By announcing his withdrawal from the rally, Mathieu Andrianjafy intends to sound the alarm regarding the organization of events in Madagascar.
“The cup is full,” says Mathieu Andrianjafy. The announcement of his decision to put his Subaru Impreza N11 up for sale and leave the rally has circulated widely on social media. The country’s most titled driver, nicknamed the “Enfant terrible,” explains that he wanted to raise awareness about the organizational conditions of events in Madagascar.
“The rally as it is currently organized no longer interests me. I am demotivated, and that is the reason for this outburst. I no longer enjoy it. I prefer to participate in rallies abroad, one or two events in Reunion Island or in Africa. I don’t have a specific project yet, but it’s better elsewhere,” he confides.
Will this outburst lead to changes in the organization of the Madagascar championship rounds? “I am only the spokesperson for the other drivers. We want to find the rallies of the past. We invest a lot and we want to compete in real events, worthy of a mechanical sport. In recent years, we have been offered the same special stages, near Anjeva. We cover a 10 or 20 km special stage, then we spend an hour in the service park. And this repeats for three days,” he laments.
His withdrawal is not final, however: the driver leaves the door open for participation, under conditions.
When asked about a possible link between his decision and the upheaval in the standings before the final round, Mathieu Andrianjafy recalls that the title race remains open. “The car is still there, ready for the next rally. And I have already won titles. I must first discuss the situation with my sponsors. Precisely, one of them, Jovena, will be the organizer of the next and final round. We want new features, different and more varied special stages, as well as a longer rally. For the previous one, 126 km had been announced, but the distance was finally reduced to 80 km,” he emphasizes.
For him, the events must allow drivers to progress. “We will not progress at this pace, with the same special stages and such short rallies,” he insists. He believes that the federation and the organizers should not just schedule events to fill the calendar. “We must invest to offer a real rally, because we also invest a lot. We need 20 million ariary per event to aim for first place,” reveals the six-time champion of Madagascar.
Following this stance, a meeting between the leaders of the Automobile Sports Federation and the drivers is in preparation. It is scheduled for Friday. The sale of his car has also sparked numerous reactions. “Many people have reacted and contacted me. Those who do not know the rally environment are often surprised by its real value. I understand them, because they do not know how much I have invested in this car,” he explains.
The fifth and final round of the championship will take place on November 14 and 15. In the provisional standings, Frédéric Rabekoto, on a Mitsubishi Yas, leads with 127 points, ahead of Olivier Ramiandrisoa, driving a Mitsubishi Evo X Motul, who has 115. Mathieu Andrianjafy follows with 105.5 points.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-21 05:54:04 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/mathieu-andrianjafy-je-participerais.html