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Björn Waldegaard - the modest rally world champion

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Created on November 11, 2017

Text:

Chiara Schiestl

Photos:

Daimler AG

Porsche AG

Bruno von Rotz

Daniel Riesen

Balz Schreier

McKlein Publishing/Verlag Reinhard Klein

Archiv

Daimler AG

Porsche AG

Bruno von Rotz

Daniel Riesen

Balz Schreier

McKlein Publishing/Verlag Reinhard Klein

Archiv

Mercedes-Benz 500 SLC (1980) - Victory for Waldegaard - Torszelius at the 12th Bandama Rally in 1980

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Impressions Arosa ClassicCar 2012 - Björn Waldegaard - once again at the wheel of a modern Porsche instead of a classic car

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Björn Waldegard and Lars Helmer at the 1969 Monte Carlo Rally - Motorsport Classic 2014 Calendar by McKlein

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Porsche 911 (1969) - Rally Monte Carlo 1969, Björn Waldegaard

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Porsche 911 S 2.3 (1970) - Rally Monte Carlo 1970 The Monte Carlo Rally from January 16 to 24, 1970 was won by Björn Waldegaard and Lars Helmer in a Porsche 911 S 2.3

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Porsche 911 (1970) - Waldegaard - Nystrom

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Porsche 911 (1972) - Waldegaard-Helmér at the Monte Carlo Rally

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The new BMW racing department "Motorsport GmbH" - from left to right: Achim Warmbold, Chris Amon, Toine Hezemans, Jochen Neerpasch, Björn Waldegaard, Jean Todt, Dieter Quester, Harald Menzel and Hans-Joachim Stuck

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Lancia Stratos (1977) - Waldegard and Thorszelius on a rally stage

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Ford Escort RS - Waldegard and Thorszelius finished second in the 1979 Monte Carlo Rally in the Ford Escort RS

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Ferrari 308 GTB (1983) - Rallye Sanremo 1983, Waldegaard

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC 5.0 (1979) - second place for the Waldegaard - Throszelius team at the 1979 Bandama Rally

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Mercedes-Benz 500 SLC (1980) - Winning team Björn Waldegaard - Hans Throszelius at the 12th Bandama Rally from December 9 to 14, 1980

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Mercedes-Benz 500 SLC (1980) - Victory at the 12th Rally Bandama 1980 - Björn Waldegaard with Hans Thorszelius

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Andrew Cowan and Björn Waldegaard at the 11th Bandama Rally 1979

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Björn Waldegaard at the 28th East Africian Safai Rally (April 3 to 7, 1980)

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC 5.0 (1979) - the winning Mercedes teams at the 11th Bandama Rally in 1979 - Björn Waldegaard in the middle holding the bottle together with Hannu Mikkola

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC 5.0 (1979) - second place for Björn Waldegaard at the 11th Bandama Rally 1979, winner was Hannu Mikkola, third Andrew Cowan

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC 5.0 (1979) - successful team at the 11th Bandama Rally 1979 - Hans Thorszelius, Klaus Kaiser, Andrew Cowan, Hannu Mikkola, Vic Preston, Werner Breitschwerdt, Erich Waxenberger, Mike Doughty, Arne Hertz, Björn Waldegaard

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Björn Waldegaard on the occasion of the Porsche Carrera Cup at the Nürburgring in 2007

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Porsche 911 (1970) - Björn Waldegaard with son Mathias at the East African Safari Classic Kenya 2011

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Björn Waldegaard with son Mathias at the East African Safari Classic 2011

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Porsche 911 (1971) - Eifel Rallye Festival 2012 - Björn Waldegard

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Porsche 550 A Spyder (1956) with starting number Sp550 at the Arosa ClassicCar hill climb 2011

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Porsche 550 A Spyder (1956) - Waldegaard gives the Spyder nothing - Arosa ClassicCar 2011

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Summary

He was fast, loyal and remained humble even when he was successful. Björn Waldegaard was one of the great rally drivers. He was the first world rally driver champion and won a World Rally Championship round at the age of 46, something no other driver has managed to do to this day. He was known as a level-headed, taciturn man who always knew exactly how much he could trust his equipment. Together with his driving skills, these talents brought him many successes. This article looks back on the life and successes of Björn Waldegaard and shows him in many pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

A clear goal in mind
Stumbling blocks on the way to the top
Impressive track record
Restless retirement
A man of quiet words

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

He was fast, loyal and remained modest even in the face of success. Björn Waldegaard (also spelled Waldegard or Waldegård) was one of the great rally drivers. Björn Waldegaard was born in Sweden on November 12, 1943. He grew up in a farming family in the countryside, but knew from an early age that he wanted to become a rally driver one day. He was a quiet person, almost a little shy. But his quiet nature did not prevent him from turning his dream into reality. On the contrary, it was precisely this calmness and patience that helped him in the early years and also later, when many others would have given up hope, not to lose sight of his goal and to persevere. This perseverance paid off.

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