Delecour to return?

Francois Delecour is gunning for a return to the WRC.

Delecour, whose works World Rally Career spanned 11 years, retired in 2002 after poor season with Mitsubishi who were struggling with their new WRC-spec Evo. He began his works career with Ford in the Sierra Sapphire Cosworth, after 5 years in the private ranks. His best time with Ford came in 1993 when, armed with the Escort Cosworth RS, he won three events and was, at one stage, favourite for the championship.

He took one final win for Ford on the season-opening Rallye de Monte Carlo in 1994. He would later move to Peugeot. He seemed to find comfort in the kit-car spec Peugeots on tarmac, scoring points regularly. He had a big influence in the 206 WRC during it's development. He returned to Ford in a third works car, and scored regularly, but a big crash in Australia in 2001 almost crippled his navigator Daniel Grataloup, and ended his time at Ford.

Her joined Mitsubishi with Alistar McRae in 2002, but the new car proved troublesome, and another big crash, which separated the engine from the car and ended Grataloup's career as a WRC co-driver. Delecour did compete in the season-ending Rally GB, but Mitsubishi announced their sabbatical from the WRC, ending Delecour's WRC career.

Delecour has been in action recently, competing on the Rally Monte Carlo and in a Historic-spec Porsche 911.

He says he wants to take part in a rally in one of the modern-day rally cars, preferably on the Rally de France, his home event.

 “I would love to drive the new WRC for sure, on Rallye de France or another event." he said " I am pushing for it because I have this opportunity with my budget from Romania and the tourist minister there."

However, the Romanian Tourism Minister insists that the Dakar would be a better publicity opportunity, Delecour says he would prefer to do a WRC round, specifically Rallye de France.

“He would like me to do the Dakar Rally, but I would like to do something in the world championship. They are sure that Dakar would give them good publicity and media, but for my case I would prefer to do WRC and Rallye de France.”

He plans to stay 'rally-ready' and will compete in a few international rounds in a Peugeot 207 S2000, the same car in which he competed on the Rallye de Monte Carlo back in January.