David Castera reacts to the death of René Metge: “He was a pure lover of rally raids”

A sign of his affection for the three-time winner of the Paris-Dakar in the 1980s, David Castera was very quick to come to meet us to share a few words of tribute to René Metge, died this Wednesday January 3 at the age of 82.

“René was certainly a winner of the Dakar, three times,” begins the Béarnais. He was also Director of the Dakar for two years in 1987 and 1988. But in my eyes, René was above all the artist, the enthusiast above all, who loved motor sports, as well as adventure, discovery and the desert. He truly embodied that spirit. He was the pure lover of rally-raid.

I took part in my first major rally-raid under his direction. It was Paris-Moscow-Beijing in September 1992, he gave me the start on the Place du Trocadéro. I had crossed Europe, then Russia, Mongolia and China, it was something completely exceptional. He loved taking people to places no one used to go. It was his way of being different.

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René is a source of inspiration. I believe that passion, in this profession, is important. René embodied this passion, that’s what I liked about him. He has always been very active in the rally-raid scene, I knew he had been ill for some time unfortunately. Just yesterday (Tuesday), I asked a friend from the bivouac if he had any news from René...

I don't really remember his victories in the 1980s. His Porsche remains legendary, but I remember him more as the organizer of events. I see him briefing the pilots again. This took place “à la Thierry Sabine (creator of the Paris-Dakar in 1978. Editor’s note)”, that is to say that he placed himself behind a truck and spoke without a sound system. It was another era, the one when Georges Groine was present (winner of the Paris-Dakar in trucks in 1982 and 1983. Editor's note). At Paris-Moscow-Beijing, I met him every morning when he started the stage. I said to myself at that moment: “Damn, he’s still pumped, he’s not afraid to take us on this adventure. »

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