The 21st Tour de Corse Historique held between 4-9 October 2021 will celebrate the Alpine name and its iconic Berlinette A110, the star of the poster of this year’s event that’s already promising to be a thriller in more ways than one, in particular thanks to the announcement of two new stage towns.
Fifty years ago, Alpine won the International Championship for Makes organised by the FIA. It repeated this success two years later in what had since become the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers. In the course of its glorious history the make founded by Jean Rédélé also shone by winning the Tour de Corse four times between 1968 and 1973. The first to clinch victory in an A110 was Jean-Claude Andruet co-driven by Maurice Gélin. Then came Bernard Darniche-Bernard Demange who won in 1970, the first of three consecutive victories for Alpine*, thanks to the performances of Jean-Claude Andruet-“Biche” (1972) and Jean-Pierre Nicolas-Michel Vial (1973), which made the Berlinette one of the most-titled cars in the history of the Tour de Corse.
This homage to the French manufacturer by the organisers will take place in what will be a historic year for Alpine marked by its entry for the top category in the FIA World Endurance Championship, as well as its arrival in Formula 1 as the Renault F1 Team has now been rebranded the Alpine F1 Team.
* the rally was cancelled in 1971
THE STAGE TOWNS
On the programme of the 21st Tour de Corse Historique is a new route of more than 900 kilometres to be covered in five days comprising 18 special stages including some used by the WRC (in all 350 km on closed roads) and 550 km liaisons on the most beautiful roads the island has to offer.
The crews, a record number of 230 last year, will rendezvous in Porto-Vecchio on 4-5 October where scrutineering and admistrative checks will take place before the first two special stages scheduled for the afternoon of 5th October. The next day competitors will head for the north east of Corsica and the village of Borgo dominating the la Marana plain with a view over the sea, which will host the rally for the first time. Then the route will go to the north west and the third stage town, Calvi, the economic and tourist capital of la Balagne, overlooked by its historic citadel. After that, off to the south of the island on the fourth day to the city of Propriano, another newcomer to this edition of the event. And finally the finish of the rally will take place in Porto-Vecchio, the third-largest commune on the island in terms of size and the number of inhabitants. In the past, the town was famous for the production of salt from its marshes. Today it is better known for its superb beaches on the edge of the Tyrrhenian sea. And for hoisting the historic Tour de Corse in keeping with a well-established tradition!
Jean-Christophe Angelini, the mayor of Porto-Vecchio, was determined to lend his support to this not-to-be-missed rendezvous in the world of historic racing: “A well-established tradition exists in Portivechju linked to motor sport and drivers who have shone beyond Corsica in Europe and even further afield. It covers several generations and now another one with rising stars full of talent. “So it is absolutely normal that Porto-Vecchio is the start and finish town of this international event called the Tour de Corse Historique. Beyond the purely sporting aspect there are other things at stake including the economic angle. Thus, it is quite logical that the commune, elected officials and agents have been mobilised to back this event and accompany the Tour de Corse Historique. It’s a support that we give on a wider basis to the associative sporting network whose involvement and vigour are well known in the heart of our commune.”
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