Bryan Bouffier will make his debut in a new-generation World Rally Car on Rallye Monte-Carlo next month even though he hasn’t quite secured the budget he needs to take part on the event he won in 2011.
Bouffier has been overwhelmed by the amount of support he has received from companies in his native France to contest round one of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship, but told WRC.com prior to Christmas that he is still chasing approximately 15 per cent of the funding required to drive a Citroen DS3 WRC on the asphalt showcase from 15-20 January.
“Thanks to the support of a lot of companies I have this fantastic opportunity to do this great race and I will be there, there is no chance I won’t be,” said Bouffier, who won Rallye Monte-Carlo when it counted as a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge two years ago. “There is still some money to get but I am working hard to get this.”
Bouffier’s deal with French team PH Sport, which is partly owned by Sebastien Loeb, includes two days of testing. It is hoped one day will be spent on dry asphalt, the other in snow conditions to ensure he is prepared for all eventualities.
“It is a fantastic project,” said the 34-year-old Bouffier, a former national champion in France and Poland. “My target is to be at the finish with some good stage times. If the weather is dry I think it will be difficult to do more than this because the entry is very strong. But if the weather is changing then you don’t know what can happen.”