bit of a blockage for Citroën, which is hesitant. But it could also be in 206.

How did you come up with this desire to return to competition?
I did three races in Italy last year, including one of Pike's Peak races, right in the center of Italy. It was magical, on a very wide road, I finished third with a Mitsubishi group N without bridle? I also did two other rallies and won in the 206 WRC. The people who were with me want to go further and have me compete in the Italian championship with a C4.

Why not try to return sooner?
In 2002, I was pushed out by Mitsubishi. I was made lots of promises but the car was completely outdated. It was not at all competitive against the 206 WRC. I had a very good salary but I would have preferred to be paid less to have a better car. I would have continued but my passion had been blunted. I put that aside for several years.

What sensations did you feel during Monte-Carlo, when you got back behind the wheel?
Driving the 207 again gave me a boost. I was a little frustrated because we could be close to 3rd place. We had tired nails during the day on snow, the tires were a little old. We had the right choice but not an excellent choice because the nails were not new and the rubber was “cut”, not suitable for a thin layer of snow. There would have been a need for more snow for the “cut” rubber to be an advantage. I could have gained a second per kilometer in the snowy special stages.

How did you end up making this right choice before SS7 and 8?
I had several helpers who allowed me to make this choice. I called the owner of a hotel announcing snow. At the service, we wanted to put on “snow” tires then we got the information that the snow was falling and that it was holding. In the first special, there is a southern slope which is rarely snow-covered and, after passing through a tunnel, we pass on a northern slope and there we find snow all the time. Pascal Enjolras stationed himself there: he told me that things were starting to hold up on the southern slope. I told myself that we would have at least 8 or 9 km of snow and so I put on the “nails”. I didn't ride very hard because I knew I was going to open up a big gap. For the only time in the rally, I was tense for fear of making an unforgivable mistake. It?s still great to get into the middle of the factory cars. It?s exhilarating. To be second at that moment was to rewrite the history of Monte-Carlo.

Weren't you disappointed to then have slipped in the rankings, down to 5th place?
I expected that. When I was 2nd, I had no illusions. I take my hat off to the Enjolras team because we did not have the latest developments of the 207 S2000 and we had no problems. It?s not easy to finish 5th in Monte Carlo with a private car, without official support and the latest developments. Especially since we only had a budget of 50 euros, when we would have needed 000 euros more.

Did you doubt your physical ability to go the distance?
No way. I'm crazy about sports, I cycle excessively, I exert myself a lot. All this effort paid off. At 48, it?s not easy to still want it. I have not encountered any problems with my back or my eyesight. I was serene and calm in the car, contrary to the image I sometimes project. I was focused and on the attack. I had a lot of fun on this rally.

After several years of absence, how did you find the car you had in your hands?
I didn't imagine that the chassis could be so efficient! The chassis-tyre combination is exceptional in every way. This can be seen in particular in curves and the endurance of the brakes. The engines are very disappointing since the power is no longer there. But the handling is exceptional. No matter the conditions, we have constant grip.

Do you think you can return to competition without fear and by attacking to the limit?
I am sure of it. I didn't have the slightest apprehension this weekend. The gap was always the same from start to finish. I had very regular times. I didn't have the slightest apprehension. I think that if I had had an official car, I would have won it, based on my strategy. I would have won the rally, I am convinced. This strategy on the snow would have allowed me to finish ahead of the others.