World rally champion Bjorn Waldegaard dies age 70
It’s with sadness that we report on the passing of the first World Rally Championship winner, Swede Bjorn Waldegaard, at the age of 70 after suffering with cancer.
Waldegaard was born on November 12th, 1943 in Rimbo, Sweden and started driving in 1962 with Swedish Rally Championship titles in 1967 and 1968. His first international victory came with the 1969 Monte Carlo Rally in 1969, and following an epic battle with Sandro Munari whilst racing for Lancia at the 1976 San Remo Rally, the Swede joined Ford.
In the Escort RS1800 he won the 1977 RAC Rally, the Acropolis Rally and the East African Safari Rally, beginning a run of four Safari wins and three Ivory Coast wins which saw displayed his enduring talent on sand as much as the ice of his native Sweden.
Bjorn Waldegaard in action in 2011. Image credit Michel (Flick CC Licence)
When the inaugural World Rally Championship began in 1979, he was victories over Ford team-mate Hannu Mikkola, including a switch for both drivers to Mercedes for the last round in the Ivory Coast, when second was enough to give him the title.
He continued in World Rallying until a crash in 1992, and his 1990 Safari win means he remains the oldest driver to ever win a World Rally Championship event, at the age of 46 years and 155 days. Ironically, this also beat the record of Hannu Mikkola at 44 years 331 days.
He not only remained in rallying throughout his live, but stayed competitive, winning the 2011 East African Safari Classic in a Porsche 911 at the age of 68.
(Image credit: Michel (used under CC License).