Multi-purpose drivers

There was a driver who in January won Rally de Montecarlo, in February won Daytona 24H, in May of the same year won Targa Florio and Nurburgring 1000 Km, and in July arrived fourth in his first F. 1 G.P. with a Cooper-Brm!!!

Before this set of pearl he won the European Rally Championship, a lot of rallies with Porsche or Ford Cortina, and after this fabulous season he drove McLaren and Brm F. 1, sportcars Porsche 917, Alfa Romeo and Lola, the Uop-Shadow and Chaparral 2J "vacuum cleaner" in Can-Am Challenge, one or two Safari Rally in Africa and if I remember well also some Nascar races!

Does this man exist?
Sure, he is Vic Elford in 1968 season!

It is possible nowadays suppose for example Petter Solberg, or Jeff Gordon, or Max Papis, or Jenson Button doing the same "iter": he has to win Montecarlo with a Citroen Xsara or a Subaru Impreza, then after a week he wins Daytona 24 in a Doran-Lexus , after in the season three or four GT Fia Championships races with a Ferrari 550 Maranello and then in July arrives fourth (perhaps after Schumi, Kimi and JPM ) in French G.P. at Magny Cours!!

It's impossible? Perhaps Michel Vaillant is OK for this job...


Vic Elford is probably the most important driver able to run in different categories. I think also Lucien Bianchi, who won Le Mans 24H, some Tours de France, and run the risk of winning the London-Sydney Marathon with a Citroen Ds, and then drove a Cooper-Brm (as Vic! )in F. 1 G.P.

Do you know other phenomenons?

Stirling Moss?

I think he did fairly well in a few different types of events...

By the way, did you know that Vic Elford occasionally posts on this forum? As does another fairly reasonable type of adaptable driver named Redman...

Louis Chiron,
Grands Prix, Le Mans, Monte Carlo Rally.

Mario Andretti,
Indycars, NASCAR, Midgets, Sprint cars, Stock cars, sports cars, GP cars. If it had four wheels he won in it.

Jackie Ickx,
GP Cars, sports cars, Paris-Dakar

These days, with early specialisation we no longer see drivers covering all categories, but I'm sure that given the opportunity they could.

What is unique about Vic Elford is the short timescale he covered the different disciplines in.

Really, Ray?

Oh, it's good. While I'm writing, I have over my head a poster on the wall of my office with a guy at the steering wheel of a gray-red-blu Martini Porsche 908 Mk3 number 8 at the Targa Florio 1971, he has a red helmet and seems greeting me with the hand... Hallo, Vic!

Judging by his exploits at the recent Swedish Rally Mattias Ekström - Audi DTM racer - could be the next candidate for diversity.

• Markku Alen he raced Giro d'Italia 1979 (pic: here and Le Mans 1980
  
• Derek Bell I have found here two starts at RAC rally, 1987 (Opel Kadett GSI) and 1988 (Vauxhall Astra GTE)
  
• Andrea De Cesaris: I read on Autosprint (48/1988 page 4) that he raced a rally marathon Greece Off Road at end of 1988, but I have no more info (info already wrote on Andrea de Cesaris' pictures and articles thread).
  
• Gerard Larrousse: famous as Sportscar driver, he won at Sebring (1971, with Vic Elford), Le Mans and several other races. He drove also F.1 at Belgium GP 1974 and F.2. Buf before all these wins, he raced also in rally: he was 2nd at Montecarlo 1969 driving a Porsche 911S.
  
• Alain Prost F.1 and Ice races
  
• Carlos Reutemann: he was 3rd at Rally Codasur (Argentina) 1980 on a Fiat 131 Abarth and 1985 on a Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 (click here)
  
• Walter Rohrl, rally, Pikes Peak, sportscar (pic of Lancia Beta Montecarlo 1979 and 1980: click here IMSA and Trans-Am
  
• Paris-Dakar and similar marathon races: some F.1 drivers raced Paris-Dakar. I recall Jackie Ickx, Patrick Tambay, Jacques Laffite, Jean-Louis Schlesser and Clay Regazzoni (the latter on a lorry), all of them for more than once; maybe there is also somebody else.
  I found pics of Porsche 953 driven by Ickx in 1984 and Laffite in 1987 on this site

Thank you for mentioning Gérard Larrousse , Guido , a great all-rouder indeed . We can also mention his post-driver career as a very successful head of the Renault F1 operation, and a less successful team owner with his Larrousse F1 team , which unfortunately ended in shambles ....


