After Lancia in 2024 and Renault in 2025, it is now the turn of a German brand to take centre stage this year. But truth be told, BMW M3 owners didn’t wait for this honour to show up in force on the island… More than 40 of them were already at the start in 2025!
“It’s one of the best‑represented cars every year,” confirms rally organiser Marie-Ange Dini. “But you never get tired of watching it go by, because it’s one of the most spectacular machines. And you never get tired of hearing it, because it’s also one of the most melodic.”
One single WRC victory: in Corsica!
When it was launched in March 1986, the BMW M3 was not destined for a career in rallying, but rather on the racetrack. Its touring‑car victories would be spectacular, including four wins at the 24 Hours of Spa (1987, 89, 90, 92).
Its rear‑wheel‑drive layout seemed like a deal‑breaker for matching the mighty Lancia Delta Integrale. Yet three men believed in it: British preparer David Richards, BMW France president Jean Luc, and French driver Bernard Béguin. Together, they transformed the track‑focused machine into a rally car, working on suspension geometry, damping, and engine flexibility.
Less than six months after its first test drives, the Prodrive‑built M3 E30 was entered in the Tour de Corse. Bernard Béguin took the lead from the first stage. Paradoxically, the conditions seemed totally unfavorable to a “rear‑wheel‑drive car,” as a storm of snow and hail hit the Col de la Vaccia. Running on slick tires, Béguin thought he’d lose the rally… but that’s exactly where he won it! His main opponent, Jean Ragnotti, in a Renault 11 Turbo, had gone off the road.
Driven by Jos Verstappen in 2026
Although that victory remained the only WRC win for a BMW M3, many more would follow in France with Béguin, then François Chatriot, who became national champion in 1989 and 1990. Simple, robust, reliable, efficient—the BMW M3 remains a formidable rally weapon even today.
One of them even took the overall win at the Tour de Corse Historique 2025 with Olivier Capanaccia, while another will be a highlight of the upcoming edition, driven by Jos Verstappen.
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