The Rallye International du Maroc is one of those epic events that have formed an integral part of the sport’s history. It combines travel, action and adventure through some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery.
This year, the event is privileged to welcome two of the most recognised figures in the history of the sport: Michele Mouton and Bjorn Waldegard. We meet two of the stars of the show…
Michele Mouton
Michele Mouton did what no other female driver has managed since: won a round of the World Rally Championship.
In fact Mouton, who hails from the Alpes-Maritimes region of France, was victorious at world level on four occasions.
Following her maiden success in Sanremo in 1981 in an Audi Quattro, she claimed a hat-trick of victories in 1982, when she came within 12 points of capturing the world drivers’ title of that year. She very easily could have won but mechanical failures and crashes in Finland and the Ivory Coast meant she lost out to Opel driver Walter Rohrl, who was more consistent during the season.
Mouton’s early competition forays were as a co-driver before she took to the wheel herself in 1974, driving an Alpine Renault. Her fearless approach meant success soon followed and, by 1977, she had won her first international event in Spain. Her triumph in Sanremo four years later was the first for Audi and the first victory by a four-wheel drive car.
Mouton continued at the sport’s highest level until 1986, when the outlandish Group B regulations were banned at the end of the season.
With the replacement Group A formula offering little temptation and keen to start a family, Mouton quit driving and devoted her attentions instead to establishing the Race of Champions end-of-season shoot-out event.
Aged 59, she now holds the post of president of the FIA’s Women and Motor Sport Commission and advises the sport’s governing body on matters relating to the world championship.
Mouton, who won the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in 1984 and also tackled in the Le Mans 24 Hours, still drives on demonstration runs occasionally, but for now she insists her competitive career is over. Or at least it was…
Three questions for Michele:
Michele, what made you decide to come to Morocco?
MM: “It was always something that I wanted to do. I’ve retired from driving a long time ago, but if something is fun, I’ll always be tempted back. I’ve done some rallies in a Porsche before – a complete season in 1977 – and it was always fun driving this car, plus the scenery in Morocco is beautiful, so I thought why not? I think it will be a lot of fun.”
What are you expecting from the Rallye International du Maroc?
MM: “A very nice rally, but also a very tough and demanding rally. I think it will be a big challenge for me: I don’t have the strength in my arms that I used to, for example! I still have the reflex of a four-wheel drive car too, so it takes time to get used to that. For me though, I just want to enjoy myself. There are some great people doing this rally, so it’s going to be a very nice social occasion too.”
You’ve got Fabrizia Pons co-driving for you again; which must bring back some memories…
MM: “Yes, we’ve had some fantastic times together, and the funny thing is that when we are both in the car once more I’m sure the old competitive spirit will come back! This is how it’s always been before and I’m sure it’s how it will be again – it just takes some time and I’m sure we will be straight back into it…”
To see Michele in action, trying out her car for the Rallye du Maroc, please visit our You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp8QkyXyTrc
Bjorn Waldegard
Bjorn Waldegard, the inaugural world rally champion who turns 67 in November, first started competing in 1962 in his native Sweden. He became domestic champion in 1967 and again in 1968, but it was his victory on the Monte Carlo Rally of 1969, in a Porsche 911, that underlined his status as a genuine force in international competition.
He won the event again in 1970 and should have triumphed for a third time in 1979, the year of his world championship glory, but ultimately lost out on first by six seconds to Bernard Darniche when he was delayed by a large rock placed in the middle of the road on a bridge by a group of unruly spectators.
While Waldegard’s success of 1979 was undoubtedly his crowning glory, the Swede admits there wasn’t the same level of kudos attached to his achievement back then as there is today, even though a solitary point separated Waldegard and Hannu Mikkola after the 12th and final event of the season in the Ivory Coast.
Waldegard was a regular in the series from its inception in 1973 until his enforced retirement, due to an arm injury, from the sport’s highest echelon in 1992. During that time he notched up 35 podium finishes, including 16 victories, the last of which came on the Safari Rally of 1990, when he became the oldest winner of a WRC event, aged 46.
Waldegard, who competes on an ad hoc basis “in cars and on rallies he likes”, scored the bulk of his points during his title-winning season in a Ford Escort Mk2, although he was at the wheel of a Mercedes 450 SLC when he clinched the title – Ford didn’t have the budget for the African events that season. He also had successful stints with Lancia and Toyota.
Three questions for Bjorn:
Bjorn, how did you end up competing in Morocco this year?
BW: “It was a last-minute call but I was very quick to accept the invitation because I know it will be a very good rally based on the experience I have from competing in Morocco and from knowing the good job the guys responsible for organising the event do. I know it’s going to be a lot fun.”
You’ll be driving a Peugeot 504: what’s the car like?
BW: “I have never driven the Peugeot before but I am told it’s a very powerful car. The rally lasts for nine days so I have time to adapt to the car. It won’t be a problem and you have to remember the Peugeot has a good record on events in Africa so it’s a car that can be competitive but also reliable.”
What’s going to be your approach to the event?
“You have to take a prestigious endurance rally like this day by day, never think about winning but avoiding problems because the moment you have a problem you know you are not going to win. That will be my target.”
– Credit: Rallye du Maroc.
