Each time
pilots had to rise it, the Turini made victims. Thus, since it belongs
to the course of the Monte Carlo, it trapped a number of drivers. Relive
on this page the broad pages of this stage history, often devastating.
1968 :
Larrousse leaves the road and gives up :
This year,
the Turini is completely deprived of snow and the drivers thus chose
tires in foncion of that. It is thus with racing tires that Larrousse
(Alpine - first at the end of the concentration race in front of the
Porsche of Elford with 14'' and the one of Toïvonen with 1'03)
launches out in the rise of Turini. Right before the passage of the
collar, witnesses threw and packed snow at the exit of a turn without
visibility. Larrousse skids, runs up against violently the rock and
gives up, torn off wheel.

1973 :
Puncture of Andruet :
In
this stage history, one especially remembers the edition 1973. This
year, Jean-Claude Andruet, shouldered by his faithful co-driver "Biche",
is at the head of the rally whereas the last leg starts. Its more savage
rival is Ove Andersson. In the first stage (Col de la Madonne), Andersson
carries out a remarkable performance : nonglad to sign the scratch,
he beats the record of 40 seconds ! In the second (first passage on
the Turini) and the third stage, Andersson nibbles little by little
hiss delay on Andruet. Suspense is with its roof. At this time, the
inconceivable occurs in the fourth stage of the complementary test,
the second passage of the Col de Turini: Jean-Claude is victim of a
puncture (above photo). He thinks of having lost the rally and whereas
he resigns himself to the abandonment, "Biche" encourages
and pushes him to finish the stage with a tire postpones left flat.
He thus loses 2 minutes 25 seconds as well as the head of the general
classification. He now is at the third rank with 1mn05s behind Andersson.
But in the following timed sector (Col de la Couillote), Andersson makes
a fault, types in a wall of snow, bursts two tires and loses nearly
forty seconds, while Andruet and Nicolas sign the scratch with an identical
time. Ove has nothing any more but 10 seconds in advance on the second:
Jean-Pierre Nicolas. Andruet went up like never, and succeeds in taking
again the command in the penultimate stage, the last passage on the
Turini, with respectively 14 and 21 small seconds in advance on Andersson
and Nicolas. Finally, after the 18 km of the test of the Col de la Madonne
: Andersson puts all his forces in the battle and republishes at his
enormous stopwatch of 15mn23s realized at the time of the first passage
but at the same time Andruet carries out 15mn11s. "Biche"
will affirm later that Jean-Claude led in this stage like never, and
that Ove never returned from there. The performance of Andruet is splendid,
and he thus gains without any doubt his most beautiful victory. The
Turini stage will thus remain forever the one which will have marked
the first World Rally Championship event.
Written
with the participation of Philippe Callais.

1979 :
The scandal :
The
scandal of 1979 will also remain in the history of this stage : whereas
Waldegård
carries out the ball before the last night of the rally pushing back
Darniche to more than 6 minutes, he is victim of the stupidity of somes
witnesses who place two enormous stones on the road to block him thus
making him lose more than 30 seconds while the french driver and his
Stratos equipped with all the new tires Michelin PB18 with extra-tender
range sign a amazing time. The Swedish will lose here the rally for
6 small seconds. But fortunately for this sport, he will gain the World
championship title at the end of the year becoming the first World Rally
Champion.

1991 :
The sadness of Delecour :
François
Delecour is at the head of the rally when he approaches the ascenssion
of the Turini, and this whereas it is his first rally at the wheel of
an official car of the Championship of the World, a Ford Sierra Cosworth
4x4. But this stage definitely decided to be the fear of the drivers
and the car of the French releases (rupture of the rocket postpones
gauche). Thus, the crew sees itself pushed back in the 3rd place of
the final classification behind victorious Sainz and Biasion 2nd.
We
had up to that point attended a merveillous fight between the young
François and Carlos Sainz, this last which noted besides that
never he had seen somebody going as quickly on the terrible roads of
the Riviera back-country whereas the first recalled that Spanish was
champion of the world in title and that he go very very fast. The arrival
of the last passage on Turini (there are three this year) is very awaited
and there is many people on the line. When, harnessed with the table
of pointing, Bruno Saby and Daniel Grataloup learn that the Delecour/Pauwels
crew arrived slowly, it is sadness for all the fans of this young promising
driver. When the Ford finally arrives, François leaves while
crying and does not cease repeating "I not typed board, I lost
a wheel" (the rocket had indeed broken little before the arrival
with the collar and a weakness of the part was detected by the experts
of Ford after the rally). The first to come to slip some words of comfort
to him is Bruno Saby: "it is not serious François you
will gain others of them."
Everyone
will retain the sadness of this attaching crew and Delecour will take
its revenge on the fate by win this event in 1994 at the wheel of Ford
Escort Cosworth.