I was looking through an old "L'Automobile" magazine this noon after lunch, and I discovered to my amazement that Australian touring car ace Peter Brock , who is generally considered by the "tin-top" racing fans down under as the greatest driver in the history of auto racing , also occasionnaly acted as Rally navigator !!!! Yes, no kidding , in the "New-Caledonia Safari" in 1973, as co-driver to a Mr Colin Bond .

As a Dutchman, my logical answer must be Gijs van Lennep. A fine circuit racer, double winner of the Le Mans 24h and probably holder of the distance record at Le Mans eternally, has scored points in Formula 1 with hardly competitive equipment, winner of Targa Florio and also having competed in rallying, e.g. Monte Carlo.

I was a member of the jury for the Dutch "Racing Driver of the Century" and I still back the decision to attribute this title to Gijs van Lennep, mainly because of his versatility.

When I discovered this thread, I have thought first of my compatriot Gérard Larousse.
But as it was already named, I will want to quote another french driver : Guy Fréquelin.
He took part in many categories : rallye , hillclimb : in prototype and single seater , circuit : Le Mans, production ... , rallycross , ice race , and rallye-raid !
And since 1989, he is now the Citroen Sport's Director, and has much success with its last lucky find : Sébastien Loeb.

Moreover, and for Guido, you can add to Prost, one start in rallye, even if it remained single : the Rallye du Var 1982 on a Renault 5 Turbo.

Otherwise, I'm agree that the most beautiful example remains Vic Elford, because he achieved the same year, all these exploits.

I cannot forget Graham Hill winner of Indy 500 race, two times world champion of Formula 1,
winner of 24 hours of Le Mans with Pescarolo.

In addition, G.Hill was entered in very numerous sports car & GT cars races, he was an
excellent driver of Formula 2 and he made rally.

The french driver Henri Pescarolo was present in Formula 1, Formula 2, in sports cars races
during a long time (4 times winner of 24 Hours of Le Mans), he made rally and rally raid and
today team-manager of his own team in sports cars.

Jim Clark excelled in all driving disciplines, Rally,Sportscars F2 and F1.Plus the 500 and NASCAR.

This is an interesting topic - and brings to mind Walt Hansgen who was just naturally fast in anything he sat in! He was four times national champion and multiple times Driver-of-the-year by various publications,etc.

But to speak specifically to this thread - consider that in 1964 alone he scored World Championship points in Formula One - was the fastest 'Rookie' at Indianapolis in qualifying and was up to 2nd place (on merit) in the 500 before the car let him down - was 3rd in the each of the two NASCAR races he entered - and continued to be a major force in American sports car racing with wins including the Road America 500. He was a major talent in an era of giants.

And, speaking of giants, I am surprised that Dan Gurney hasn't been mentioned in this thread. Although Dan developed engineering and technical skills that refined his talent over the years - I believe he was a true 'natural' and it was this intuitive pace that gave him the ability to be immediately fast in anything he drove.

One of the things we have lost in this current era of specialization is the chance to see drivers, from one discipline or another, cross over to drive cars they were not normally associated with. The results at the time confirmed my personal opinion that a fast driver is a fast driver and will rise to the top in anything he drives. Of current drivers Robby Gordon comes to mind as one who has shown speed in a wide range of categories. At the 24 Hour race this month at Daytona both Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. distinguished themselves in very difficult conditions. I wish we could see more of this!

There is also Sandro Munari, who in 1972 won Rally Monte Carlo in Lancia Fulvia, and later Targa Florio in Ferrari 312PB. Two very different kinds of car, two very different race styles & venues, and victorious in both.

Parnelli Jones.

Originally posted by Mike Argetsinger
This is an interesting topic - and brings to mind Walt Hansgen who was just naturally fast in anything he sat in! He was four times national champion and multiple times Driver-of-the-year by various publications,etc.

But to speak specifically to this thread - consider that in 1964 alone he scored World Championship points in Formula One - was the fastest 'Rookie' at Indianapolis in qualifying and was up to 2nd place (on merit) in the 500 before the car let him down - was 3rd in the each of the two NASCAR races he entered - and continued to be a major force in American sports car racing with wins including the Road America 500. He was a major talent in an era of giants.

