Julien Saunier puts the turbo on!

The Renault 5 Maxi Turbo will be the star of the Tour de Corse Historique (from October 4 to 11, 2025), and for good reason: the 2024 winner, Julien Saunier, will line up at the start behind the wheel of a rare example of this Group B monster.

The ultimate evolution of the Renault 5 Turbo, the Maxi was only produced in very limited numbers in 1985 and 1986: four for the manufacturer, nine for its customers, and seven that served as parts banks. While one may occasionally reappear at a show or exhibition, they are much rarer in competition. The 2025 edition of the Tour de Corse Historique will be an exception, with several models at the start, one of them entered by the outgoing winner, Julien Saunier, backed by Renault.

“The idea came to me right after the 2024 edition,” recalls Julien Saunier. “Immediately after the podium, event organiser Marie-Ange Dini told me that she was preparing a celebration for 2025 to mark the 40th anniversary of Jean Ragnotti's victory. As a Renault factory driver, I didn’t want to miss such an opportunity, so I began searching for a car… but to no avail. I was starting to lose hope when I was contacted by the family of an owner who had died in November. It was a model assembled in 1998 by the Bozian preparer, based on a Maxi chassis sold with a stock of parts by the Dieppe factory in 1988. The car is entirely original and even has the precious DPV, a patented system by Renault Sport that keeps the turbo spinning continuously, eliminating turbo lag. This mechanism is now impossible to find, and it alone represents a large part of the car's value."

First test in July

One of the reasons why the Renault 5 Maxi Turbo is so rare in historic competition is that the original aluminium roll cage is no longer approved for safety reasons. The car's VHC eligibility now depends on the installation of steel tubes. It's a major job, and one that few owners undertake. “My brother Quentin and I are working on this project together, without counting the hours,” admits Julien Saunier. “We’re about to start reassembling the engine and gearbox, which have been overhauled. This will raise a number of questions, including whether to keep the original electronic control unit, or replace it with a more recent model. The same goes for the intercoolers. We want the car to be faithful to the original, but also to perform well and be reliable. Fortunately, we can count on the support of Renault, as well as the invaluable advice of François Bernard and Philippe Coblence, who were responsible for the chassis and engine at the time."

Will the R5 Maxi Turbo be able to compete with the BMW M3 and Porsche 911, which have dominated the Tour de Corse Historique in recent years? Julien Saunier will get the first clues in July, during the testing of his car in the Monts du Lyonnais. Footages from this session will be shared on the Tour de Corse Historique’s Facebook and Instagram accounts… Stay tuned!

Last but not least, the celebration of the Renault 5 Turbo promises to be particularly spectacular, with 23 cars entered: R5 Turbos, Cévennes, Tour de Corse and three Maxis.

I’m truly honoured that my 1985 victory is being celebrated by the Tour de Corse Historique this year. I have great admiration for Julien — not only is he an outstanding driver, but also an excellent coach. I’ll definitely be following his preparation and performance closely — though to be honest, I already did that last year! I was checking the website every day to read the reports and see the results. And every evening, I sent Julien a little message. [Jean Ragnotti]