Interview – Léo Rossel: “We had to question ourselves after each rally”

Is the Mediterranean good on November 24?

Before rally, Guillaume (Mercoiret, his co-pilot, see following pages. Ed.) and I said to ourselves that if we were champions, we would jump into the port, like the winners of the Sardinia Rally in WRC… or Yoann Bonato after each title as the Canal+ journalists wanted me to believe. I knew he hadn't done it, but I wanted to take up the challenge. Believe me, the water was very very cold! I dove in with emotion in me, but it's a real thermal shock when you get into the water. I won't do it again! We jumped in without thinking, but at any moment I could have hurt myself with what's lying around in the port and without knowing the depth. When we got out of the water, Guillaume and I were so frozen that we went straight to the hotel to warm up and put on dry clothes. We took the opportunity to open a bottle of champagne.

You probably just started a tradition!

The next ones will have to do it. Maybe it will be us…

Can you describe to us the feeling of being French Rally Champion?

At the time, you don't realise what's happening, but it's a huge source of pride. There are some big names in French motorsport who are