Michel Périn (rally co-driver)

Michel Périn and Nani Roma at the Transibérico 2009

Michel Périn (born January 19, 1957 in Saint-Mihiel ) is a French rally driver .

Career

Périn started rallying in 1977. In 1984 he became a professional co-pilot with François Chatriot . In 1986 they finished second in the French Rally Championship. In 1989 he contested five rounds of the World Rally Championship with Chatriot . In 1988, 1989 and 1990 they won the French Rally Championship. By 1992 they took part in another five rounds of the World Rally Championship.

In 1992, Périn switched to marathon rallying alongside Pierre Lartigue . They achieved numerous victories, including the Dakar Rally in 1994, 1995 and 1996. They also stood at the top of the podium at the Tunisia Rally , the Atlas Rally , the Baja Italy , the Baja Spain and the Baja Portugal . In addition, Périn was world marathon rally champion from 1993 to 1996 . From 1997 to 1998 he drove again with Patrick Magaud in the French Rally Championship, which they finished second in 1997 and third the following year.

After the 1998 season, Périn temporarily ended his career as copilot and became team manager in Citroën's motorsport department . In 2004 he celebrated his comeback in the cockpit and contested two rounds of the World Rally Championship with Guerlain Chicherit . He then drove back to Volkswagen Motorsport in marathon rallying in the passenger seat of Bruno Saby . In the VW Race Touareg they finished fifth in the 2005 Dakar Rally, won the Morocco rally and the rally d'Orient , and became world marathon rally champions. In 2006 they finished ninth in the Dakar Rally. He then moved to Carlos Sainz , but initially they did not get any top placements. They finished the 2007 Dakar Rally in ninth place. They also won the Transibérico Rally and came second in the Morocco Rally and the UAE Desert Challenge . At the end of the season, Périn and Sainz became the sixth marathon rally world champion. In 2008 they won the Central Europe Rally . At the 2009 Dakar Rally , Sainz and Périn were in the lead for several days. However, on the twelfth stage, they fell into a four meter deep gorge. Périn broke both shoulders and the team was forced to give up.