Auriol on lookout for Monte sponsors

1994 World Champion Didier Auriol is attempting to put together a drive for January’s 100^th Rallye Monte Carlo.

Auriol drove for multiple teams, including Austin-Rover, Ford, Lancia, Toyota, SEAT Sport, Peugeot and Skoda. He made one-off appearances with both Subaru (Sweden) and Mitsubishi (San Remo) in 1996 after the works Toyota Castrol Team were banned from the WRC because of turbo irregularities, which allowed the team to increase the amount of turbo boost available, an illegal practise in the WRC. He also contributed considerably to the development of the Fabia WRC when he joined Skoda in 2003.

The Frenchman, a former ambulance driver in his native France, won the 1994 World Champion after a tense final round where he suffered from awful luck, with crashes and mechanical problems dropping him well down the order. With his title rival Carlos Sainz sitting comfortably on the podium, it looked like the title was destined for Madrid for a third time. However, on the final day, Sainz made a crucial mistake, clipping a log on the inside of the corner, sending the car across the road, down a dip, into a group of trees, and out of the rally. Auriol passed the scene of Sainz’ downfall, and crossed the finish line in sixth, enough to give him the title.

He also has prior experience of Monte Carlo and the IRC. He has won Monte Carlo on three separate occasions, 1990/1992/1993. He has also competed in the IRC before, on a handful of events since the Series’ inception, including the last year’s Rallye Monte Carlo in a Kronos Racing run Peugeot 207 S2000.

“I am trying to close a deal because I want to do the rally for the 100th anniversary. The problem is I have no sponsor but I try to find one. If I get a sponsor then I will try to have a top level car and if that is possible then I start to try for the podium, which is something I will always do because I always remain competitive.” said the 1994 World Champion.

Should his plans get strung together, he will not be the only former Ford and WRC Monte Carlo winner present at the event. Francois Delecour is due to take part in the event driving a Peugeot 207 S2000.