I have seen in Facebook and soon after Portuguese Autosport confirmed that Mr. Björn Waldegärd, first WRC Champion in 1979; had died after a long illness. He wa sone of my favourite drivers and I always expected to meet him one day on those many historical reunions.
RIP Bjorn Waldegaard
Started by
GMiranda
, Aug 29 2014 16:25
19 replies to this topic
#4
Tim Murray
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Posted 29 August 2014 - 17:24
I'm so sorry to learn this. He was one of my favourite drivers. I last saw him at Race Retro a few years ago - he didn't say a lot but patiently signed autographs and posed for photos for a long time. RIP Bjorn.
#5
chunder27
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Posted 29 August 2014 - 17:41
What a truly sad day.
This bloke as one of the guys I loved watching, totally commited, and he drove all sorts of cars.
A lot of people will remember his supremacy in the Safari, but he was also a master at lots of events in Porsches, Stratos, Escort.
Very sad news and I know a lot of people will have heavy hearts right now
#6
BRG
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Posted 29 August 2014 - 18:05
I am so sorry to hear this news. I will always treasure many wonderful memories of Björn, who was one of the greats of rallying.
#7
Dick Dastardly
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Posted 29 August 2014 - 18:34
In the mid 90s, after one of the Rally Britannias [Historic Rallies that ran alongside the Network Q], I remember being in the dining room at Rally HQ and we were queuing up at the counter for our food....in the queue ahead of me were Bjorn & Stiq busy chatting away, I remember thinking there's 2 out of the 3 greatest Swedish drivers [the other being Eric Carlsson]. I wish I had a pen and something for them to autograph.... 
#8
Michael Ferner
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Posted 29 August 2014 - 21:07
How very sad! 
Back in my teenage days, I followed almost every form of motorsport, even rallyes, and Waldegaard was always my favourite driver in those!
Back in my teenage days, I followed almost every form of motorsport, even rallyes, and Waldegaard was always my favourite driver in those!
#9
GMiranda
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Posted 29 August 2014 - 21:08
I don't remember him driving sadly, only from my video collection
#10
GeoffR
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Posted 29 August 2014 - 21:47
Very sad news, one of the greats of rallying.
Always loved this clip, Bjorn and another great in Escorts ....
Edited by GeoffR, 29 August 2014 - 21:47.
#11
Lee Nicolle
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Posted 29 August 2014 - 22:37
That piece of footage shows simple [comparitively] and exciting to watch Rally Cars. And a pram! The Escorts looked the part, The Fiesta an understeering pig.
RIP Bjorn. Guys like that are not around any more.
#13
Wirra
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Posted 30 August 2014 - 06:13
RIP
Watching that video I now blame Ford for the ridiculous activity called 'drifting'.
#14
Michael Ferner
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Posted 30 August 2014 - 09:43
How young they look!
[I can't help it! :blush:]
Yep! The Fiesta gives one an idea about how it was driving a FD Miller on dirt... ...That piece of footage shows simple [comparitively] and exciting to watch Rally Cars. And a pram! The Escorts looked the part, The Fiesta an understeering pig.
RIP Bjorn. Guys like that are not around any more.
[I can't help it! :blush:]
#15
GeoffR
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Posted 30 August 2014 - 10:07
Watching that video I now blame Ford for the ridiculous activity called 'drifting'.
Which all good rally drivers could do with those cars. And people wonder why WRC isn't popular now ......
#16
sterling49
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Posted 30 August 2014 - 11:10
A sad loss, one of the all time greats.
#17
RS2000
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Posted 30 August 2014 - 19:50
Cycling back from the Heathrow start venue for the 1966 Gulf London Rally with my mate from school, we came upon a VW1600TL rally car with two guys pouring over a map on the bonnet. They were looking for the start. We sent them the right way and wondered over their strange Swedish names. We didn't think they could be much good if they couldn't even find the start.
11 years on, I had co-driven to a very low finishing position on the RAC Rally and, at the prizegiving, watched the same guy accept the winner's award and start to speak. "In nineteen hundered and sixty five I first come to RAC Rally and was thinking, one day I would really like to win this rally. So today is very special day for me...."
BW had class others lacked (apart from being one of the best drivers). On the R.A.C. revival a few years ago, he took the trouble to walk over and introduce himself to the neighbouring crews in the service area.
So soon after his long time co-driver Lars Helmer left us....
#18
sonar
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Posted 07 September 2014 - 11:54
That is very sad news. Such a nice man and an amazing driver.
#19
Doug Nye
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Posted 08 September 2014 - 15:50
Bjorn Waldegaard also drove one of the Gulf-JWA Porsche 908/03s in the 1970 Targa Florio, teamed with Richard Attwood. They finished fifth. Respect!
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#20
GMiranda
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Posted 08 September 2014 - 17:07
Hello
How are you Mr.Nye? I am a Portuguese motorsport and cycling enthusiast and amateur historian. I am an history student with 25, and since a child an enthusiast of both sports and also from the past. I collect magazines, books and videos, and obviously a lot of web-related stuff, and this forum is indeed one of the greatest places to learn and discuss topics. Under different nicks I have been around here since 2003 (I was too young and clumsy there), and a year or so ago I decided, as university allowed me too, to "professionalize" some of my works, I put the same nick on every community related to both sports and also try to develop my writing skills.
I wrote some things for 8W, two or three small articles; but I have more things written and others planned. I'd really like to keep improving my skills and my knowledge; and it's a great honour and pleasure to meet and have the chance to speak with other enthusiasts and writers like you. In matter of fact, you are one of my greatest refrences concerning to motorsport writers, and I am an avid MotorSport reader and have a subscription since 2008. It would be a dream job to write for them one day.
Best Regards
