To claim the title, Thierry Benchetrit competed against fellow finalist, Alexandre Stricher, in a live head-to-head final in Bologna, Italy. The final was the culmination of seven qualification heats, each running for one calendar month from April to October, followed by online playoffs that included drivers representing 79 nationalities. In total, participants in the Challenge drove a total of over one million kilometres and achieved a CO₂ saving of 12.3% vs global average.*

“Congratulations to our FIA SDC Season 2022 winner who has demonstrated tremendous smart driving skills. I would like to thank the Clubs and all the everyday drivers who participated this season. By joining the Challenge they have contributed to supporting our commitment to make global mobility safer and more sustainable for all,” said FIA Deputy President for Automobile Mobility and Tourism Tim Shearman.

“What an exciting and nail-biting contest this was, with scores so close right to the end! It’s the fourth year we have organised the Challenge with the FIA and yet again we are thrilled to see such incredible engagement and effort to adopt smarter driving behaviours. It’s fantastic that the Challenge helps to strengthen awareness of the need for us all to act for a sustainable mobility future,” declared Chief Business Officer at Greater Than Johanna Forseke.

The FIA Smart Driving Challenge aims to raise awareness of the positive impact of smart driving and how it can help to save lives on the road and preserve the environment. The FIA SDC technology, provided by Greater Than, measures every drive in real-time and gives participants a score based on how safely and eco-friendly they drive. It provides clear insights to drivers on what they have accomplished, gives access to driving history and statistics, and provides feedback after every trip to help drivers around the world become smarter at the wheel. 

President of Mobilité Club France (formerly Automobile Club Association) Didier Bollecker gave the prize to Thierry Benchetrit during a ceremony organised in Bologna. 

“This is the third time in a row that a French driver wins the FIA Smart Driving Challenge and we are really proud of this achievement. By supporting the FIA SDC, we want to change habits on the road and promote smart driving as a solution to tackle road safety and environmental challenges,” he said.

Thierry Benchetrit, from France was part of Sébastien Ogier’ team, along with fellow finalist Alexandre Stricher. 

“Winning the FIA Smart Driving Challenge Season 2022 is a great honour. Taking part in the FIA SDC has taught me to make smarter decisions on the road. Thanks to the easy-to-use app, I have had access to valuable insights on my driving and they gave me the keys to become a much better driver,” declared Thierry Benchetrit, winner of the FIA SDC 2022.

The final was organised with the support of Hertz.

*The percentage of CO₂ savings is calculated based on Greater Than’s AI technology. The data of each trip is analysed and transformed into a unique DriverDNA profile that is then compared to a database of over 7 billion DriverDNA profiles to evaluate CO₂ savings.