Delecour axed in Peugeot reshuffle.
Less than 24 hours after helping Peugeot land a championship double, Francois Delecour finds himself surplus to requirements at the French team.
Despite considerable speculation about his position in the team leading up to last weekend's Rally of Great Britain, few expected Delecour - a Peugeot stalwart in recent years - to be axed from the squad, even if other drivers became available. As things turn out, however, this is exactly what has happened.
Less than 24 hours after helping Peugeot land a championship double, Francois Delecour finds himself surplus to requirements at the French team.
Despite considerable speculation about his position in the team leading up to last weekend's Rally of Great Britain, few expected Delecour - a Peugeot stalwart in recent years - to be axed from the squad, even if other drivers became available. As things turn out, however, this is exactly what has happened.
A row with team-mate Gilles Panizzi over an alleged illegal recce for the San Remo Rally preceded another with team boss Corrado Provera, and a similar situation as the final round returned to Cardiff finally precipitated the Frenchman's departure.
In his place comes SEAT refugee Didier Auriol, in a move not entirely unexpected in WRC circles. Auriol, a former world champion, has been angling after a move to Peugeot ever since SEAT's exit from the series was announced several months ago, but he was tipped to partner both Delecour and new world champion Marcus Gronholm in an expanded three-car line-up rather than replacing his volatile compatriot.
The sensible money had been on Panizzi, not as renowned an all-rounder as Delecour before the Rally of Great Britain, leaving the team, but the quiet Frenchman has been retained to contest the four tarmac events on next year's calendar. Panizzi will also run on a further five events with the Italian privateer outfit Grifone, which switches from Toyotas to Peugeots for 2001.
The surprise in Peugeot's line-up for next year, however is rising Finnish star Harri Rovanpera. Another to have been cast aside by SEAT in recent times, Rovanpera performed well on his return to the fold last weekend, and has been snapped up to contest seven loose surface events for his new employer. Peugeot used Sebastian Lindholm for the occasional event in 2000 in an effort to bolster Gronholm's championship challenge.
Delecour's future is now uncertain, despite having run at the front on the majority of events this year, and taking runner-up spot in both the San Remo and Corsican rounds. He has formerly driven for the Ford team but, with Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz already in place, and Toni Gardemeister tipped for a third car, this looks out of the question for 2001.
