Museum honours for motorsport’s 2019 champs!

In association with Michelin, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) held its annual prizegiving gala at the famous Louvre Museum in Paris, France, on Friday, December 6. Many of the champions who were presented trophies won their respective titles on Michelin rubber.

Estonians Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja – who topped the year’s WRC standings to stem 15 years of French domination of world class rallying – were joined on stage by silver medallists Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (five-time vice-champions) and bronze winners Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia.

The Korean make Hyundai, which has competed on Michelin tyres ever since its WRC debut 20 years ago, was presented with the 2019 Manufacturers’ crown in the presence of its crews Neuville/Gilsoul, Mikkelsen/Jaeger, Sordo/Del Barrio, Loeb/Elena and Breen/Nagle.

Finn Kalle Rovanperä, Frenchman Pierre-Louis Loubet and their respective co-drivers Jonne Halttunen and Vincent Landais lifted the WRC2-Pro and WRC2 trophies, and Britons Chris Ingram/Ross Whittock won the 2019 FIA European Rally Championship laurels, also on Michelin tyres.

Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne was presented with his second Formula E title (2018/2019), while his employer DS Techeetah topped the Teams’ points table. Formula E will become a full-fledged FIA-sanctioned world championship from 2020/2021.

World Endurance Championship trophies were handed to Michelin partners Toyota and Porsche who won the 2018/2019 LMP and LMGTE Manufacturers’ titles respectively, with the top Drivers’ prizes in the two classes going to Fernando Alonso/Kazuki Nakajima/Sébastien Buemi and Kevin Estre/Michael Christensen. Alonso has now won three world titles on Michelin tyres.

In the course of the ceremony, FIA president Jean Todt paid tribute to the motorsport personalities who left us in 2019, including Niki Lauda, Jean-Luc Thérier, Andrew Cowan and Jean-Paul Driot who all achieved success with Michelin in the course of their exceptional careers.