The entry list for the 26th edition
- TDCH
- 12 minutes ago
- 7 min read
With more than 400 cars expected, the 26th Tour de Corse Historique will once again be at full capacity when it gets underway from Calvi on 6 October. Never in its history has the rally brought together so many renowned drivers: Didier Auriol, John Buffum, François Delecour, Gilles Panizzi, Bruno Saby, Jos Verstappen and others.
The provisional entry list for the 26th edition of the Tour de Corse Historique (3-10 October 2026) has been eagerly awaited and it more than lives up to expectations. No fewer than 33 car manufacturers are represented, with many iconic models including the Alpine A110, Audi Quattro, Ferrari 308 Gr. 4 Michelotto, Fiat 124 Abarth, Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4, Lancia Stratos, Toyota Celica and Triumph TR7 V8. The crews, meanwhile, come from 24 different countries, some from as far afield as Argentina, Canada, the United States and Guatemala. Above all, however, it is the number of high-profile drivers that is sure to catch the attention of observers.
Five former winners of the modern-era Tour de Corse will be on the start line, boasting a combined total of eleven victories in this iconic WRC event, which has been absent from the championship calendar since 2019.
Didier Auriol returns in a Lancia Delta Integrale Evoluzione identical in every respect to the one he drove in 1992. The French driver, a six-time winner of the Tour de Corse (1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1995) with three different manufacturers (Ford, Lancia and Toyota), and FIA World Rally Champion with Toyota in 1994, finished runner-up in the Tour de Corse Historique on his only appearance in 2018, driving a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth.
François Delecour will be making his first appearance in the rally, driving a BMW M3 with his wife, Priscille, alongside him. World Rally Championship runner-up in 1993 with Ford, the driver from northern France claimed four victories in the World Rally Championship, including one at the 1993 Tour de Corse in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth. He also finished runner-up in the event on four occasions: in 1992 and 1995 with Ford, and again in 1998 and 2000 with Peugeot.
Gilles Panizzi will also be making his debut in the Tour de Corse Historique, driving a Ford Escort Mk II. Nicknamed the “Tarmac Master”, the driver from the French Riviera claimed seven victories in the World Rally Championship, including two at the Tour de Corse in 2000 and 2002 aboard a Peugeot 206 WRC, three at Sanremo and two in Catalonia. His last competitive appearance on the island dates back to the 2005 season, when he drove a works Mitsubishi Lancer, retiring from the event.
Bruno Saby, winner of the 1986 Tour de Corse in a Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, will be reunited with the car he drove 40 years ago. French Rally Champion in 1981 in a Renault 5 Turbo, the driver from Isère also claimed a second World Rally Championship victory at the 1988 Rallye Monte-Carlo in a Lancia Delta HF 4WD, as well as overall victory in the 1993 Paris-Dakar aboard a Mitsubishi Pajero. Remaining true to his long-standing commitment, the Alpine-born driver will be representing his cancer charity (Espoir Isère contre le Cancer).
Pascal Trojani, winner of the 2009 edition in a Peugeot 307 WRC, returns in a BMW M3 identical to the one he campaigned during the 1990s. In his debut season in Historic Rallying last year, the Corsican driver finished third overall in the Tour de Corse Historique and claimed three victories, at the Ronde de la Giraglia, the Rallye des Monts de Vaucluse and the Rallye de l’Huveaune.
Other renowned drivers from a variety of motorsport disciplines also feature on the entry list for the 26th edition.
Raphaël Astier will be making his debut start in the event aboard a Porsche 911. A two-time FIA R-GT Cup winner in 2018 and 2022, and French Two-Wheel-Drive Rally Champion in both 2023 and 2025, the driver from Ardèche has already claimed victories this season at the Rallye d’Antibes-Côte d’Azur and the Rallye Rhône-Charbonnières. He currently leads the French Rally Championship standings.
Yoann Bonato, who persuaded Didier Auriol to take part, will also compete in a Lancia Delta Integrale Evoluzione. With six French Rally Championship titles (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2025), the driver from Isère is the most successful rally driver in France. Having remained loyal to Citroën for many years, he is defending his crown this season at the wheel of a Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, and has already secured a victory at the Rallye du Touquet-Pas-de-Calais.
John Buffum, who took part in the event in 2024, returns in a Ford Escort Mk II entered in the VHRS regularity category. He remains the only American driver ever to have won a round of the European Rally Championship, first at the ADAC-Sachs Rally in 1983 and then in Cyprus in 1984, both at the wheel of an Audi Quattro. Driving the iconic German Group B machine, he also claimed victory at Pikes Peak on two occasions in the Unlimited category. The veteran, who will celebrate his 83rd birthday on 4 October in the Calvi start village, boasts an extraordinary record of 11 SCCA titles and 120 victories.
