Carpooling F. Delecour: “I must be world champion in 1993”

Visiting François Delecour is the assurance of obtaining juicy declarations on the world of rally. The Northerner, exiled in the south-east of France to pursue his career, took us for a ride aboard an astonishing Ford GT 40 in Gulf colors.

Even if this car is not vintage, it scrupulously respects the authenticity of the initial model. “As it is impossible to have an original, I had it completely made. The car is "full factory", has the FIA ​​passport, the 1968 registration document and right-hand drive, which are the only ones approved. I wanted an authentic car and this earned me a three-year job at Ford Performance.

They tried to sell me coins, but having authentic coins was the only way to get the passport. It's a car I can race with, but that's not the goal. I sometimes go for a walk on the road from time to time. »

Among the subjects discussed is obviously his 1993 season with the Ford Escort RS Cosworth, finishing as vice-world rally champion. A period that leaves a bitter taste today. « I must be world champion that year, certifies François Delecour. Why am I not? Because Colin Dobinson (head of Ford. Editor’s note) is not sending me to Argentina and Finland. It's crazy, but it was confirmed before the start of the season. At the time, you could choose rallies.

Walter Röhrl did not go to Finland and did not particularly like Corsica. Today, a kid is everywhere quickly. For me, Pierre-Louis Loubet has more merit than a Röhrl, because he goes to coal without knowing. And what's more, he has no choice. With Auriol and Sainz, we were a bit of a pioneer in going to this type of test to learn. Kankkunen is going to Argentina, and I'm not there. Final point.

Dobinson's response was to tell me, "Find the budget, because it's not built in on our side." I tell him that I am leading the championship. It took 1,5 million francs. I found half of it and Ford France followed me and put in 500 francs. But Dobinson just tells me that I will be champion in 000." 

The following season, a serious road accident will lead to a period of inactivity of several months or more. “I couldn't say that I had lost flexibility in my foot. For heel-toe, hello. It took me 2-3 years to recover » he reveals.

Discover other spicy topics like the end of the adventure in WRC with Mitsubishi, the exile in the Romanian Championship, the rivalry with Gilles Panizzi with the Peugeot 306 Maxi, the meeting with Anne-Chantal Pauwels at the beginning or the 1991 Monte-Carlo lost at the last minute in this Carpooling in the long term by François Delecour.

Find the complete carpooling of François Delecour in issue 2249 of AUTOhebdo, on sale at newsstands and in digital version.