The 31st edition of the Tour Auto can count on the participation of Henri Pescarolo. Soon to be 80 years old, the illustrious French driver will cross France alongside Michel Périn at the wheel of a 1974 BMW 3.0 CSL. Victorious in 1997, the man with the green helmet intends to repeat the operation.
Henri Pescarolo returns to the Tour Auto pmore than two decades after his victory ! He will travel the roads of France at the wheel of a 1974 BMW 3.0 CSL. A familiar car since the driver with the green helmet drove it four times in the European Touring Championship between 1973 and 1974. He will rally Paris to the Principality of Andorra in the company of the emeritus co-pilot Michel Périn, quadruple winner of the Dakar among others.
Back 52 years after his 1time participation and 25 years after his victory
Henri Pescarolo is not a rally regular. He only participated twice. In 1997, the pilot had traveled France at the wheel of an AC Cobra on the advice of sports journalist Johnny Rives, whom he had moreover enlisted at his side. The duo had managed to impose themselves in front of seasoned cars such as the Ferrari 250 LM, Ford GT40 or Lotus Elan.
In 1970, the quadruple winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was already teaming up with Johnny Rives when the event was still called “Tour de France Automobile”. The Pescarolo-Rives duo climbed to second place in the standings with the legendary Mastra MS650, behind Jean-Pierre Beltoise at the wheel of the second factory prototype. A loose nut on the La Coubre special as well as a puncture on the Mont Ventoux hill climb had deprived the two men of victory. They were 4 minutes and 15 seconds late at the finish. At the dawn of his 80th birthday, which he will celebrate on September 25, Henri Pescarolo intends – once again – to put his name at the top of the bill.
