The F1 drivers who took on the challenge of the Tour de Corse

Now that the route for the next historic Tour de Corse has been unveiled, we take a look back at the archives. This iconic rally, a must-see event on the European and world calendars, has seen many F1 drivers take up the challenge. How did they fare?

When the world's best circuit drivers swap the smooth asphalt of Grand Prix tracks for the winding roads of the Corsican mountains, the result is a mixture of daring, suspense, and often disaster. The Tour de Corse, nicknamed the “rally of 10,000 turns,” has long attracted Formula 1 talent, offering them the chance to test their skills in a landscape with no speed limits. But the island's winding reputation is linked as much to triumph as it is to tragedy. Bernard Darniche remains the undisputed king of the Isle of Beauty. His six victories have cemented his name in rallying legend, a benchmark that still haunts all drivers who dare to tackle its endless bends.

Lucien Bianchi A name that resonates in the history of motorsport, the Belgian driver was the great-uncle of Jules Bianchi and a pillar of endurance racing in the 1960s, notably at Le Mans, where he died in 1969. Between 1960 and 1968, he also competed in 17 Formula 1 Grand Prix races, crowning his single-seater career with a podium finish in Monaco. Bianchi's foray into the world of rallying saw him compete six times in the Tour de Corse (1960, 1961, 1964-66, 1968). He made a sensational debut, finishing second overall in a Simca, then in 1968 he won his category and finished third overall at the wheel of a Citroën DS.

Jo Schlesser Schlesser's F1 career ended in tragedy: a fatal accident in Rouen in 1962 claimed his life at the age of 40, his car bursting into flames on impact, a grim reminder of the dangers of the sport. In tribute, race winner Jacky Ickx laid the winner's bouquet on the wreckage. The driver's nephew, Jean-Louis Schlesser, carried the family name to Corsica three times, achieving his best result in 1963 with a second place alongside his co-driver Patrick Vanson in an iconic AC Cobra.

Vic Elford A true jack-of-all-trades, the Briton competed in endurance races, 13 F1 races, and numerous rallies. He competed four times in the Tour de Corse, retiring twice, but when the car held up, he proved his worth: a podium finish in 1966 behind a Porsche 911, followed by another top-three result in 1967 with the upgraded 911 R. Gérard Larrousse Larrousse tackled all the major rallies—French, European, and World Championships—with six participations to his credit. His first attempts at the wheel of an Alpine A110 (1967-68) were marred by mechanical problems, but his partnership with Maurice Gélin in a Porsche 911R in 1969 earned him a podium finish in the national event. His subsequent entries in 1972 and 1975 ended prematurely, while his 1974 world championship attempt in an Alpine A110 1800 with Christian Delferier fell just four minutes short of the podium. Didier Pironi
Before his brief and brilliant F1 career, cut short by a terrible accident at Hockenheim in 1982, Pironi tried his hand at rallying in 1975. At the wheel of a Renault 12 Gordini on the unforgiving roads of Corsica, a broken flywheel forced him to retire, a modest footnote in a life marked by both promise and tragedy. The Polish driver's attempt at rallying nearly ended his career. In February 2011, a high-speed crash in Andorra saw his Škoda hit a safety barrier, the impact driving the barrier into the car and leaving Kubica seriously injured. This accident highlighted the fine line between ambition and disaster that every F1 driver faces when venturing into the world of rallying. For decades, the Tour de Corse has been a veritable melting pot where Formula 1 legends are forged or humbled by the island's relentless twists and turns. Their stories, ranging from podium finishes to fatal accidents, illustrate why rallying remains a magnet for the sport's most daring competitors.

He suffered multiple fractures and lost part of his right arm, forcing him to temporarily withdraw from Formula 1, where he was establishing himself as one of the sport's top talents. After a few years away, he made his comeback. The 2013 WRC2 champion has competed twice in the Rallye de Corse. The first time, during the European championship season in which he won the title, he was driving a Citroën DS3. In the 56th edition of the event, he was forced to retire due to a fuel problem. Two years later, while competing in the WRC, the former Williams driver was again unlucky: although he set the fastest time on the first special stage, a gearbox problem ruined his chances. He still managed to win the Power Stage and finished the rally in 15th place.