Hubert Auriol facts for kids
Hubert Auriol (born June 7, 1952 – died January 10, 2021) was a famous French off-road racer. He competed in tough rally raid events, first on motorcycles and then in cars. After he stopped competing, he became the director of the well-known Paris-Dakar Rally. Hubert Auriol made history by being the first person to win the Dakar Rally on both a motorcycle and in a car. In 2012, he was honored as an FIM Legend for his amazing achievements in motorcycling.
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Hubert Auriol's Racing Career
Hubert Auriol was born in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. He started racing in motocross and enduro events in 1973. From 1979 to 1994, he took part in the challenging Paris-Dakar Rally. He raced motorcycles in the first nine events and then switched to cars for the next seven.
Motorcycle Wins
On his motorcycle, Hubert Auriol won the Dakar Rally twice. He won in 1981 and again in 1983, riding a BMW R80G/S motorcycle. He also finished second in 1984. In 1987, while he was leading the race, he broke both of his ankles just before the end. This was a very tough moment for him. He even wrote a book about his experiences called "Paris Dakar. Une histoire d'hommes."
Switching to Cars
After his motorcycle racing career, Auriol started competing in the car category in 1988. He first raced a Mitsubishi Pajero. In 1990, he lost the race to another famous driver, Ari Vatanen. After that, he joined the Citroën team. In 1992, he won the Dakar Rally in a ZX Rallye Raid car, with Philippe Monnet as his co-driver. This win made him the first person to win the Dakar Rally on both a motorcycle and in a car.
Becoming Race Director
In 1994, Hubert Auriol joined ASO, the group that organizes the Dakar Rally. He became the race director for the event he had won three times. He directed the race from 1995 until 2004. Later, in 2008, he started a new race called the Africa Eco Race.
Hubert Auriol lived in Suresnes, France, with his wife and three children. He was not related to the famous rally driver Didier Auriol.
Hubert Auriol's Passing
Hubert Auriol had been dealing with heart problems for a long time. In November 2020, he was hospitalized in Paris after getting COVID-19. While he was getting treatment for COVID-19, he sadly passed away on January 10, 2021, at the age of 68. He died from a heart attack.
