Daniel Elena, backed by Red Bull, is the most successful co-driver in the history of the World Rally Championship and also the most successful co-driver in the history of the Monte Carlo Rally.
In fact, he has eight world titles and five Monte Carlo wins behind him, just like his famous driver, Sebastien Loeb. Once again, he and Loeb lead the world’s most famous rally tonight, by over a minute. So no change there.
However, Elena – who is that rare breed, a genuine, passport-holding Monegasque – has also ventured behind the wheel at his home event on three occasions: twice in the late 1990s and most recently last year, when the event was a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. He finished a creditable 52nd overall in a Citroen DS3 R3, but he’s got no plans to swap places with Sebastien Loeb permanently. Yet...
So, Daniel, which is better: driving or co-driving?
I think I’m better at co-driving. I certainly hope so. But driving on my home event means a lot to me, because I’m very proud of where I come from and it’s fantastic to be in front of your home crowd. If I had to choose one, it’s co-driving.
Really? Co-driving is more fun?
Co-driving is more serious because that’s my job. The nice thing about driving was that it’s fun because it doesn’t matter if I do well or not: it’s something I do in my spare time. Whereas obviously at professional level it’s a bit more important and many people rely on me to do well.
'I think I'm better at co-driving... well, I certainly hope so!'
So, do you think Seb Loeb would ever want to try co-driving one day, for fun?
I doubt it. I’d be really surprised. At least not with me driving anyway! I didn’t even bother to ask him if he’d like to co-drive for me last time actually.
When did you first try driving?
I drove on the Monte Carlo Rally long before I ever co-drove on it. I entered for the first time in 1997, but I just did the Prince Albert Challenge – which was the amateur section of the event. Then the following year I did the full rally, again in a little Peugeot 106. It felt very slow uphill and quite fast downhill.
So what was your finest memory of your driving career?
In the early days with the Peugeot we had a service halt that you got to by driving up a small ramp. Unfortunately I must have been distracted or something because I drove the car right off the ramp and flattened the exhaust. Maybe that persuaded me to try the seat in the other side of the car instead.
Daniel has come a long way, numerically as much as anything else. Last year in Monte Carlo, his Citroen DS3 sported competition number 100. This year, it’s quite deservedly number 1… more news from Monte Carlo later on redbull.com.
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