FASSIO, CAPANACCIA, SAUNIER AND JOS VERSTAPPEN
Nine months before the start, the 26th Tour de Corse Historique experienced its first major moment last Saturday with the opening of registrations. Among the entrants are Jos Verstappen, Julien Saunier, as well as reigning champions Matthieu Fassio and Olivier Capanaccia. The rally will take place from October 3 to 10, 2026.
At precisely 7 p.m. on Saturday, January 17, the registration form went live on the Tour de Corse Historique website. Six minutes later, the first 400 hopefuls had already confirmed their entry… But it’s not over yet for those who were late: the forms are still available, and spots will open up.
“Of course, we’d love to accept everyone,” admits Marie-Ange Dini, the rally organiser. “But we simply can’t host more than 400 cars while maintaining our quality standards. At each stage, the caravan stretches over nearly seven hours, including the essential passage of the course cars. We can’t ask more of the marshals, who do an outstanding job, nor of the families whose homes are along the route. From the start, we’ve stood by our decision not to select competitors based on questionable criteria, but to give everyone a fair chance. We’re sorry to see the names of loyal participants on the waiting list. However, we want to reassure them: spots will become available as we review the applications in more detail.”
Big names on the starting line
For the record, Nicolas Gauthier and Maxime Huchet were the first to confirm their registration, in Competition and Regularity respectively. While we’ll have to wait until early summer to see the official entry list, a few names are already standing out from the raw data collected through the registration forms.
Jos Verstappen
He promised he’d be back… and he’s keeping his word! Ranked 21st in his first participation in 2024, Jos Verstappen will be at the starting line in 2026, crowned with the title of Belgian ‘modern’ Rally Champion. The former Formula 1 driver, who discovered ‘historic’ rallying in Corsica in a Porsche 911, will this time be behind the wheel of a BMW M3.
Jos Verstappen: “I discovered historic rallying during the 2024 edition, behind the wheel of a powerful Porsche 911 with no electronic assistance. The roads there are nothing like the ones I’m used to driving on all year in Belgium, and the conditions in 2024 were particularly tough, with heavy rain from day one. Renaud (Jamoul, co-driver) and I learned a lot, especially when it came to pace notes. We’re thrilled to be back in 2026, still with Romain Joffroy’s team. This time, we’ve decided to go for a more modern BMW M3, which should suit me better. I can’t wait to be on the starting line… It’s a legendary event!”
Julien Saunier
Star of the 2025 edition, the Renault 5 Maxi Turbo “Philipps” will return in 2026… and that wasn’t a given, considering how challenging the car’s preparation proved in 2025. After ironing out the kinks – and still managing to finish 3rd in the VHC category – Julien Saunier and his team are now focused on making their spectacular Group B machine more reliable.
Julien Saunier: “The 2025 edition left me with a slight sense of unfinished business. We achieved our goal of bringing the car home, but I believe it can do better. So we’ve launched a reliability program in collaboration with two key engineers from the era, François Bernard and Philippe Coblence, who are working on optimising the suspension, intercoolers, and turbo. New parts are being manufactured to replace some that are forty years old. We’re planning a shakedown in April, followed by the Rallye d’Antibes as a full rehearsal for the Tour. We’ll do everything we can to challenge the Porsche-BMW dominance.”
Matthieu Fassio
Winner of the VHC classification in 2025, in his very first participation, Matthieu Fassio will attempt to repeat his success, or even climb onto the podium in the overall classification. His father Bertrand was close to achieving that last year before retiring two stages from the finish. The two drivers from Montpellier will once again trust their Porsche 911.
Matthieu Fassio: “Last year’s VHC win had a bittersweet taste because it came after my father’s retirement. Carrying the number 1 on the door will be tough—it’s the impostor syndrome! Honestly, I probably won’t be able to defend my title unless something extraordinary happens. But I do think I can improve on the 6th place I secured overall in 2025. And above all, I’d love to share the VHC podium with my father, whatever our respective positions.”
Olivier Capanaccia
Winner overall in 2025, Olivier Capanaccia will put his title on the line. In five participations, the Porto-Vecchio native has always shown exceptional competitiveness: 3rd in 2020 and 2nd in 2023, he was forced to retire with engine failure in 2022 while leading. There’s no doubt he’ll be a contender again this year, whatever car he chooses to drive.
Olivier Capanaccia: “Winning the Tour de Corse Historique was a goal, a dream, for a very long time. Now it’s done, but I’m not satisfied yet! Honestly, I’d now like to win in the VHC category with a car a little older than my BMW M3. In short, my registration is confirmed, but I still don’t know which car I’ll be driving!”
See you at Retromobile
The entire Tour de Corse Historique team will be delighted to welcome you to its stand at Retromobile, from January 28 to February 1, in Paris (Hall 7.2, G016).
Every year, the Tour de Corse Historique pays tribute to a car that has marked the history of the '10,000-turn rally'. After the Lancia 037 in 2024 and the Renault 5 Turbo in 2025, which legend will be featured in the 2026 edition? The answer awaits at Retromobile!
Rally in full force
Imagined in collaboration with the Gino Macaluso Foundation, this exceptional exhibition will bring together around fifteen cars, each representing a key moment in rally history: the professionalization of the sport in the 1960s, the creation of the World Championship in 1973, Lancia and Fiat’s dominance in the late 1970s, and the technological revolution of the early 1980s. The entire display will take the form of an immersive journey. Among the models featured, visitors will notably find:
Lancia Stratos (1976)
Audi Quattro (1981)
Renault R5 Turbo (1981)
Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 (1986)
Ford Cortina Lotus (1966)
Toyota Celica GT-4 ST165 (1990)
Information and ticketing: retromobile.com
