Ari Vatanen at Circuit des Remparts 2018!
Ari Vatanen, 1981 World Rally Champion and 1997 World Rally-Raid Champion, will be the Guest of Honor at Circuit des Remparts 2018.
The Finnish driver has agreed to accompany all of the event’s events: on Saturday September 15, he’ll take part in the International Rally at the wheel of a historic BMW, then chair the State Competition jury.
On Sunday 16, his evolutions at the wheel of a competition BMW will punctuate the various events on the circuit.

ARI VATANEN, GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE RAMPARTS: “IN LIFE, YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT AND ACCEPT THE SLIPS”.

Jean-Marc Laffont, President of the Association du Circuit des Remparts d’Angoulême, is particularly delighted by the arrival of the world champion: “It’s a great honor for Angoulême, for the Circuit des Remparts, its partners, its spectators, for all the competitors, to welcome Ari Vatanen. Ari is an extraordinary driver. He has managed, before anyone else, to win on all types of terrain, from the icy tracks of the Swedish Rally to the scorching sands of the Dakar and the asphalt of the San Remo and Monte Carlo – half tar, half ice! Not to mention his human qualities, which are as good as his record of achievements…”.
Ari Vatanen had never been to the Charente region before: “I’ve been hearing about the Circuit des Remparts d’Angoulême for years, but my schedule had never allowed me to make the trip. It was time to accept this invitation. I’m very happy to be able to come and breathe in vintage motoring and historic racing in Angoulême at its most authentic, festive and convivial!”.
BIOGRAPHY : Ari Vatanen, born April 27, 1952 in Tuupovaara, Finland, lives in the south of France. World Rally Champion in 1981 (Ford Escort, co-driver David Richards), he has contested 101 world events, won 527 special stages and finished on the podium 27 times, including 10 top-spot finishes, in an exceptionally long career (1974 to 2003).
He also won the Paris-Dakar four times: three with Peugeot (1987, 1989, 1990) and once with Citroën (1991).
On another front, one of his most spectacular feats was his victory (and the record for the fastest ascent) in 1988 at the Pikes Peak hill-climb in the USA, at the wheel of a Peugeot 405 T16.
His performance was captured on film in Jean-Louis Mourey’s Climb Dance.