History 1980s

1983 Tour de Corse – Rallye de France (Corsica)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1983 Tour de Corse – Rallye de France (Corsica)

Date: May 6–8, 1983

Start Location: Ajaccio, Corsica

Finish Location: Ajaccio, Corsica

Total Distance: 1,168 km of special stages

Surface: Asphalt

The 1983 Tour de Corse, known as the “Rally of 10,000 Corners,” delivered its usual test of driver finesse, mechanical reliability, and co-driver stamina. Held on the twisting, narrow mountain roads of Corsica, this rally demanded razor-sharp reflexes and faultless navigation throughout its relentless series of technical stages.

Route

Vico–Cargèse: Coastal mountain roads with sweeping bends and sun-glare challenges.
Piana–Evisa: Tight uphill switchbacks through pine forests and rock tunnels.
Zicavo–Aullène: High-altitude tarmac exposed to shifting weather and gravel runoff.

Corsica’s unforgiving terrain featured countless elevation changes, blind corners, and cliffside roads with virtually no margin for error:

Dry weather in 1983 allowed for high-speed runs, but the relentless curves meant driver fatigue played a key role in mistakes and retirements.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Jean-Claude Andruet & "Biche" · Ferrari 308 GTB
2nd Place
Guy Fréquelin & Jean Todt · Talbot Samba Rallye
3rd Place
Henri Toivonen & Fred Gallagher · Opel Manta 400

The victory was a momentous achievement for Ferrari in rallying, with Andruet driving flawlessly across hundreds of kilometers of unforgiving Corsican asphalt.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Corner Count: Thousands of turns made co-driver consistency critical from start to finish.
  • Fatigue Factor: No gravel breaks—only continuous, twisting tarmac led to mental and physical strain.
  • High-Speed Risks: Minimal runoff and stone walls meant any error had serious consequences.

Andruet and Biche’s performance remains iconic—not just for Ferrari’s rare WRC win, but for executing near-perfect pace on rallying’s most technical stage.

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