And, speaking of giants, I am surprised that Dan Gurney hasn't been mentioned in this thread. Although Dan developed engineering and technical skills that refined his talent over the years - I believe he was a true 'natural' and it was this intuitive pace that gave him the ability to be immediately fast in anything he drove.

One of the things we have lost in this current era of specialization is the chance to see drivers, from one discipline or another, cross over to drive cars they were not normally associated with. The results at the time confirmed my personal opinion that a fast driver is a fast driver and will rise to the top in anything he drives. Of current drivers Robby Gordon comes to mind as one who has shown speed in a wide range of categories. At the 24 Hour race this month at Daytona both Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. distinguished themselves in very difficult conditions. I wish we could see more of this!

Spot on -about Dan Gurney. I just came across a 2002 Road &Track article on Dan, returning to Spa to drive his 67 Eagle Weslake. I would have bought that issue just for the article(had I know about it). Honorable mention as well for the great Bruce Mclaren. Man this could go on all day!

Vic Elford was a world class rally driver, a world class sportscar driver and a world class F1 driver
So were the next few names people mentioned
But I don't think many of the later candidates comply with Nanni's original specification

Originally posted by David McKinney
Vic Elford was a world class rally driver, a world class sportscar driver and a world class F1 driver
So were the next few names people mentioned
But I don't think many of the later candidates comply with Nanni's original specification

Be more specific, please.

Frank S

Elford, Moss and Chiron could all, at various stages of their careers, have been considered to have been among the world's best in GP racing, sportscar racing and rallying. Maybe Reutemann too.
But not any of the others
All a matter of opinion, of course

Originally posted by David McKinney
Elford, Moss and Chiron could all, at various stages of their careers, have been considered to have been among the world's best in GP racing, sportscar racing and rallying. Maybe Reutemann too.
But not any of the others
All a matter of opinion, of course

I am of the opinion that Nanni was referring to drivers, who could compete in different series.Additionally, accomplishing the feat in a years time.
The thread is entitled "Multi-purpose drivers" not "Drivers who were considered WCs in various World Championship series" Therefore,the irrefutable inclusion of Jim Clark holds merit. Clark's 65 season included: F1 WDC,Tasman Cup,Indy 500 as well as wins in the Ford Cortina and winning in the Lotus 30. How does Clark not meet the criteria of the thread?? I am curious if Nanni thinks Clark is worthy of being included among the likes of Vic Elford.

Nanni also asked, if it were possible for a "modern driver" to show the same proficiency in the current era. To which I offer individuals like ,Max Papis or Tony Stewart,even Dale Earnhardt Jr. Anything is possible if there is enough money to go around.

Originally posted by philippe7
.....I discovered to my amazement that Australian touring car ace Peter Brock , who is generally considered by the "tin-top" racing fans down under as the greatest driver in the history of auto racing , also occasionnaly acted as Rally navigator !!!! Yes, no kidding , in the "New-Caledonia Safari" in 1973, as co-driver to a Mr Colin Bond .

Indeed... I think it was just that once, however...

Brock ran in hillclimbs, races and the combined event, the Dulux Rally with its hillclimbs, races and road sections. He came second to Bond...

But more to the point, he won one of those other rallies, a 'round Australia' event where torturous time schedules and immense distances threatened drivers hourly. He never, however, drove sports cars... and openwheelers only fleetingly.

Colin Bond, on the other hand, was a master in rallying (claimed by, I think, Ari Vatinen) to be the best he'd ever seen. And he was an accomplished openwheeler driver, winning hillclimbs galore with his Lynx, performing well on the circuits with it, and then flabbergasting the onlookers with his wet weather practice time at Warwick Farm in Matich's McLaren F5000.

Of course, he won in tintops, but his sports car experience was very limited. I remember a Sprite...

Originally posted by Ray Bell

Of course, he won in tintops, but his sports car experience was very limited. I remember a Sprite...

...ad a non-qualifying effort in a Porsche 924 Carrera GTR together with Brock and Jim Richards at the 1981 Le Mans.

When the World Sports Car Championship made their first Australian visit, at Sandown for the 1984 finale, Bond finished sixth in a third John Fitzpatrick Porsche 962 with Andrew Miedecke co-driving.

Not a lot more, but a fine result at Sandown, since ten Porsches finished in top-11.

