Death of Hubert Auriol, former winner and director of the Paris-Dakar rally-raid
The director of the "Paris-Dakar" rally, the Frenchman Hubert Auriol, on December 28, 2000 in Nivelles (Belgium) OLIVIER HOSLET BELGA / AFP
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From the light of Africa to a record round the world, in a propeller plane: Hubert Auriol, "The African" as he was called, former winner and director of the Paris-Dakar rally-raid, died on Sunday " of a cardiovascular accident following a long battle with the disease, ”announced his family.
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It was his birth in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in 1952 that earned Hubert Auriol his nickname, "The African".
From him, the general public mostly held back tears.
In 1987, on the eve of the arrival of the Dakar, which he had already won twice on 2 wheels in 1981 and 1983, he was in the fight with Cyril Neveu for a third victory.
Too much risk taken in the undergrowth, he broke both ankles between two trees.
Mentally and despite the pain, he manages to cross the finish line in tears before giving up.
The bike is over, it's time for the car.
Hubert Auriol became in 1992 the first driver to win the event on 2 and 4 wheels.
He will then become 5 times world rally champion.
He even toured the world in a propeller plane at the end of the 1980s to assault three partners in the record of billionaire Howard Hugues, which dated back to 1938. Here again, goal achieved.
The case was completed in just over 88 hours, still a benchmark.
After having stopped driving, “L'Africain” will lead the Dakar for 9 years.
He will create the Africa Race in the 2000s to return to the origins of the race and will become a television host, hosting the first season of Koh Lanta on TF1.
With the death of Hubert Auriol, French motorsport loses one of its last adventurers.
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