Following an impressive run at the recent Tour de Corse event, rally sensation Pierre Campana has his sights set on a full-time opportunity in either Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) or the World Rally Championship (WRC).
Driving a Munaretto Sport-run Peugeot 207 S2000, Pierre finished the gruelling three-day Tour de Corse on the podium with a sublime run to third place, including two overall stage wins, comparing favourably to WRC star and eventual winner Dani Sordo on all three days. Pierre fought recurring gearbox gremlins in the event yet still shone against tough competition to claim a popular podium position, a performance that many commentators praised.
Pierre reflects on the event and looks ahead to the rest of the season as he looks for a permanent drive to build upon his top ten placing in the IRC Series, having contested just one event.
Looking back, how pleased are you with the performance in Tour de Corse?
"Finishing on the podium in an event as competitive, tough and demanding as Tour de Corse is a fantastic result for anyone, but considering it was my first time driving the Peugeot in about one year, and on home ground, it was a very special feeling. The important thing for me now is to use this result as a springboard for the rest of this season. I want to be a permanent part of a championship like IRC or WRC and I think the performance we demonstrated in Corsica showed that I would be a quick and reliable choice for anyone."
You performed strongly against WRC driver Dani Sordo, was he the benchmark for you?
"I was fortunate enough to take part in some WRC events with Drive-Pro and MINI last year, and at Monte Carlo, and I know I can compete with the best. Dani is one of the greatest rally drivers in the world, especially on asphalt, so he was for sure the benchmark for me in Corsica. To have won two stages and be so close to him in others, with some long 30km stages too, proves I am good enough, and it was reassuring to be on his pace."
It wasn’t a straight-forward event, though, was it?
"No, we had to fight hard to get the results because of some technical gremlins during the three days. On the first day, we experienced high tyre degradation and it was only later we realised it was because of a problem with the gearbox that meant the transmission and differential were not performing correctly. On day two, we had a broken gearbox tulip that required replacing but still we showed that we can fight until the very end in any conditions and still be on the podium pace. This is a very positive aspect of the rally.”
What are your aims now?
"I had the fantastic backing from several partners in Tour de Corse, including Perin and Natali Entpreprise, as well as Munaretto and of course Peugeot, who were a great support. I want to use this result to move forward, to get a more regular rally schedule, either in IRC and WRC. We are working hard to achieve that with my management and I hope that people see results from Corsica, and what I achieved in WRC recently, and see my full potential."