Jesper

Maybe stretching the intended definition a bit, but what about John Surtees? Being World Champion on both two and four wheels feels like an even bigger mark of versatility than excelling in a range of four-wheeled disciplines.

Sorry. The most important thing for Elford is that he won a RALLY and a SPORTCARS RACE (and had his first race in F. 1 ) in the same year. Rather, he won Montecarlo and Daytona IN ONE WEEK!!!

Do you think Sebastian Loeb or Christian Fittipaldi able to do the same "jump"?

And then: F. 1, sportcars, F. Indy or touring cars are so similar: different, totally different is rallying! So I think it's important to search a driver who drove (and won) rallies and circuit-races.
Gerard Larrousse perhaps. I remember Jim Clark at RAC Rally in a Ford Cortina Lotus, or Jacky Ickx at the Paris-Dakar.

For example, I have a little question: can you help me about Criterium des Cevennes? I found that in 1969 Ignazio Giunti won this race in an Alfa Romeo 33 prototype 2-liter, and second and third were two Alpine Renault (Vinatier and Nicolas). Was that a similar-Targa Florio race? or a simple rally? I read that Giunti and the others run alone (without navigators) so I think it was not a rally. But Giunti (great circuit driver) in that same years partecipated also rallies (Tour de Corse, Rally dei Fiori 1967), with the Alfa Romeo Gta.

Looking specifically at the rallying & racing crossover:

Walter Rohrl seems very handy in most kinds of car.
The late lamented Henri Toivonen was very fast in both rallying and racing.
Sandro Munari and Bjon Waldegaard were other rally drivers who were useful racing drivers.

But I agree that Elford and Larrousse appear outstanding, in this context.

Hello,

To answer to Nanni, Giunti won Ronde Cévenole, and not Critérium des Cevennes, on
Alfa Roméo 33/2 in 69.

Ronde Cévenole was a race which proceeded on closed road with 10 laps of a circuit
of 42 kilometers. At this era, this race race was considered like a french little Targa
Florio but with different cars. It was not a rally but a circuit race on the road in south
of France.

Are you sure, Heros? Ronde Cevenole and Criterium des Cevennes... mmmmmm... both races in the same region (Cevennes mountains, south France).

You are correct: the race named in french "boucle" is the Ronde Cevenole and the Criterium des Cevennes is a regular rally.
Ronde Cevenole, yes I remember.

As in Targa Floria, as in Circuito del Mugello, an hard circuit race on closed roads, sure!
There were some strange prototypes like Simca CG Spyder, Lancia Fulvia F&M barchetta, Alpine Renault proto, Porsches and Ford (the unforgettable Gt70 do you remember? ) and also the Alfa Romeo 33, just the same car Ignazio Giunti drove with Nanni Galli, fourth at Le Mans 24H 1968.

Thanks. Who know if Vic Elford even run the Ronde Cevenole?

Originally posted by jph
Maybe stretching the intended definition a bit, but what about John Surtees? Being World Champion on both two and four wheels feels like an even bigger mark of versatility than excelling in a range of four-wheeled disciplines.

Add Joe Leonard, Joe Weatherly, Mike Hailwood, and Bernd Rosemeyer -- among others, to this list.

Originally posted by David McKinney
Vic Elford was a world class rally driver, a world class sportscar driver and a world class F1 driver
So were the next few names people mentioned
But I don't think many of the later candidates comply with Nanni's original specification

These opportunities simply don't seem to exist today for drivers or teams. What Elford did in 1968 was truly unique -- and a great and wonderful achievement in my opinion -- and since then there have been few opportunities to even come close to doing such a feat.

From some nebulous point in the late-1950's to an equally nebulous point in the 1970's, it was possible for teams and drivers to diversify and participate in a variety of disciplines within the motorsport umbrella. Fewer such opportunities seem to be taken today.

An observation: once drivers moved from sports car racing into GP/F1, now it seems to be going in the opposite direction, especially with all these "baby" F1 drivers being booted out onto the street barely in their mid to late-20's. Not that I would like to express an opinion, mind you....

Originally posted by Don Capps:
Add Joe Leonard, Joe Weatherly, Mike Hailwood, and Bernd Rosemeyer -- among others, to this list .

