Next stop Rallye de France-Tour de Corse as WRC battle hots up

Next stop Rallye de France-Tour de Corse as WRC battle hots up

New date but same old challenges as WRC battle returns to Europe
2017 season’s first Tarmac test lives up to its billing as ‘the rally of 10,000 corners’

To date: three different winners from the opening three rounds
This year’s pulsating FIA World Rally Championship has already lived up to its billing as the most unpredictable and exciting for ages. The introduction of a new breed of more dramatic cars, plus some significant changes among the top teams and leading drivers has already produced three different winners from the opening three rounds.

Reigning champion Sébastien Ogier won the season-opener in slushy Monte Carlo on his debut for the M-Sport team, then Jari-Matti Latvala celebrated Toyota’s welcome return to the WRC in style with victory in snowy Sweden and last time out, Britain’s Kris Meeke scored for Citroën on the Mexican gravel despite a nail-biting last-gasp trip through a car park!

Now the action returns to Europe for the legendary Rallye de France-Tour de Corse in Corsica, which is the first pure Tarmac event of the season and nicknamed ‘the Rally of 10,000 Corners’. That’s because of the endless series of hairpin bends on the stunning mountain stages, through some of the most breathtaking scenery on the calendar. The cars are low to the ground in asphalt specification, hugging the narrow roads to conquer the mountains overlooking the Mediterranean at speeds you won’t believe.

Abrasive asphalt is tough on tyres and conditions can often be changeable in the mountains, placing high importance on the work of the weather and route note crews as drivers attempt to predict what they could be facing some hours later.

For 2017 the Tour de Corse has moved from an autumn date to springtime and, while the organisers have opted to run a very similar route – reminiscent of the Tour de Corse of old – the move may, or may not, bring with it a change in weather conditions.

This time five-time Dakar winner Cyril Despres from France is Red Bull TV’s guest reporter. The rocky island is something of a contrast to the vast and arid deserts that Cyril is best known for. The Frenchman dominated the epic Dakar Rally on motorbikes, before switching to cars three years ago as part of Peugeot’s ‘Dream Team’. He’s now team mates with the most successful rally driver in history – Sebastien Loeb – and finished just behind the nine-time world champion on the podium of this year’s Dakar Rally in January after nearly 10,000 kilometres of competition. Cyril also tested a World Rally Car last year, showing plenty of pace even when there was no sand to be seen.

So, it's clear that he knows a bit about the World Rally Championship, too. The 43-year-old is a frequent visitor to Corsica on holiday, where he loves to ride bikes both with and without engines through the incredible landscapes. He knows the place off by heart – just check out his restaurant tips – making this adventurous Frenchman your perfect guide to his home rally. Watch it all on Red Bull TV.

The event spans the whole Mediterranean island: Thursday evening’s Ceremonial Start is hosted in Ajaccio on the west coast with the rally itself based in Bastia in the north east. The competitive route comprises 10 stages covering 316.80km before finishing in Porto-Vecchio in the south on Sunday 9 April.

Catch all the action for free on Red Bull TV


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