German · Regensburg, West Germany · Born 7 March 1947German rally driver twice voted the greatest of all time, who won two World Rally Championship titles across three different manufacturers and remains the only driver to win the Monte Carlo Rally with four different marques.
Walter Röhrl was born on 7 March 1947 in Regensburg, Bavaria, and initially aspired to be a ski instructor before his skill as a chauffeur revealed a natural talent for car control. He entered competitive rallying in the early 1970s, winning the European Rally Championship in 1974 with an Opel Ascona, and made his World Rally Championship debut in 1973. Röhrl's breakthrough came in 1980, when he won eight of the twelve rallies he entered driving a Fiat 131 Abarth, clinching the World Rally Championship with ease and winning that year's Monte Carlo Rally along the way. He achieved an even more celebrated triumph in 1982, defeating the four-wheel-drive Audi Quattros of Michèle Mouton with his comparatively outdated rear-wheel-drive Opel Ascona 400, relying on remarkable consistency to win the title by virtue of reliability over raw speed. Röhrl became the only driver in history to win the Monte Carlo Rally four times with four different manufacturers - Fiat (1980), Opel (1982), Lancia (1983), and Audi (1984) - a testament to his adaptability across machinery. Known for being selective about which events he entered, avoiding Finland's 1000 Lakes Rally due to his dislike of jumps, he nonetheless amassed 14 WRC victories across a 75-start career from 1973 to 1987, alongside success in endurance racing, winning his class at the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, and setting the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record in 1987 driving an Audi Sport Quattro S1. He was named 'Rally Driver of the Century' in Italy and 'Rally Driver of the Millennium' in France, and has served as a Porsche brand ambassador since 1993, influencing the development of sports cars including the 959, Carrera GT, and 918 Spyder.
Winning two World Rally Championship titles and becoming the only driver to win the Monte Carlo Rally with four different manufacturers
How They Played
Cerebral, precision-focused driver renowned for consistency and reliability over outright aggression, capable of adapting seamlessly across manufacturers and vehicle characteristics
Lasting Impact
Widely regarded as one of the greatest rally drivers in history, twice voted the best ever by international panels, whose precision driving style and mechanical understanding continue to influence sports car development through his long partnership with Porsche
Career Honours
- 2x World Rally Champion (1980, 1982)
- Only driver to win the Monte Carlo Rally 4 times with 4 different manufacturers
- 'Rally Driver of the Century' (Italy) and 'Rally Driver of the Millennium' (France)
- 14 career WRC victories
German Athletes