..... and Nuvolari, Pedro Rodriguez, Damon Hill etc etc etc. Motorcycle racers who have switched to cars might well merit a thread in its own right (and in Hailwood's case, at least, switched back again afterwards), but my point with Surtess was specifically the achievement of world titles in both disciplines. Or is the implication that the people listed in Don's post ran both disciplines in parallel (forgive my ignorance of pre-WW2 and non-European affairs)?

On Nanni's original point, I have to agree that Elford's achievements in such a short time-span in 1968 make him stand out from the others. Such a contrast from now, when active F1 drivers can scarcely step outside their own narrow branch of the sport.

I think 30 years ago (or more) it was not so surprising for a driver to run into different categories. As you can read on this thread, Elford was unique for his result, but there were many drivers who raced into different categories at the same time.

In our "year 2000 age" I recall only two samples: Valentino Rossi made some rallyes (RAC 2002 and some Monza Rally) and Michael Schumacher made a kart world championship race. What a poor comparison!


You mentioned drivers famous both on two and four wheels. Of course you miss important drivers like Achille Varzi, Giacomo Agostini, Johnny Cecotto (the last F.1 driver who won a motorbike world championship), but all of them raced on motorbike.

Alain Prost as well raced on two-wheels, even if he was not so succesful (click to enlarge) :


(from Alain Prost-Homepage 3! - Photo Gallery 2001 - 2005)



Ciao,
Guido

Nanni, we are OK, Ronde Cévenole and Critérium des Cévennes are two different races
in the same area.

Vic Elford never took part in the Ronde Cévenole.

Isn't there a big difference between just doing it because the opportunites present themsleves as part of the job and doing it as a, well, "trick?" I think what Elford did was simply part of the job, and, well, then it becomes a "trick"....

Originally posted by Don Capps


Add Joe Leonard, Joe Weatherly, Mike Hailwood, and Bernd Rosemeyer -- among others, to this list.

Thank you Don

And also the underrated and underappreciated Paul Goldsmith - who raced the Indy 500 and Stock Cars (showing great versatility in the range of tracks he won at) after winning the AMA motorcycle championship.

And since it was Paul Goldsmith's court case (an update to that thread shortly), that helped lead to the golden era of driver interchange in the U.S...

It's definitely more the crowded schedule and sponsorship that prevents interchange, now it's a gimmick, back then it was a driver trying to make a living (not counting Ford's crew of drivers).

Just a small and partly off topic contribution to this thread...

As far as I know Tom Kristensen ( fellow dane ), have achieved getting pole position in all the racing formulas he has competed in. Sadly - and imho most undeserved - this does not include f1.

But it includes Saloon racers, single seaters from FF and the likes to F3000, and as I guess most people will know ( ), Sportscar Racing - or what the correct term for LM-cars is these days.

This thread made me think of which current big-name rally drivers could make it as circuit racers ?

Gilles Panizzi would appear obvious; Sebastien Loeb and possibly Carlos Sainz.

IIRC, Didier Auriol used to drive Ambulances. Does he count as multi purpose driver?

Ciao,
Guido

And Danny Sullivan drove a New York taxi,

Originally posted by Mohican
This thread made me think of which current big-name rally drivers could make it as circuit racers ?

Gilles Panizzi would appear obvious; Sebastien Loeb and possibly Carlos Sainz.

Not really "current" drivers ......but a few frenchmen, Guy Fréquelin ( current head of Citroen sport ) and Jean Ragnotti both achieved some success on circuits after / during a nice rally carreer...

And of course Jean Claude Andruet , Monte Carlo winner who later excelled in GT cars ( notably Ferrari daytona's and 512 BB's ) at le Mans in particular ...


But of course , no match whatsoever for Vic Elford .

In 1999 Tony Stewart competed in both the IRL Indianapolis 500 (Dallara-Aurora, finishing ninth) and the Nascar Coca Cola 600 (coming home fourth) on the same day, driving a total of 1090 miles (to say nothing about the Indianapolis-Charlotte flight...).

He repeated the achievement in 2001, this time finishing sixth and third, respectively.

Not too bad, I think..although great piles of shiny dimes represent for sure a convincing incentive!

Originally posted by philippe7


I was looking through an old "L'Automobile" magazine this noon after lunch, and I discovered to my amazement that Australian touring car ace Peter Brock , who is generally considered by the "tin-top" racing fans down under as the greatest driver in the history of auto racing , also occasionnaly acted as Rally navigator !!!! Yes, no kidding , in the "New-Caledonia Safari" in 1973, as co-driver to a Mr Colin Bond .

