Walter Röhrl facts for kids
Röhrl at Retro Classics Stuttgart, Germany in 2012
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  German |
| Born | 7 March 1947 Regensburg, Germany |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 1973–1987 |
| Co-driver | Jochen Berger Claes Billstam Willi-Peter Pitz Christian Geistdörfer Phil Short |
| Teams | Porsche, Fiat, Opel, Lancia, Audi |
| Rallies | 75 |
| Championships | 2 (1980, 1982) |
| Rally wins | 14 |
| Podiums | 31 |
| Stage wins | 420 |
| Total points | 494 |
| First rally | 1973 Monte Carlo Rally |
| First win | 1975 Acropolis Rally |
| Last win | 1985 San Remo Rally |
| Last rally | 1987 Acropolis Rally |
Walter Röhrl (born 7 March 1947) is a famous German rally and auto racing driver. He won many races with different car brands like Fiat, Opel, Lancia, Audi, and Porsche. Walter Röhrl achieved 14 victories during his career. He famously won the World Rally Championship twice. He first won in 1980 with a Fiat Abarth and then again in 1982 while driving for Opel.
Beyond rallying, he also competed in other types of motorsport, such as long-distance races. He won in his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1981 with the Porsche team. In 1987, Röhrl set a new record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb driving an Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2. Many people consider him one of the greatest rally drivers of all time.
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Walter Röhrl's Racing Journey
Walter Röhrl grew up in Regensburg, Germany. When he was 16, he started working for a company and spent his free time skiing. He became a skilled ski instructor and loved driving. He even became a chauffeur, driving many kilometers each year. In 1968, he was invited to try his first rally race.
Becoming a Rally Champion
Röhrl became a top driver in the World Rally Championship during the 1970s and 1980s. He won the famous Monte Carlo Rally four times, each time with a different car brand. For many years, his co-driver, who helps with navigation, was Christian Geistdörfer.
In 1980, he won his first World Rally Championship title. He drove a Fiat 131 Abarth and secured the win at the San Remo rally. His second championship win in 1982 was very impressive. He drove an Opel Ascona 400, which was a rear-wheel-drive car. He managed to beat newer four-wheel-drive cars, including those driven by Michèle Mouton from Audi. He won this title by being very consistent in his races. In 1982, he also won the African Rally Championship.
After winning the 1982 championship, he left his team. He didn't enjoy competing in the RAC rally and also disagreed with promoting tobacco products because he didn't smoke. He felt he was hired to drive, not to act in advertisements.
New Cars and New Records
In 1983, Walter Röhrl joined the Lancia team and drove the new, rear-wheel-drive Lancia 037. Then, in 1984, he switched to the four-wheel-drive Audi Quattro. This car was made in his home state of Bavaria.
In 1987, Röhrl made history at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He was the first driver to finish the 12.42-mile mountain track in less than 11 minutes. Driving his powerful 600-horsepower Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, he completed the climb in 10 minutes and 47.850 seconds. At that time, most of the road was covered in gravel.
Even though he chose which top races to enter, Röhrl still achieved 14 WRC victories. For example, he didn't like races with many jumps, so he often skipped the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland.
Beyond Rallying
Walter Röhrl was also very good at road racing. The famous driver Niki Lauda even called him "Genius on Wheels." In a 1992 race called the 24 Hours Nürburgring, he drove incredibly fast even in thick fog and heavy rain. He seemed to know the corners perfectly by timing them.
He has received many honors for his driving skills. In Italy, he was named "Rallye driver of the century." In France, he was chosen as "Rallye driver of the millennium" in November 2000. A group of 100 motorsports experts from around the world voted him "Best Rallye driver ever."
In recent years, Walter Röhrl has worked as a senior test driver for Porsche road cars. He helps test new cars and sets fast lap times at the Nürburgring Nordschleife track, for example, with the Porsche Carrera GT. In 2011, Röhrl was added to the Rally Hall of Fame. In July 2016, he was also inducted into Germany's Sports Hall of Fame.
Walter Röhrl's World Rally Championship Wins
Walter Röhrl won 14 World Rally Championship events during his amazing career. Here are his victories:
| # | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Acropolis Rally |
1975 | Jochen Berger |
Opel Ascona |
| 2 | Acropolis Rally |
1978 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Fiat 131 Abarth |
| 3 |  Critérium du Québec |
1978 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Fiat 131 Abarth |
| 4 |  Rally Monte Carlo |
1980 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Fiat 131 Abarth |
| 5 |  Rally Portugal |
1980 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Fiat 131 Abarth |
| 6 |  Rally Argentina |
1980 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Fiat 131 Abarth |
| 7 |  Rally Sanremo |
1980 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Fiat 131 Abarth |
| 8 | Rally Monte Carlo |
1982 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Opel Ascona 400 |
| 9 |  Rallye Côte d'Ivoire |
1982 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Opel Ascona 400 |
| 10 | Rally Monte Carlo |
1983 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Lancia 037 Rally |
| 11 | Acropolis Rally |
1983 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Lancia 037 Rally |
| 12 |  Rally New Zealand |
1983 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Lancia 037 Rally |
| 13 | Rally Monte Carlo |
1984 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Audi Quattro A2 |
| 14 | Rally Sanremo |
1985 | Christian Geistdörfer |
Audi Quattro Sport S1 |
Images for kids
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Röhrl's final WRC victory came at the wheel of an Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 at the 1985 Rallye Sanremo. The car was paraded at the Ignition Festival of Motoring in 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Walter Röhrl para niños
