History 1970s

1972 Rallye Lyon–Charbonnières (France)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1972 Rallye Lyon–Charbonnières

Date: March 1972

Host Country: France

Surface: Tarmac

Total Distance: N/A

Total Starters: 68 crews

Total Finishers: 42 crews

The 1972 Rallye Lyon–Charbonnières reaffirmed its place as one of France’s most iconic tarmac rallies. With fast, narrow roads winding through the wine regions and forested hills of central France, the event was a favorite for precision drivers and co-drivers who could maintain perfect rhythm over complex stage sequences.

Route

Beaujolais Hills: Winding hillside stages offered breathtaking scenery and technical cornering under variable traction.
Village Transits: Narrow urban sections with rougher surfaces and sharp 90-degree junctions required total focus.
Rolling Farmland Roads: Fast but bumpy tarmac exposed tire choice and suspension tuning weaknesses.

The rally took place on twisting asphalt roads around Lyon and the Charbonnières-les-Bains region, incorporating everything from long straights to blind crests and sudden descents.

While weather remained mostly dry, cold patches and shaded tree lines kept grip levels inconsistent throughout the weekend.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Jean-Claude Andruet & “Biche” · Alpine A110 1600
2nd Place
Gérard Larrousse & Claude Perramond · Porsche 911 S
3rd Place
Bernard Darniche & Alain Mahé · Alpine A110 1600

Andruet and “Biche” demonstrated their trademark consistency and composure, giving Alpine another proud moment on home soil against fierce competition from Porsche and their fellow teammates.

Navigation & Challenges

  • High-Corner Density: Success required fluid corner linking and minimal braking hesitation.
  • Mixed Surface Quality: Patches of cracked or repaired asphalt introduced subtle handling changes mid-stage.
  • Co-Driver Precision: Rapid sequences demanded detailed and timely notes, especially through tree-lined blind crests.

The 1972 Rallye Lyon–Charbonnières rewarded technical finesse, and Andruet’s win added to Alpine’s growing tarmac dominance during the early 1970s golden era of French rallying.

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