1993 :
Toyota :
François
Delecour (Ford Escort RS Cosworth) and Didier Auriol (Toyota Celica
Turbo 4WD) fought together on the Alps roads and François seems
inaccessible.
Before
the last stages, those of the "Night of Turini", the Ford
pilot is in front of but at this time the second cost with the contact
and puts 1 second per kilometer with the first who finally brings the
victory for 15 small seconds.
After
the race, François acknowledged:
"There
I estimate that it is the Toyota which gained! In the Turini, I attacked,
in Couillole I did my utmost, in Gagelin I make nevertheless 25 seconds
more quickly than Miki (Miki Biasion was its fellow-member)... No! No!
The car is brilliant! But I repeat it I gained the 1993 Monte Carlo."
François
Delecour, in this interview, wanted to render comprehensible that Toyota
had cheated and everyone knows that two years later, Toyota was disqualified
and banished championship for one year for cheating (their system of
turbo support made it possible to increase the engine output).

2001 :
Colin McRae out :
In
2001, Colin McRae was on lead before the Turini and disappeared of the
classification after. In fact, he left the road on this stage and retired,
leaving Mäkinen win the 3rd of his 4 victories at the Monte Carlo.

2003 :
Märtin touches, Citroen signs the triplet :
In
2003, it is Markko Märtin who was victim of this road: after having
taken the 3rd place to Sainz for 08''3 in the preceding stage (SS 12:
Loda-Lucéram), he made a slew-round and a small meeting with
ripe of snow. Consequence: waste of time and thus end of any hope to
take down a podium what leaves the free track to Citroen to carry out
a superb triplet, thing that up to that point only the Alpine one had
realized in 1973 ; and also, more appreciable thing when one is on the
roadside, he makes a new design for his Focus front.
This
same year, Teuronen and his Suzuki Ignis Super 1600 gave up (under my
eyes) after having typed a rock with the before-right of the car in
the first kilometers what could be noticed by a bumper completely destroyed
and an offset wheel. I am placed at semi-descent, the cars ravel one
after the other then a large hole... What is this? an abandonment?...
patience, not immediately... then one intends the car indeed to arrive
but with a very odd noise, by acoups, the pilot has much evil to negotiate
the turns and very as many difficulties of remaining well placed in
the straight lines. He arrives in front of us, one needs little time
to realize concern. The car goes more and more slowly. The suplice will
not last a long time any more, a few hundred meters further one intends
it to stop, abandonment.

2004 :
Solberg victim of the Turini :
In
2004, it is Petter Solberg (Subaru Impreza) and Anthony Warmbold (Ford
Focus) who are made trap. This last fate in first passage (SS12), at
the end of the rise, in the final series of hairpins where he leaves
the road and finds a tree, abandonment. At the time of the SS14, Anthony
Warmbold, author of a good race (8th at the end of the SS13) is made
trap by this terrible road, leaves the road and sees himself forced
to give up. In same time, Solberg, 5th before the departure, leaves
the road temporarily but the consequences will be less severe and Norwegian
will be able to set out again with the idle for finally arriving at
Bollène 3' 58''2 behind the best performor, Märtin and his
Focus who run the stage in 24'03''9 with an average of 81,2 km/h, a
very good time within sight of the conditions to compare with the dryness
of the edition 2002, year of the record of this special stage (Solberg
in 22' 02' ' 2 to 89,4 km/h of average). The Subaru driver will take
share with the SS15 with this same problem, will still lose 3'24''7
on the scratch and will join the arrival after having retrogressed of
two places in 52,1 km!