If I could just add to that...Peter was indeed a very fine driver who could not only drive anything but could drive around any problems too.

As for his versatility, did you know that he:

- WON the Repco Round Australia Rally
- WON the national Rallycross championship at least once
- WON in touring cars, sports sedans, sports cars and open wheelers in Australia
- also ran at Le Mans in a Porsche 956 (and I think was doing OK un til retirement)

he was even good with the women, racking up a few wives, I believe!

While I'm at it, what about Denny Hulme?

He started off in Hillclimbs, he was a WDC in F1, a Can-Am champion while he was still doing F1, he came 4th in an Indy 500, won the British Tourist Trophy sportscars, raced in the European Touring Car Championship in the early 80s and even had some success racing trucks and competed at the Targa Tasmania rally.

Now thats versatile.

To add to a previous post, Jim Clark was actually the 1964 British Touring Car Champion as well as driving F1, F2, Indy, Tasman series.

Originally posted by deeks6
If I could just add to that...Peter was indeed a very fine driver who could not only drive anything but could drive around any problems too.

As for his versatility, did you know that he:

- WON the Repco Round Australia Rally
- WON the national Rallycross championship at least once
- WON in touring cars, sports sedans, sports cars and open wheelers in Australia
- also ran at Le Mans in a Porsche 956 (and I think was doing OK un til retirement)

he was even good with the women, racking up a few wives, I believe!

Yes, I'd forgotten the Le Mans experiences... BMW and Porsche bound. Winning the 24-hour at Bathurst comes close, however, as it was a pretty sporty coupe he drove.

More fiances than wives, I think he was only actually married once, though Bev may well have formalised it some time in the past 20 years.

His 'winning' in openwheelers was very limited, though he did finish about third (IIRC) in a full blown F2 round at Oran Park before GM pulled the pin on him driving a car with a Ford engine.

I covered a bit more than this in an earlier post... and wasn't there some desert rallies?

Originally posted by Ray Bell



More fiances than wives, I think he was only actually married once, though Bev may well have formalised it some time in the past 20 years.

His 'winning' in openwheelers was very limited, though he did finish about third (IIRC) in a full blown F2 round at Oran Park before GM pulled the pin on him driving a car with a Ford engine.

He was at least married to former Miss Australia, Michelle Downes, and I'm sure he was also married to Heather (who either was or later married Bob Watson)...so that makes 3.

From memory, it was a Birrana and I recall him winning at Calder...or Hume Weir, or somewhere.

I'm still looking for F.1 drivers in Rally World Championship or some other important International rallyes. I found:

• Martin Brundle: he raced twice RAC Rally, 1996 and 1999, both retired (click here)
• Eric Comas: he retired at Australia Rally 2000, on a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 (click here)
• Mika Häkkinen: he raced twice Arctic Lapland Rally; he was 29th in 2003 (Mitsubishi Lancer WRC) and 7th in 2004, on a Toyota Corolla WRC (click here)
• Jyrki Järvilehto (best knows as J.J. Lehto) : he raced 4 times Arctic Lapland Rally; his best result was 10th in 2001 on Mitsubishi Carisma GT (click here)
• Leo Kinnunen: 6 times at 1000 Lakes (first in 1973, last in 1982) and once at RAC (1974); best result at his first rally, 1000 Lakes 1973, 3rd on a Porsche 911 (click here)
• Torsten Palm: he raced 1992 and 1993 Swedish Rally, both on Lancia Delta Integrale 16V. He was 20th and 17th (click here)
• Didier Pironi: he retired at 19ème Tour de Corse (1975) driving a Renault 12 Gordini (click here)
• Keke Rosberg: he raced twice Arctic Lapland Rally on Mitsubishi Lancer: he was 19th in 2001 and 16th in 2004 (click here)
• Marc Surer: after 1984 and 1985 F.1 season he had many problems to find money for next F.1 season, so he thought to convert himself into a professional rally driver. Again, at beginning of 1986 he was signing with Ford for driving new RS200, but his sponsor (Barclay) wanted him in F.1. There were rumors he could race at Costa Smeralda Rally (in Sardinia, Italy), but his debut was at Rally Hessen 1986 (European and German Championships). He was quite unluck: he has a crash and he was serioulsy injuried and his codriver, Michael Wyder, was killed. (from Autosprint 23/1986 pages 12-13)
• Patrick Tambay: he was 20th at Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo 1973 driving a Renault 12 Gordini (click here)
• Derek Warwick: he retired at RAC Rally 1990 driving a Subaru Legacy RS (click here)
• Bob Wolleck: well, he was not a F.1 driver, but I think he was quite famous as well on circuits... However, he was 14th at Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo 1973 driving a Alpine-Renault A110 1800 (click here)
• Ricardo Zunino: he retired at Codasur Rally (Argentina) 1981 driving a Datsun 160J (click here)
  
