The 12th edition of the ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival (August 15-17, 2024) has once again solidified its status as one of the most anticipated events in the rallying calendar. The festival, often referred to as the world’s largest rolling rally museum, brought over 160 iconic rally cars to life in the scenic Volcanic Eifel region around Daun. Tens of thousands of fans from across Europe gathered to witness the spectacle, turning the event into a celebration of motorsport history.
Under the clear skies, the event buzzed with excitement as fans and participants mingled, creating an electric atmosphere. Reinhard Klein, head of Slowly Sideways and responsible for assembling the impressive entry list, was thrilled with the outcome: “With this 12th edition, we’ve made great strides towards modernising the festival. This year, we’ve included Super2000 and WRC cars, despite the challenges in maintaining their complex technology. Our lineup spanned the 1960s to the recent past, featuring 95 different vehicle types from 30 brands and 130 team liveries. It was a rally enthusiast’s dream come true.”
A Community Effort
The festival’s success was a testament to the seamless collaboration between various local institutions. Otmar Anschütz, chairman and head of organisation for MSC Daun, emphasized the importance of teamwork: “An event of this scale is only possible with the support of numerous people and institutions. Our cooperation with local authorities, fire brigades, and volunteers has been phenomenal. Over 600 volunteers give their time to ensure the festival runs smoothly, and for that, we are incredibly grateful. This event is as much about the people behind the scenes as it is about the cars and drivers.”
Jörg Hennig, Sports Director of ADAC Mittelrhein e.V., visited the festival for the first time and was left in awe: “This is an incredible event, unique beyond Germany’s borders. The atmosphere is electric, with tens of thousands of fans lining the roads, cheering the cars on even without a time classification. The level of organisation here is flawless. I’ll definitely be back.”
Rally Legends Reunite
The ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival is more than just a showcase of iconic cars—it’s a reunion of rally legends. Thursday’s Welcome Evening was transformed into an open-air cinema by film legend Helmut Deimel, who presented rally footage to a captivated audience. VIPs shared stories from their careers, adding to the festival’s nostalgic charm.
Stig Blomqvist, who celebrated the 40th anniversary of his World Rally Championship title in an Audi, commented on the state of Swedish rallying: “Oliver Solberg is currently Sweden’s best hope for a new World Champion, and he’s progressing well—perhaps because he’s listening to his father less!”
Marcus Grönholm, double World Rally Champion, revealed a humorous mishap from his 1997 WRC debut with Toyota: “We retired while leading because our mechanics filled the fuel tank with too little petrol. They were trying to save weight!”
Harald Demuth reminisced about his second German Rally Championship title with Audi: “Rallying is real motorsport,” he declared, receiving enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Belgium’s Bruno Thiry, 2003 European Rally Champion, reflected on his career: “I’m fortunate to have turned my passion into a profession. My office just happens to have a steering wheel!”
Kalle Grundel, 1985 DRM champion, credited his Finnish roots for his rally success: “You need some Finnish genes to be fast in rallying—that’s a basic requirement!”
Harri Rovanperä, a long-time WRC driver, shared how a career setback turned into an opportunity: “Getting sacked from Seat and moving to Peugeot in 1998 was a stroke of luck. I’m thrilled to be here at this event, and I’ll definitely be back.”
Rally Tales and Laughter
Nicky Grist, co-driver to rally legends like Juha Kankkunen and Colin McRae, brought laughter to the festival with a story from the 1997 Safari Rally. During the infamous ‘Road to Hell’ stage, McRae needed an urgent bathroom break. With no time to stop, Grist took the wheel at 150 km/h while McRae tried, unsuccessfully, to open the door for relief. Despite the mishap, they finished the stage three minutes faster than their rivals. Grist humorously added: “In the future, maybe I should do the driving!”
Kenyan rally co-driving legend Yvonne Mehta, who recently turned 81, summed up the event perfectly: “It’s always so wonderful here at the Festival—I love coming back.”
A Showcase of Historic Rallying
The ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival has established itself as the premier event for historic rally cars, and 2024 was no exception. Austrian Franz Zehetner, driving a Renault Alpine A310 V6 prototype from 1977, described the event as “the showcase event in historic rallying.”
With its unmatched atmosphere, legendary cars, and rally icons sharing stories, the Eifel Rallye Festival is more than just a celebration of motorsport—it’s a time capsule that transports fans back to the golden era of rallying. As the event grows year after year, it continues to set the standard for what a historic rally festival should be.
The 2024 edition will be remembered not only for its spectacular cars and perfect weather but also for the camaraderie between drivers, fans, and organisers that made it an unforgettable experience. And, as the fans and legends alike hinted, they’ll all be back next year for even more rally magic in the heart of the Eifel.
[…] the 2024 Eifel Rallye, Nicky Grist gave rally enthusiasts an exclusive walkaround of one of the rarest rally cars in […]