Delecour to drive new Škoda on 2023 Monte Carlo Rally

François Delecour will contest next month’s Monte Carlo Rally behind the wheel of a Toksport Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.

It will be the 60-year-old’s 23rd attempt at the Monte, an event he won back in 1994 in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth.

Delecour, a four-time event winner in the World Rally Championship, retired from full-time WRC competition after the 2002 season with Mitsubishi.

But ever since he has made sporadic appearances, particularly on the season-opening Monte, including as recently as this year where he drove an Alpine A110 Rally RGT to third in class.

Delecour said he had been working on plans to hire an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 for next month’s event, but there wasn’t a car available for him to use.

But in a social media on statement on Saturday, he confirmed that he will drive in WRC2 with a new Škoda.

“It is with great joy that I announce my participation in the next Monte Carlo Rally behind the wheel of a superb Škoda WRC2 car from Toksport WRT alongside the best drivers in the category,” he said.

“Sabrina de Castelli will be by my side [as co-driver] to try to put on a nice performance and believe me we will do what is necessary!”

Delecour has driven Rally1 machine before, as back in March he drove Hyundai’s i20 N Rally1 for a PR event for French publication L’Equipe.

He has only driven an R5/Rally2 car once before though, driving a Citroën DS3 R5 on a Swiss event six years ago.

Delecour is no strange to heroics on the Monte in an equivalent class of car though, shining in a Peugeot 207 S2000 during the 2011 event when the snow came down and he aced his tire choice.

Other great Delecour Monte drives include second place in a Peugeot 306 Maxi in 1996 and of course in 1991 when – as a young hotshot – he led into the final leg before damaging his Ford Sierra RS Cosworth’s rear suspension, having to settle for third instead.

Entries for the 2023 Monte Carlo Rally closed yesterday, Friday December 16.