For Stéphane Sarrazin, AUTOhebdo is a bit like the "Bible".

This week we are celebrating AUTOhebdo's 50th anniversary: ​​how long have you been reading it?

Since I was very young, actually! I think that during my childhood, AUTOhebdo and Echappement were the magazines I read the most (laughs). AUTOhebdo has always been the benchmark, whether it's regarding the rally Like the racetrack. Every Wednesday, before I subscribed, I bought AUTOhebdo: it's a bit like the "Bible"! Then, when the website arrived, it completely changed the way we get our news. Thanks to you, we're always up-to-date on what's happening internationally as well as in France; I love that mindset. I must also say that AUTOhebdo has always been there, at every stage of my career.

In fact, on that subject, several key moments in your career are linked to our title…

Indeed! At the end of 2003, when I was without any options on the track, I saw an advertisement in AUTOhebdo placed by the FFSA and Subaru. The photo featured a question mark over Petter Solberg's head and the caption: "What if it were you?". It was a talent search to drive in the French Rally Championship the following year with an Impreza. WRC, then on three rounds of the WRC. I won that selection and that's how my rally career started.

Would Stéphane Sarrazin's rally career have had the same flavor without this publicity?

A second anecdote comes to mind, although this one is much less cheerful: in early 2012, I learned of the program's end via the AUTOhebdo website. Peugeot en WEC We had just test-driven the new 908 Hybrid. I still remember the red text in the top right corner of the website announcing it. A friend of mine had just read it and called me to tell me while I was in my car.

Amazing… You who have contributed so much to motorsport in recent decades, what do you think is the most significant moment that has taken place?

It's not a very cheerful occasion, but without a doubt, the death of Ayrton Senna. At the time, I was racing in Formula 1. Renault And Ayrton was a living god… I’m not one to dwell on things, I prefer to focus on the future, so instinctively, that’s what comes to mind.

You have competed in the three major disciplines of motorsport, which are the Formula 1The WRC and the WEC. How do you assess the evolution of these championships?

In the WEC, the technological evolution with the switch to hybridization in 2012 was already a significant event. It was a major development for everyone. By joining Toyota After my time with Peugeot, I immediately noticed that we had entered a whole new technological era. I also noticed this during my time in Formula E: many criticized the drivers who competed there, but to perform well, you had to wear the hat of a driver-engineer, and I found it fascinating because of the sheer number of parameters to manage behind the wheel of those cars. As for the WRC, I would say that we are currently at the end of a cycle and that the upcoming new regulations will be perfectly timed. Simplifying costs and the cars, as the ACO and the FIA ​​have done, is the right solution. I hope that these new regulations will attract more manufacturers and create opportunities for everyone. Finally, regarding Formula 1: despite the passing years, it remains the elite! The cars are still as crazy as ever, and it's where the most money and people are... That hasn't changed.

Will we still be able to follow your driving adventures via AUTOhebdo for the next 50 years?

My priority right now is Pablo's career. I hope he can become a professional driver, and I'll do everything I can to make sure you have some great stories to tell about it. As for me, I've never hidden my desire to participate in the Dakar Rally one day. If a good opportunity comes along, I'll seize it.

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