René Jean Metge (23 October 1941 – 3 January 2024) was a French professional rally driver. He won the Dakar Rally three times, in 1981, 1984 and 1986.
Career Metge began his career in international motor racing in 1973, starting in the Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup. He scored 28 points in the general classification there. In later years, Metge also appeared in the French Supertouring Championship, FIA World Endurance Championship, World Sportscar Championship, World Touring Car Championship, Porsche 944 Turbo Cup France, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Spa, and European Touring Car Championship.
Metge also competed in the Dakar Rally, which he won three times: in 1981, 1984 and 1986.
Personal life and death René Metge was born in Montrouge, German-occupied France on 23 October 1941. René Metge was Coluche's brother-in-law: they were friends as a teenager and he married Daniele, the older sister of him, with whom he started his family. . In 2003 René Metge competed in the Dakar Rally with their daughter Élodie Metge. He died on 3 January 2024 in Longjumeau, at the age of 82. He was buried in the communal cemetery in Saint-Urcize...
Racing record
Paris-Dakar results YearCategoryCrewVehiclePos.1979 Car Claude Barbier Range Rover V8 Ret.1980 Truck Thierry de Saulieu - Georges Landais Leyland Marathon 7th1981 Car Bernard Giroux Range Rover V8 1st1982 Ret.1983 Alain Gillot Ret.1984 Dominique Lemoyne Porsche 953 1st1985 Porsche 959 Ret.1986 1st1994 Truck Pascal Serre - Livio Diamante Perlini 6th1996 Car co-driver of Patrick Tambay Mitsubishi Pajero 13th2002 co-driver of Johnny Hallyday Nissan 49th2003 Élodie MetgeDaughter of René Metge Mercedes ML 430 23rd2006 Bernard Chevalier Nissan 31st2007 co-driver of Yvan Muller Buggy Dessoude 22nd
24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Car Co-Drivers Pos. Reason 1977 Anne-Charlotte Verney BP Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Anne-Charlotte Verney Dany Snobeck Hubert Striebig 18th 2nd in Group 5 1979 Anne-Charlotte Verney Porsche 934 Anne-Charlotte Verney Patrick Bardinon 19th 1982 Cooke Racing - BP Porsche 935 K3 François Sérvanin 5th 1984 GTi Engineering Porsche 956 Richard Lloyd Nick Mason DSQ unauthorized outside help 1986 Porsche AG Porsche 961 Claude Ballot-Léna 7th Class Winner in IMSA GTX 1987 Porsche AG Porsche 961 Claude Haldi Kees Nierop DNF AccidentSource
World Sportscar Championship results
Season Team Racecar 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 1979 Anne-Charlotte VerneyElvia Porsche 934Triumph Dolomite 19 DNF 1981 J.M.S.R.T. BMW 530 DNF 1982 Cooke Racing Porsche 935 5 1984 GTi Engineering Porsche 956 DNF 1986 Porsche Porsche 961 7 1987 Porsche Porsche 961 DNF
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