Rally-SM: Sébastien Carron quits!
IMMEDIATE RETIREMENT The surprising news came from himself on Tuesday evening. Sébastien Carron is retiring from rallying with immediate effect. The three-time Swiss rally champion sees the accident at the Rally Pays du Gier as a twist of fate. Now family and friends are taking the lead. Next Sunday, March 25, Sébastien Carron will be 40 years old. [...]
Next Sunday, March 25, Sébastien Carron will be 40 years old. Last November, the director of a civil engineering company in Vétroz already let it be known that this could be a key date for the further course of his rally career.
"I've had time to think about it carefully," the Valais native announced on his Facebook page. "I have made the decision to stop rallying."
Accident as a hint with the fence post
The decisive factor was last Saturday's accident at the opening round of the Swiss Rally Championship in France. The reason was apparently a puncture.
Sébastien Carron: "I believe in fate. It has been generous so far and allowed me to win 16 rallies in my career, become Swiss champion three times and Cup winner once. But if it gives you other signals, it should be taken as a hint."
Despite his successes, his desire and passion for rallying before the start of the season was not the same as before anyway. He increasingly had thoughts that he didn't have before. Namely, hurting himself in the process.
Sébastien Carron: "I have a great little family with an exceptional wife and two children full of joie de vivre. I want to stay healthy so I can do a lot with them in the future."
Acknowledgement to all
The retiring champion would like to take this opportunity to thank them and all those who have accompanied him along the way.
Sébastien Carron: "My family has always supported me. My partners made this dream possible for me. With my co-drivers, who worked on the edge of perfection, I experienced fantastic moments. My opponents have always pushed me and forced me to become even better. And the marshals and organizers, with their incredible work, ensure that we still have rallies in Switzerland. My thanks go to all of them!"
A 20-year career
Carron started with LOC slaloms in 1998 and entered rallying in 2001 with a Peugeot 106. In 2008, he won the Rally Cup with a Renault Clio RS (Group N).
Next stops were the Clio R3 Trophy and the S1600 class (3rd SM 2012). He became Swiss champion for the first time in 2014 with a Peugeot 207 S2000. With the Balbosca Ford Fiesta R5, Carron then dominated the Rally SM of the past two years. The highlight was his terrific duel with record world champion Sébastien Loeb at the 2017 Rally du Chablais.
Carron's biggest opponent was Ivan Ballinari. The two-time runner-up won in France last weekend. The Ticino native could now be his designated successor. No other Swiss has been able to hold a candle to him in the last two years.
