Bagration Stratos

[StruanR]

Digging out some of the old press cuttings I was reminded that Prince Jorge de Bagration competed on one of the Sherry Rallies through the mountains of Southern Spain, that I did in my Simca back in the 70s. He went on to win the Spanish Rally Championship in 1979. The car appeared in various colour schemes, including the Rothmans livery. Maybe there were more than one, Strati were not dear then...

[LM mic]

Jorge did also Le Mans in 72 and 73 with an Porsche 908/03

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[ProtoTipo]

Didn't he have the car in green and yellow without spoilers?

[strat24v]

Think the car that was at Sutton's was ex Bagration.

[StruanR]

Yes, in 1975 yellow and green with no spoilers.
Portugal 1975 (http://www.forocompeticion.com/foro/rally-nacional/4408-informacion-sobre-los-lancia-stratos-en-espana.html)
Sherry Rally was rough, through the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, up to 22 mile stages, dust, huge drops by the side of the road.
8 punctures in one day.
We didn't have a lot of safety gear in those days, but by the time you hit something it probably didn't matter.....
Struan

[Griff]

A bit like Roger Clarks comment about Corsica, when asked if he was worried about going off, "Why worry, it's so far down, my clothes will be out of fashion by the time you hit the bottom"

[StruanR]

I did the Cyprus Rally the same year as Roger. He did a 14 mile stage through the Troodos mountains, which was so tight and twisty his Escort BDA never got out of second gear. 50yds straight, hairpin, 50yds straight, hairpin.... endless...
And the dust was so bad you were driving in fog.
Boiled the brake fluid on the tow car at one point too.
Struan

[StruanR]

Bagration Sherry Rally (https://www.facebook.com/AutomovilClubDeJerez/photos/a.130300883817198.1073741825.125716274275659/136255953221691/?type=3&theater)

[Griff]

Yep, had the same problem with Peugeot 504 estate, a very 'loooooooong' car and trailer, going round the Nordschleife on the Pirelli classic

[Bernard]

Not the same "Sherry Rally" but the same livery
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1975 Rally Espana

[StruanR]

Yes, spot on, we were very much the other end of the order....!
Cash-strapped private entry.
:(
Struan

[john]

Nevertheless experiences to be respected and to be proud of Struan!

Ps: What were the arrangements for getting the car and barge to Cyprus?

[Bernard]

Nevertheless experiences to be respected and to be proud of Struan!

Ditto

[StruanR]

Nevertheless experiences to be respected and to be proud of Struan!

Ps: What were the arrangements for getting the car and barge to Cyprus?

We drove down through France and Italy, ferry to Greece, ferry to Cyprus.
Rally car checked by drug dogs in Italy, I remember the ferry to Cyprus was the Sol Phryne. It sank in a storm some years later.....
Scary stuff 20 mile mountain hairpin stages at night, you need wide fog light beams angled out to see across the hairpins and forget about the drops.
Co-driver said it was the first time he'd ever been frightened on a stage!
:eek:
Struan

[john]

Quite an adventure in itself then without the rally!
Bit more difficult these days. No scheduled ferries to Cyprus at all. You can freight vehicles and pay to accompany as a passenger with operators such as Grimaldi and you can embark at a few European ports but journeys can be as long as 14 days.
Those roads are challenging enough in daylight and at tourist speeds!
Would have loved to have driven them competitively.
Cyprus rally is early October this year and is a ERC round again now as well as the Middle East championship it has been for a good few years.
Unfortunately we are there two weeks before that this year.