At 23, Charpentier, who actively competed in various formula series and has experience from the British Formula 3 Championship, has chosen rally as his new discipline.
In the 2024 season, Charpentier will compete in a four-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta Rally3 car in stages across the WRC, ERC, and the Finnish Rally Championship.
Charpentier began his rally career last year.
“I’ve often been asked why I switched from formula to rally. I wanted to challenge myself with a new sport, and rally is significantly different compared to formula racing. I particularly enjoy how the rally roads vary in surface and character, with no two stages being the same. I’m excited about this new challenge in my career,” Charpentier says.
He will race for the first time in KMS Racing’s Fiesta in the Finnish Rally Championship next week.
“We’re starting the year in Tuuri (Finland) next week, after which we’ll focus on Croatia Rally in the WRC. My preliminary calendar also includes Portugal, Poland, Greece, and Central European WRC rallies. In addition, I plan to compete in the European Rally Championship in Sweden and at least one more Finnish Rally Championship event, likely in Lahti,” Charpentier outlines.
Last year, Charpentier competed in France with a front-wheel-drive Peugeot 208 Rally4 car. He aims to take a new step forward in his career with the Finnish team.
“KMS Racing felt professional from the beginning. They also have close contacts with Poland’s M-Sport, which I value highly. I get along well with Jussi (Kumpumäki); we quickly found a common language. Competing with KMS Racing this season felt like the right choice.
“The primary theme for the 2024 season is learning, both about driving a four-wheel-drive car and competing in longer WRC events. In France, the level in the asphalt series is comparatively high, and I performed well there last season. I expect my pace to be close to the top in the WRC3 class, especially on asphalt. As for Tuuri, it will be interesting to see how my speed compares to Finnish drivers, who are undoubtedly the fastest on snow,” Charpentier reflects.
SM Tuuri Ralli will take place on March 8-9.
