Francois Duval retires from rallying

Francois Duval has called time on his rallying career.

The 29 year-old Belgian, who drove for Ford & Citroen during his eight year WRC career has decided to quit the sport. Duval won only one event during his career (2005 Rally Australia), scored his first podium at the 2003 Rally Turkey, first stage win at the 2002 Rally Cyprus, led the 2002 Rally Cyprus as well & scored his first point at the 2003 Rally Monte Carlo (7th).

Duval started his WRC career at the 2001 Rallye De Portugal in a Mitsubishi Carisma GT (Class N4), but retired with electrical problems on SS9.

The Belgian competed in selected events for Ford in 2002 & then signed a 2 year contract for the team in 2003. He turned down a 4 year contract extention at the 'Blue Oval' at the end of 2004 for 1 year at Citroen. Duval's Citroen days were numbered & his contract was not renewed for 2006.

He returned to Ford in 2008, replacing Jari-Matti Latvala in Spain (4th) & France (3rd). Duval was involved in a serious crash on SS6 of Rally Japan, seriously injuring navigator Patrick Pivato. Duval's Focus went sideways into the end of an Armco barrier.

A one-off apperance with Skoda on the Ypres Rally last year ended in retirement on the first corner of SS1, sliding off the road & beaching the Fabia S2000 on a ditch.

Duval suffered a double fracture of the lumbar spine on the 17th of December 2009. The injuries were not too serious, but he was laid up for eight weeks.

Duval admitted in an interview: “It's true, I will stop driving , it's complicated, but thats the decision.”