Interview: Emmanuel Guigou, a big name in rallying in France!
Car driver for over 25 years, Emmanuel Guigou is a legend: ten-time French Rally Champion! Born in Montpellier in 1971, he has always been immersed in the Renault group, with the Diamond brand and then Alpine since last year. MotorsInside had the pleasure of interviewing him in an exclusive interview.
Emmanuel, you have an impressive track record! Can you tell us about your rally career and current activities?
(e) I started at Renault Sport in 2003. Since 2018, I have been driving an Alpine, initially in development. Now I am behind the wheel of an Alpine A110, which started at the Mont Blanc Rally in 2020. We were champions with this car last year in the two-wheel drive category!
I am participating in the R-GT World Cup this year. We won the Monte Carlo Rally, first in the two-wheel drive category and second in the overall standings. And we are currently leading the R-GT World Championship, which is more commonly known as the World Cup.
Is there a typical Alpine mindset, even in rallying?
« Alpine’s DNA is to produce lightweight and agile cars. The production vehicle, the A110, exactly replicates these characteristics, and I can feel it in my rally driving. Compared to a four-wheel drive, my car is 1140 kilos lighter, which is huge! It’s a real performance guarantee.
You have been invited by Alpine to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in August. It is a symbolic moment to be invited among the other drivers of the brand!
« Le Mans is legendary! It’s the greatest race in the world, all manufacturers want to come! Seeing Alpine perform in the top category is fantastic. I am very proud to represent Alpine, even more proud to have been able to be part of the parade with my rally car! »
Alpine has won in F1, fought for the overall standings in Endurance… what are your ambitions in rallying for you and the brand?
Without mentioning going to the WRC, it’s already fantastic to be able to participate in the R-GT World Cup this year. It includes 5 rounds of the European Rally Championship. We won in Monte Carlo, we finished P2 at the Rallye de Rome…this car allows for a lot of performance. It even allows us to compete against the four-wheel drives!
When you are a rally driver and face the track, what separates the two worlds?
« In terms of trajectory, we are pretty much staying on the same track. What will differ is the environment: circuits like Le Mans or Paul Ricard will require a certain repetition of gestures and reflexes, while in rallying, it’s more about improvisation. Between two runs, the terrain can change significantly in appearance, for example, if it rains. Not to mention the dirt, gravel, a dry reconnaissance while the track is wet or muddy in the car… The roads are much narrower for us. »
Then, rallying is a sport that is free for spectators. There is a real proximity with the public, who are very close to the cars. You can also stop and talk to them.
25 years of career in motor racing is something we hardly ever see, except in Rallying?
This discipline requires a lot of experience. This is acquired over the years, as there are so many parameters to take into account. A young Rally driver will need more time than a rookie on track. In F1, Endurance, or other disciplines, adaptation is easier due to the repetition of laps and trajectories. This is the major difference between these two worlds!