Philippe Gache will be contesting his eleventh Tour de Corse Historique, once again at the wheel of a Porsche 911. A highly versatile driver, the Avignon native has made ten appearances at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, four in the Dakar Rally, one in the Indianapolis 500, and claimed two victories in the 24 Hours of Chamonix. He has also won the Tour de Corse Historique twice, in 2011 and 2012.
Jos Verstappen promised he’d be back… and he’s keeping his word! Ranked 21st in his first participation in 2024, Jos Verstappen will be at the starting line in 2026, crowned with the title of Belgian ‘modern’ Rally Champion. The former Formula 1 driver, who discovered ‘historic’ rallying in Corsica in a Porsche 911, will this time be behind the wheel of a BMW M3.
Seven former overall winners of the Tour de Corse Historique Competition category will be on the start line in 2026:
Hervé Guignard (winner in 2009) in a Renault 5 Tour de Corse;
Philippe Gache (winner in 2011 and 2012) in a Porsche 911;
Christophe Vaison (winner in 2014 and 2015);
Christophe Casanova (winner in 2021) in a Porsche 911;
Thomas Argenti (winner in 2022) in a BMW M3;
Julien Saunier (winner in 2024) in a Renault 5 Maxi;
Mathieu Fassio (winner in 2025 in the Historic Competition category) in a Porsche 911.
The last four winning crews in the VHRS Regularity category will also be on the start line in 2026:
Yves Deflandre and Jennifer Hugo (winners in 2025) in a Porsche 911;
Christophe Baillet (six-time winner in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2024);
Lionel Garnier and Bertrand Triffault (winners in 2023) in a Porsche 912 Coupé;
Emmanuel Saussereau and Stéphane Poulard (winners in 2022) in a Fiat 124 Abarth.
They said...
Raphaël Astier, Porsche 911: “I’ve competed in the modern Tour de Corse three times, but I’ve never taken part in the Historique. I particularly remember the La Porta stage, which was almost 50 km long in 2018. It was held in May and we were hot, both literally and figuratively, with ridge-top sections where we were getting airborne. During reconnaissance, however, we had time to take in the scenery, which was absolutely magnificent. I’m looking forward to tackling these long stages again, but also to discovering this rally format, which I would describe as an endurance event spread over five days. I don’t have a huge amount of experience in historic rallying, but I really enjoy the idea of adapting my driving in real time according to sensations, vibrations or even smells that are constantly changing. It’s very different from modern cars, where we are flat out all the time. We’ll prepare for the event as thoroughly as possible with the aim of fighting for a top-five finish.”
Gilles Panizzi, Ford Escort Mk II: “When I’m cycling in the hills above Nice, I sometimes catch sight of Corsica and feel a sense of nostalgia. My best rally memories were made there. A number of regular competitors, including Alain Oreille, eventually convinced me to give the Tour de Corse Historique a try. I hope to rediscover the atmosphere of those days, the kind that no longer exists in modern rallying. I’m looking forward to the reconnaissance runs, taking the time to stop for a meal at a restaurant or visit friends along the way. Rally fans may have hoped to see me back in a Peugeot 306 Maxi, but it will be a Ford Escort Mk II instead - a car that has the advantage of being relatively affordable, easy to prepare and enjoyable to drive. It’s certainly not the fastest, but above all I’m coming to enjoy myself and put on a show. I’ve entrusted it to my friend Pascal Enjolras, who was already preparing Peugeot’s factory 306 Maxi cars back in the 1990s.”
Jos Verstappen, BMW M3: “I discovered historic rallying during the 2024 edition, behind the wheel of a powerful Porsche 911 with no electronic assistance. The roads there are nothing like the ones I’m used to driving on all year in Belgium, and the conditions in 2024 were particularly tough, with heavy rain from day one. Renaud (Jamoul, co-driver) and I learned a lot, especially when it came to pace notes. We’re thrilled to be back in 2026, still with Romain Joffroy’s team. This time, we’ve decided to go for a more modern BMW M3, which should suit me better. I can’t wait to be on the starting line… It’s a legendary event!”
A reminder of the three categories
The Competition category (VHC) follows the same rules as modern rallying. To win, crews must set the fastest times across the special stages. Times are added together over the five days of the rally. The crew that records the lowest cumulative time across all timed sections is declared the winner at the finish.
In the Regularity category (VHRS), competitors must complete the special stages while adhering as closely as possible to a pre-selected average speed (High, Intermediate, Moderate or Low). Every second gained or lost incurs a penalty. Control points are positioned throughout the timed sections.
The Legend category, meanwhile, is not timed in any way. It allows crews to take part in the event purely for enjoyment, without any performance-related pressure.