• Vittorio Brambilla made many rallies as codriver of Alex Fiorio, but he is not the same Vittorio Brambilla known as F.1 driver (click here).

Ciao,
Guido

You may be right about winning (although I'm sure he won a race) - this exerpt from a 1974 interview:

"CF: You ran in Formula 2 with a Birrana for a while. What was your reason for stopping?

PB: Money! The thing is that, once you reach the position that I'm in, every time you sit your bum in something you have to be fair to yourself and to your sponsors. You have to do it properly. The big mistake I made with that was in trying to run with a very tired old Hart engine. Compared to the standard of preparation of the HDT cars, it was never really well prepared. I have never had the right tyres…it just wasn't good enough. To do F2 properly you need a really good chassis and two good engines. With the engines costing around $5000.00 each, you finish up spending more than you would on Formula F5000! I was happy with myself though, I felt that I drove pretty well and I think that I could be competitive if the opportunity to drive open wheelers ever arises again. We'll just have to wait and see what happens on that one. "

I think his dad Geoff prepared the car...note it had a Hart motor not Ford

Originally posted by deeks6
He was at least married to former Miss Australia, Michelle Downes, and I'm sure he was also married to Heather (who either was or later married Bob Watson)...so that makes 3.

From memory, it was a Birrana and I recall him winning at Calder...or Hume Weir, or somewhere.

Sorry, forgot Michelle Downs... Heather Russell was first, then the engagement to Karen McPherson, then Michelle Downs... then a couple of years or so passed and along came Bev.

The wins he had in the Birrana were at Winton, with little opposition. Leo Geoghegan borrowed the car and won in it at Hume Weir, then Peter drove it - strictly from memory, you must understand - at Oran Park and Amaroo Park, all of these events being F2 title races, but not Winton.

I thought he did well at OP, he had upgraded the bodywork by then... Geoff Brock did the preparation, but Geoff also told me that GM were not happy with them running the Ford engine. In fact, if you check out some old piccies you'll see a sticker on the car, 'Isuzu - GM'...

And I've no doubt money was a problem... that's right, oil company conflicts came in as well. Shell were ready to sponsor him in the car, but he had to bow to Castrol, who backed the HDT.

Originally posted by deeks6
.....I think his dad Geoff prepared the car...note it had a Hart motor not Ford

The 'Hart' motor to which you refer, and I don't think he actually had one but I could be wrong, comprised the following:

Ford block.
Lotus twin cam head.
Special crankshaft and probably rods.
Dry sump gear from proprietory sources.
Two DCOE Webers.
Cams to a grind recommended/provided by Brian Hart.
Enlarged valves by Brian Hart.
(usually) Porosity problems because the inlet ports were taken out too far.

Everyone referred to them as Ford or Twin Cam engines... the first Hart version in the country belonged to Ray Winter.

Originally posted by gdecarli
I'm still looking for F.1 drivers in Rally World Championship or some other important International rallyes.

Ukyo Katayama raced in this year's Dakar Rally. And don't forget Jean-Louis Schlesser, who won a 1988 F1 race for Ferrari.

MARC DUEZ
Amazingly nobody has mentioned this Belgian paragon of versatility yet, has anyone?

Originally posted by gdecarli
I'm still looking for F.1 drivers in Rally World Championship or some other important International rallyes.