2005 :
Public or drivers, who is faulty ?
The
Turini 2005 was particularly animated and made much speak about him.
Reason: exits of Grönholm, Solberg and Cecchettini on the SS12,
500m after the collar, in one of the first turns of the descent. All
three slipped on a plate of snow which, according to certain statements,
would have been deposited by witnesses after the passage of the openers.
But this responsibility must however be moderate. Indeed, several elements
can show the culpability of the drivers in these incidents. Mills for
example, the co-driver of Solberg, had as a note at this place: "extra
slippy ice !" and in spite of that Solberg - as videos show
it - arrived very quickly at this place. Moreover, Norwegian left his
trajectory by typing the wall inside the turn. Result,
he sinks straight in the wall and loses a wheel. Technical staff requires
of him to immobilize the Impreza not more to damage it. On his website,
he told : "I just made a mistake". As for Grönholm,
the situation is a little more ambiguous, he did not touch this same
wall and his exit is the consequence only of this plate of snow, but
he also acknowledges being arrived too quickly at this place. Lastly,
it should be noted that the year 2005 was particularly dry and the drivers
used racing tires but the Col de Turini culminates with 1607m and at
this altitude snow and glaze are frequent. Thus
equipped, the drivers have much evil to control their car on such coatings
what explains easily how a simple plate of snow can be enough to put
several except race of them. Then is it necessary to reject all the
fault on the witnesses? It is certain that this attitude is irresponsible,
dangerous and unconscious, it puts in danger public and crews, but one
should not either neglect the drivers'share of responsibility. It is
not a chance besides if Loeb apprehended this turn with 30 km/h, he
knew that this place was dangerous and his openers had even prevented
him that there was "agitated witnesses" at this turn. At all
events, of this operation one will up to that point retain the abandonment
of Solberg 3rd of the General, and the 5' 15 '' lost by Grönholm
which managed to join the arrival conceding his 2nd place to Gardemeister
for his first rally on the Focus and making it possible Panizzi to go
up on the podium whereas retrogressed to him in the 5th place of the
rally. In same time, Kresta signed the scratch of the SS12. For second
passage (SS15), gained by Loeb, no particular problem to underline,
if it is not Boland who had to use his extinguisher while arriving at
Sospel.

2006 :
Popov out, yellow flag, misunderstanding at the top of Turini
For
its 74th edition, the Monte Carlo 2006 passed three times on Turini:
saturdays evening first of all, as second leg closure, with a start
at 16h38 which will make that half of the competitors will run it by
night ; then twice Sunday, the second passage being the last special
stage of the rally... a particularly decisive stage thus ! The first
passage was thus run by night, whereas the fog settled at the col and
that moisture grew, returning the stage very slipping for half of the
crews, difficult conditions whose was victim Popov at km26 : the Mitsubishi
Lancer n°43 left the road in a turn on right in the vertiginous
Gorges of Piaon, and stopped its fall 100m low in the trees... wondering
how the members of the crew made to leave alive, fortunately. Knowing
this, the ACM decided to leave the yellow flag and the following crews
joined the arrival in connection. This
stage was also marked by the figure of Riccardo Errani at the top of
the col who, in front of the witnesses in mass, did a "8"
on the road, reversing some barriers and causing a wave of euphoria
among all witnesses posted here. But this event also caused an annoying
misunderstanding because the police chief of race of the col left at
this moment with its yellow flag to warn the drivers of the exit of
Popov : the witnesses believed that he neutralized the race because
of Errani and took him for target with their whistles and their snowballs,
whereas it was not the case... The two stages of the following day were
less animated but the walls of this road made some victims s each year.
In the SS15, Panizzi brothers, on Skoda Fabia, touched a wall after
Moulinet and damaged their wheel back-left. They join the arrival with
the idle and lose 3'25, passing from 7th to 10th place on the general
classification. In the same stage, the
crew n°73 (Dessi/Dessi), after having touched and damaged his car
(broken belt, no alternator and no water pump), returned to the idle.
The SS18 made also its victims Henning Solberg, Amourette and Lo Fiego,
who also joined the arrival with the idle.

