It’s an achievement so ridiculous that it’s scarcely believable. Domination so absolute it’s beyond incredible. A record that, definitively, can never be bettered. But for once, it’s been set by a Frenchman not named Sébastien.
If you aren’t an avid follower of French rallying, it’s unlikely that Mathieu Franceschi is a name that will mean too much to you. But what he’s managed to produce in 2022 won’t fail to amaze you.
He began his year with Ronde della Val Merula in Italy, behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. And he won, at that point, just the second rally ever in his career.
Up next was another asphalt encounter, Rallye Régional des Roches Brunes, but this time in France and behind the wheel of a rear-wheel-drive Alpine A110 Rally RGT. But, again, Franceschi won.
Essentially, though, these were just warm-up rallies. An appetizer ahead of the meat of Franceschi’s season – the French Gravel championship.
The target was only ever the championship, nothing more.
“The objective of the year with the Škoda and AMD Motorsport was obviously to win the title,” Franceschi confirmed to DirtFish.
He even said he wanted to do things “quietly”. But evidently he didn’t listen to himself.
A narrow victory on round one was a good start. Another win next time out, this time by over a minute, marked Franceschi out as the championship favorite.
But why just be the championship favorite when you can dominate instead? When winning is becoming such a habit, why would you stop?
Meet Mr 100% – 10 rally starts in 2022, 10 wins. Mathieu Franceschi has achieved something the extensive eWRC-results database proves has never been done before.
He is a history maker.
“In France to win all the races on the same year in the gravel championship, it’s the first time,” said Franceschi’s brother, Jean-Baptiste, who himself is a rally driver.
“Also because he did some other rallies, he did 10 rallies in the year and he won 10 rallies. eWRC told him that this is a record, so it’s really nice for him.
“And yes for me he did the perfect year – on all the points – but I’m with him every day so I know how he is working for the rally and he deserves a lot, this title.”
Winning every single rally you start is something you or I may have done on a computer game before, but to do it in real life… how on earth does that feel?
“Winning all the races was, above all, a big surprise and then a feeling of accomplishment because the team made a lot of sacrifices for us as well as us the crew to make this season perfect,” Mathieu said.
“Afterwards, we feel really proud to have achieved such a season – it’s unheard of in France.”
The signs were always there that Franceschi had talent as a winner of the same Rallye Jeunes program as a certain Sébastien Ogier.
But to go 10 for 10 is absolutely ridiculous – particularly considering the domination wasn’t just reserved for the French Gravel championship. As his brother mentioned, Franceschi won on both Tarmac and gravel with three different cars and four different co-drivers.
The only constant was the driver, and he was simply, and constantly, the best.
Nobly, Franceschi is quick to credit his team for the unprecedented success.
“We surround ourselves with the best and it paid off,” he said.
“The cohesion we had with the team worked so well. Everyone is very young and everyone has a desire to win!
“Everyone pushed hard in the same direction – today for me this team is my family. I think our strength is our understanding.”
But after a season so perfect, where on earth does Franceschi go from here?
A step up is inevitable, and for Franceschi that means the European Rally Championship in 2023. Winning every rally there would be an even more sensational feat, but it’s far from the 23-year-old’s aim. He simply wants to prove himself on a bigger stage now; prove 2022 was no fluke.
“After a perfect season like that, naturally the goal is to challenge higher,” he said.
“We should participate in the ERC championship. We are currently on the right track to concretize this project but of course I take advantage of this message to say that we are looking for partners to whom we could offer a great family and friendly experience… so join us!”
If there’s any driver to back in 2023, it’s the one that went unbeaten through the whole of 2022.
No matter what happens next, Franceschi will always be the driver that maintained a 100% record this season. And that’s something he’s never going to forget.
“Obviously we will remember the title because it was the number one objective,” he said, “but 10 starts and 10 wins is incredible!
“We will not be able to forget such a season! So I think 2022 is quite simply ingrained in my head forever.”