[*]Leo Kinnunen: 6 times at 1000 Lakes (first in 1973, last in 1982) and once at RAC (1974); best result at his first rally, 1000 Lakes 1973, 3rd on a Porsche 911 (click here

[*]Marc Surer: after 1984 and 1985 F.1 season he had many problems to find money for next F.1 season, so he thought to convert himself into a professional rally driver. Again, at beginning of 1986 he was signing with Ford for driving new RS200, but his sponsor (Barclay) wanted him in F.1. There were rumors he could race at Costa Smeralda Rally (in Sardinia, Italy), but his debut was at Rally Hessen 1986 (European and German Championships). He was quite unluck: he has a crash and he was serioulsy injuried and his codriver, Michael Wyder, was killed. (from Autosprint 23/1986 pages 12-13)

[*]Bob Wolleck: well, he was not a F.1 driver, but I think he was quite famous as well on circuits... However, he was 14th at Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo 1973 driving a Alpine-Renault A110 1800 (click here)

Ciao,
Guido

Leo Kinnunen was a regular rally competitor through the 70ies (specially in his homeland), and I've found these results on ERC for Drivers events:

'70 Jyväskylän Suurajot (1000 Lakes), DNF, Saab 96 V4 (Group 2)
'77 Marlboro Arctic Rally, DNF, Volvo
'79 Marlboro Arctic Rally, 1st o/a, Porsche 911SC (Group 4) - Codriver: Pentti Kuukkala
'80 Tunturi Arctic Rally, DNF, Porsche 911SC (Group 4)
'80 Hankiralli (Snow Rally), DNF

Previously to these ERC events, Leo was 4th o/a in the '69 Hankiralli (Snow Rally), at the wheel of a VW.


Marc Surer had quite a experience as rally driver by the time of the '86 Hessen Rallye. This is what I've found:

'83 Jänner Rally (ERC for Drivers), Talbot Sunbeam-Lotus (Group B), his first rally?
'84 Castrol Jänner Rally (ERC for Drivers), 8th o/a, Renault 5 Turbo (Group B) - Codriver: Michael Wyder
'84 Sachs Winter Rallye (ERC for Drivers), DNF, Opel Ascona 400 (Group B)
'84 Rallye du Vin (ERC for Drivers), 3rd o/a, Renault 5 Turbo (Group B) - Codriver: Michael Wyder


Bob Wollek, @ the beginnings of his long & successful career was @ home in rallying as in circuits. Here are the results I've found:

'68 Coupe des Alpes (Alpine Rally), DNF, Renault 8 Gordini (Group 5) - Codriver: Michel Chevallier
'68 Rallye Genève (ERC for Drivers), 7th o/a, Renault 8 Gordini (Group 2)
'69 Coupe des Alpes (Alpine Rally) (ERC for Makes), DNF, Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA (Group 2) - Codriver: Christine (Christine Beckers)
'74 Tour de France Automobile (ERC for Drivers), DNF, Porsche 911 Carrera RSR (Group 4) - Codriver: Anjoulet


Carles.

Originally posted by gdecarli

I'm still looking for F.1 drivers in Rally World Championship or some other important International rallyes.

Pedro Matos Chaves, driver of the hapless Coloni in the 1991 (he never managed to make a grid), competed in the following rally events:

1998 • Portuguese Rally Championship, 7th overall in a Toyota Corolla WRC.
• World Rally Championship,TAP Rallye de Portugal in a Telecel Castrol Team Toyota Corolla
WRC: 13th
1999 • Portuguese Rally Championship, 1st overall, at least 2 wins in a Toyota Corolla WRC.
• World Rally Championship, TAP Rallye de Portugal in a Telecel Castrol Team Toyota Corolla
WRC
2000 • Portuguese Rally Championship, 1st overall, 1715 points, 5 wins in a Toyota Corolla WRC.
• World Rally Championship, TAP Rallye de Portugal in a Telecel Castrol Team Toyota Corolla
WRC: retired
• Race of Champions rally event in the Canary Islands.
2001 • Portuguese Rally Championship in a Toyota Corolla WRC.
• World Rally Championship, TAP Rallye de Portugal in a Telecel Vodafone Castrol Team
Toyota Corolla WRC: Retired

Look here for further results in the European Rally Championship

Maybe this does not qualify in the exact context of the thread... ...but what about Tommy Reid? Worked the family farm full-time. Was the consummate "amateur" (in all its best senses), but took his Brabham BT30 out at weekends to regularly put manners on the likes of John Watson and Jochen Rindt, drove his neihbour's Mini to saloon car wins and - most imprortant - always had time to talk to me (a 10 year old motorsport besotten kid) at Kirkistown on Saturday afternoon's.