Franceschi announced in the spring that he would be competing in the WRC2 category of the World Rally Championship with Toyota’s Rally2 car. However, it now appears that the Frenchman’s only event will be the Rally Islas Canarias in April. The 26-year-old was forced to retire already on the second special stage due to a technical failure.
The French driver had also registered for the Portuguese round in May, but he withdrew from the rally. It has now emerged that Franceschi simply does not have the budget to compete in the World Rally Championship.
“It’s been two months that I’ve remained silent. Two months since that retirement in the Canaries. I needed time to process, to understand, to digest.”
“Rallying is more than just a sport to me. It’s a childhood dream that became reality through passion, hard work, and perseverance. Since 2017, I’ve had the chance to discover incredible cars, to join wonderful teams, to live through moments I would never even have dared to imagine,” Franceschi begins his lengthy outpouring on social media.
“And all of that… without ever really having the means to do it. Every season, every rally, was a battle—financial, mental, human. But I believed in it, every single day. I gave it everything. This year, I had a real opportunity: to kick off my season in WRC2. We worked hard for it. And then… things didn’t go as planned.”
Franceschi won the French gravel championship in the 2022 season. Last year, he made his international breakthrough in the European Rally Championship, claiming three podium finishes and ending the season second in the overall standings.
However, the hard work has not been rewarded, as it appears that financial backers have withdrawn from the project, or perhaps the entire rally season was not planned on a sufficiently sustainable basis.
“Despite all my determination, despite the desire, despite the efforts… it didn’t happen. Rallying is a magnificent sport, but a ruthless one. At this level, without solid and lasting support, it’s almost impossible to move forward. It’s tough. Frustrating. Because I was there, so close. I was touching the very thing I’ve been fighting for all these years. But I refuse to be bitter.”
