Read on Steve Perez's facebook page that Bjorn Waldegard has died today.
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Read on Steve Perez's facebook page that Bjorn Waldegard has died today.
Oh shit..... A real rallying superstar and a gentleman..... What a loss .....
RIP Bjorn
My all time Stratos hero.
The first World Rally champion Bjorn Waldegaard has died aged 70 after suffering with cancer.
Waldegaard passed away following a rapid decline in his health. He had been due to take part at Rallyday in Wiltshire next month, but had cancelled that trip to make way for treatment.
He did, however, attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier in the summer, where he drove a Toyota Twincam Turbo.
The Swede won the inaugural drivers' World Rally Championship title in 1979, co-driven by Hans Thorszelius on all rounds except for the 1000 Lakes Rally, where Claes Billstam guided them to third place.
Driving a works Ford Escort on European WRC rounds and a Mercedes 450 SLC on the Safari and Ivory Coast, Waldegaard took the championship by a single point from Hannu Mikkola.
http://cdn.images.autosport.com/edit...1409329324.jpg
Waldegaard won the Acropolis and Quebec Rally in 1979.
Beyond his world title, Waldegaard was probably best known for his ability to win in Africa and his love of competition there.
He tackled 25 WRC rounds in Africa and won seven of them (four Safaris and three Ivory Coast).
While Waldegaard stopped competing at world level in 1992, his love of competition kept him in and around rallies for the rest of his life.
And he remained competitive, winning the 2011 East African Safari Classic in a Porsche 911 aged 68.
That's really sad, too young, RIP Bjorn
The KING is dead............Long live the KING :(:(:(
A TOP man and a fab driver, RIP.... He was pencilled in for Castlecombe up until quite recently too!!
Sad - amazing chap with a very dry wit. I was fortunate enough to have lunch with him last year and knowing of his Stratos and Citroen exploits, I told him about my SM always breaking down and he said "if you like the Stratos and SM you have a problem and maybe you need a 'safe word' - I suggest 'sell d'em!"
Ver sad news - a great loss and a real shame that he will not be at Castle Coombe.
Hannu's gone too:
Indeed Chris sad news all the big names from th 70s and 80s are disappearing fast
Didnt hear of Hannu Mikkola's passing - very sad . He was the absolute best back in the day .
Yes.. heard this last week... Great driver and like Bjorn ... a real gentleman !
So life is to short... so live it as best you can !