Tour de Corse will recreate the spirit of the past when it hosts the final round of this year’s FIA European Rally Championship from 6-8 November.The very first Tour de Corse took place from 17-18 November 1956 while Esapekka Lappi and Sepp Wiegand will face off for the prestigious ERC title in potentially challenging weather conditions during the 57th edition of the iconic asphalt rally.
ERC Sporting Manager Jean-Pierre Nicolas, who won Tour de Corse in the late winter of 1973, has recalled some of the rally’s classic autumnal editions. “It’s fantastic to see the Tour de Corse return to its rightful date – the beginning of November,” said Nicolas, whose victory in 1973 was at the wheel of an Alpine-Renault A110. “Unquestionably, it makes for a tougher challenge. The first of the seasonal rain has already been, and the roads are blanketed in dead leaves and crushed chestnuts, which have long been the ingredients behind this rally’s enduring success.”
Tour de Corse ran in November or December from 1956 until 1980 when it took place in October before occupying a slot in May from 1981 until 2000. With the exception of an April date in 2006, the event was held in October until 2009 when it switched to November again. Since 2011, the rally has been run in May meaning the return to November will represent a new challenge for a number of crews due to the increased likelihood of changeable, wintry weather conditions.
Christian Leca, President of event organiser ASACC, added: “We are delighted to have restored this tradition. As the eagerly-anticipated finale to the FIA ERC, the 2014 Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse will be a magnificent occasion for everyone – the crews, the teams and the spectators alike. The tension remains at fever pitch in a number of the championship’s classes.”