Jean Ragnotti
Jean "Jeannot" Ragnotti (born 29 August 1945 in Pernes-les-Fontaines, Vaucluse), is a French former rally driver for Renault in the World Rally Championship.
Ragnotti at the 2011 Monte Carlo Rally | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | French |
| Born | 29 August 1945 Pernes-les-Fontaines |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 1973 – 1987, 1990 – 1995 |
| Co-driver | Jacques Jaubert Pierre Thimonier Jean-Marc Andrié Martin Holmes Gilles Thimonier |
| Teams | Renault |
| Rallies | 41 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Rally wins | 3 |
| Podiums | 9 |
| Stage wins | 90 |
| Total points | 190 |
| First rally | 1973 Monte Carlo Rally |
| First win | 1981 Monte Carlo Rally |
| Last win | 1985 Tour de Corse |
| Last rally | 1995 Tour de Corse |
Ranking among his achievements are his conquering of the Monte Carlo Rally in 1981, what was the first turbo victory in the history of the WRC, alongside compatriot Jean-Marc Andrié against the might of the ultimate four-wheel-drive upstart, the Audi Quattro. In the following season, he took his Renault 5 Turbo to victory at the Tour de Corse. Jean Marc Andrie later committed suicide in 1999. The Maxi version of the same Renault 5 was to reign again on the asphalt stages of European rallying, when in 1985, Ragnotti claimed the Tour de Corse again with Group B rallying at its zenith; a win that came on debut of Renault 5 Maxi Turbo. His co-driver by that time was Pierre Thimonier (whose son Gilles would also be a co-driver for Jean Ragnotti). Pierre Thimonier died of cancer in 2008. The 1985 Rothmans Tour de Corse would also prove to be a tragic affair after the fatal crash of Attilio Bettega on SS4 (Zerubia) of the event.
In the 1990s, Ragnotti continued to drive for Renault, this time in their front-wheel drive Clio Maxi.