Dominique Chapatte has been presenting Turbo on M6 since the show’s inception in 1987. Nearly four decades later, the question of a change in host arises every season in online searches. However, M6’s professional schedules for September and early October 2026 still credit him as the presenter of the new episodes.
M6 Schedules Weeks 38 to 40: What the Professional Documents Say
The program bulletins published by M6 for weeks 38, 39, and 40 of 2026 all mention “Presented by: Dominique Chapatte” in the Turbo slots, including those marked as new. This detail is significant: a departing host is generally no longer entrusted with original episodes, only reruns.
This data allows us to assert that by mid-September 2026, M6 has not confirmed a short-term change in presenter. The rumors circulating on forums and social media find no echo in the internal documents made public by the channel. To follow the evolution of the situation, the status of the Turbo M6 presenter in 2026 remains to be monitored as official announcements are made.
M6’s priorities for the 2026 season focus on other slots: the arrival of Julien Courbet, event evenings, and new formats. Turbo is not included in the list of programs affected by schedule adjustments.
Turbo Team in 2026: A Presentation That Evolves Without Official Break
The program summaries available for the September 2026 episodes reveal an element that online discussions underestimate. Turbo increasingly highlights a diverse team of journalists on screen, alongside the historical presenter. The topics are presented by several faces, each associated with a type of content (tests, reports, vintage segments).
This approach resembles a gradual transition rather than a rigid maintenance of the original format. Several television magazines have adopted this strategy before officially passing the baton. The show tests the audience’s familiarity with other journalists without causing a sudden break.
Concrete Signals to Observe
- The distribution of airtime between Dominique Chapatte and the other journalists in the new episodes of October and November 2026
- The presence or absence of Chapatte in the trailers and promotional communications from M6 for the first quarter of 2027
- The possible announcement of a replacement during the mid-season schedule presentations, as M6 has done for other programs
The available data does not allow for conclusions about a precise timeline. However, the increasing visibility of other team members constitutes a structural indication.
Previous M6: How the Channel Manages the Replacement of a Historic Host
M6 has already evolved several of its historic programs when circumstances required it. The preferred method seems to be a transition announced in advance, with a period of cohabitation between the old and new faces.
Turbo in a Different Television Context
Turbo occupies a unique position in the French audiovisual landscape. The Sunday morning automotive magazine appeals to a loyal audience, predominantly male, attached to the show’s codes since the late 1980s. A change of host in this slot carries a risk of erosion that M6 likely measures with caution.
The channel also has an advantage: the magazine format allows for the gradual integration of new faces, without the audience feeling a rupture. This is exactly what the September 2026 schedules seem to reflect.
Profile of the Future Turbo Presenter: The Real Constraints of the Position
Hosting an automotive magazine on French television in 2026 is not just about knowing cars. The presenter of Turbo must master several registers.
- A sufficient technical credibility to comment on tests without falling into excessive simplification, in front of an informed audience
- An ability to address topics related to energy transition (electric, hybrid, new mobility) without losing thermal car enthusiasts
- Comfort on set and in the field, as Turbo alternates between studio presentations and outdoor reports (car festivals, circuits, shows)
- A grounding in the Francophone automotive ecosystem, whether in motorsport, the used car market, or vintage models
The successor must embody a show that speaks to both historical enthusiasts and a younger audience sensitive to mobility issues. This wide gap partly explains why M6 is taking its time.
Dominique Chapatte remains on air for the new episodes scheduled until early October 2026. No successor’s name is circulating in verifiable sources. The only certainty lies in the method: M6 is laying the groundwork through a diversification of faces on screen, without a public timeline. The next steps will depend on the schedule announcements for the first half of 2027.
