The Frenchman’s route to the top took him from battling through the national championship rounds to dicing with Juha Kankkunen and Carlos Sainz in Lancias and then Toyotas’

His reputation rested squarely on his devilish ability on tarmac – not many of his contemporaries could match his pace on classic blacktop stages.

As the first Frenchman to win the World Rally Championship he seems to have inspired a series of extremely talented compatriots who have gone on to achieve greatness in their own right.

In this programme we examine Didier’s beginnings and his rise through the ranks culminating with his crowning as 1994 World Champion.