The Turini,
garanted show :
My
experiment on the Turini is not yet immense that already I can tell
you many great moments I lived on.
In
2002, the Skoda drivers who did the show : first of all Eriksson who
passed in front of us with a disconcerting control, he skirted the ripe
of a few centimeters (2 or 3 only) during all the baffle and it is there
that one realizes how much they are strong and professional, to have
the best trajectory and to waste less possible time. Then, that was
Gardemeister who amuse the gallery when he arrived opposite us in integral
skid raising a gum cloud above the road... it is after that that one
understands how large marks of tire are found on the road after the
passage of all the competitors. Skodas passed, the other competitors
passed then there was a rather significant variation, one raised questions
then before a strange noise challenges us: Hein (Subaru Impreza WRC
private) made trott his back bumper on the tarmac and this variation
was due to a small accident which he had had in the first part of the
stage.
In
2003, the spectacle came especially from the juniors. To start with
the fight that delivered a majority of them: indeed, they started each
minute so, if one of them made a fault, he had hardly time to set out
again that the following was already in the rear view mirror. It thus
is often stuck the ones to the others which they arrived the second
making pressure on the first not to be slowed down. Side piloting, the
large feeling came from Simon Jean-Joseph who, like his practice, left
the integral attack, a tactic "that passes or that breaks"
which has worthed to him the respect and the admiration of the rally
world and which to date does of him one of the most appreciated pilots
plate as much world than French! Indeed, in the baffle intersected with
approximately 5 meters with straight line where I was placed, he arrived
very fastly on the first turn (turn on the left), put his Clio in slip,
found himself transversely on the straight line and immediately gave
a brutal blow of wheel and arrived in skid in the second part of the
baffle (turn on the right)! SENSATIONAL! To look at, a true pleasure.
For good to represent you the scene, you can imagine that he perfectly
drew a "S" on this portion. To also note that many pilots
arrived the bumper before cover of snow: would some of have evil to
keep the good trajectory? Was the road too slipping?
The
2004 edition of the Turini were a very snow-covered one, result of large
snows Wednesday and Thursday preceding the race, followed by two days
during which a thick fog entirely covered the Turini roads (as all the
tops of the departments besides) for finally giving us snow-covered
stage as that had not been the case for several years. Of what to once
again give us a superb race, full with bounces. Thus, arrive at the
beginning of the SS12, first passage on stage Sospel - Bollène
of this Monte Carlo 2004, 21 cars (out of the 43 leaving Friday morning)
ready to spring on the 32,58 km in this rising of the day (departure
at 8h45). Bumpers damaged and snow on the cap as usual but not any particular
problem to note. We will remember the merveillous passage of Valimaki
and his Hyundai Accent in front of us, all in slip in the haripin in
which we are... and, as each year, we must appreciate the few juniors
victims of the departures of only 1min : Cols (Renault Clio) and Anderson
(Suzuki Ignis) arrive one behind the other, always impressive.
As I mention
it above, 2005 were a dryness year and the pilots attacked more, with
the great pleasure of all the witnesses, of which me, unusual thing
for a last leg at Monaco where drivers prefer in general "to ensure".
The first to make large impression is Roman Kresta and its Focus. We
are in the part above the vacuum and the road is narrow and sinuous,
the Ford driver arrives really fastly, and in the twisty turns where
we are he makes the show like anybody, share transversely, the tires
squeak, the gum marks asphalt, and the car hardly passes to a few centimetres
of the rock. At the exterior of this turn, everybody moves back of one
meter, face to face with the Czech driver. But the tactic pays and Kresta
makes the scratch, in front of Loeb. After that, it's hard to make large
impression, but someones manage to make the spectacle, it is the case
of Stohl and its superb OMV decored Xsara, very fast, or of Marco (Renault
Clio) all in spliting. Higher, in the four hairpins series, for the
SS15, it is quite as dry, and for this ultimate special stage of the
rally, there are still drivers who find courage to attack very extremely,
Loeb the first. Leader of the rally, he passes the hairpin with the
hand brake, it is managed to perfection and that goes very quickly,
great art. Before him, Sarrazin try the SupeRally and transversely negotiates
also all the laces. Later, Boland will also adopt this technique in
the turns, that is less effective but the show is there, and one does
not complain any. On the slope of Moulinet, under the wood of spruces,
with 1600m of altitude and the shade, the road is very icy and the drivers
are badly equipped for these conditions. They have much evil to negotiate
the turns and are almost with the stop in each turn. The only spectacle,
there is witnesses who are the consequence of, while having placed snow
on the road after the passage of the openers, Gronhölm and Solberg,
respectively 2nd and 3rd of the rally, leave their wheel there... a
spectacle we would have done well (see higher for more details)!
From
2006, I will retain especially the superb figure of Errani who did a
"8" and who put a hot environment at the top of the col at
the time of the SS12, by night ! The witnesses were in fury, the flashes
resounded and everybody shouted, one would have been believed ten years
behind at the time of famous Night of Turini... fabulous ! In addition
to that : bumpers covered with snow, damaged doors and twisted wheels...
as each year !
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