Jean-Luc Thérier (7October 194531July 2019) was a French
rally driver. He was the highest scoring driver in the inaugural
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship (abbreviated as WRC) is an international rallying series owned and governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA. Inaugurated in 1973, it is the oldest FIA world championship after Formula One. E ...
in 1973 and the only one to win three events. However, until 1977 the championship was only formally contested by manufacturers, not individuals, so only Thérier's
Alpine-Renault team were formally awarded the title.
He most frequently competed in an
Alpine Renault A110; the French often refer to him and his fellow drivers
Jean-Pierre Nicolas,
Bernard Darniche, and
Jean-Claude Andruet as ''Les Mousquetiers'' ("The Musketeers").
[
]
Career
Thérier's first international victory came at the wheel of an Alpine A110, at the Rallye Sanremo and the Acropolis Rally
The Acropolis Rally of Greece () is a Rallying, rally competition that is part of the World Rally Championship, World Rally Championship (WRC). The rally is held on very dusty, rough, rocky and fast mountain roads in mainland Greece, usually dur ...
in 1970. He won the same two events again in 1973, along with the 1973 Rallye de Portugal, during his ''annus memorabilis''. He also won the 1974 Press-on-Regardless Rally in the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
driving a Renault 17 Gordini, and the 1980 Tour de Corse
The Tour de Corse is a rally first held in 1956 on the island of Corsica. It was the French round of the World Rally Championship from the inaugural 1973 season until 2008, was part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge from 2011 to 2012, and ...
behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 SC.
Thérier also won a half-dozen national, French rally titles. He participated at 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans () is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the city of Le Mans, France. It is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious races, and is one of the races—along with ...
four times, failing to finish in 1967
Events January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
, 1969
1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 2nd millennium, the 69th year of the 20th century, and the ...
, and 1977
Events January
* January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
, and finishing tenth in 1968
Events January–February
* January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously.
* January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
while winning the Index of Thermal Efficiency.[
He participated in the ]Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rallye Monte-Carlo (officially Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo) is a rallying event organized each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco. From its inception in 1911 by Albert I, Prince of Monaco, Prince Albert I, the rally ...
13 times between 1969 and 1984, with second place in 1971 as best result there. His career lasted until early 1985 when he suffered severe injuries while participating in the 1985 Paris to Dakar rally.[
]
Results
WRC victories
:
Complete IMC results
Complete WRC results
References
External links
Profile of Thérier
Rallybase.nl
{{DEFAULTSORT:Therier, Jean-Luc
1945 births
2019 deaths
French rally drivers
World Rally Championship drivers
24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
World Sportscar Championship drivers