The typical Eifel weather once again showed who is the 'master' of the house at the 13th edition of the ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival (24 - 26.07.2025). The more than 160 original or faithfully reproduced rally cars and their teams took the traditional group photo before the event in the rain. However, from the technical scrutineering to the final rally party on Saturday evening, it stayed dry and the sun spoiled the international starting field and the fans who had also traveled from all over Europe.
Only Europe? No! The James Blakemore / John Buffum team had traveled from Vermont/USA with their Ford Escort MK2. Geoff Mayes flew in from Kenya and was the photographer with the longest journey.
In 2025, the Eifel Rallye Festival was once again the largest rally museum on wheels, where fans were able to see vehicles in action that are otherwise often only on display in museums. At the same time, it continues to develop into an international class reunion of the global rally scene.
Gaining experience as a patron
Belgian Thierry Neuville, the reigning world rally champion, was in Daun and took over the patronage. "When Ernst (Kopp) and Otmar (Anschütz) asked me if I wanted to be a patron, I first asked what a patron has to do," Neuville explained with a wink. "They told me to be on site and sign autographs. So I thought, I can do that." However, he quickly added: "I would have been happy to do it anyway. I like this special event, which I've already ridden in myself, but I've also been there as a fan."
Meanwhile, his two brothers, Yannik Neuville in the Toyota Starlet KP60 and Tom Heindrichs (BMW M3), kept the fans in high spirits with their spirited driving style. Neuville's world champion colleagues Stig Blomqvist and Nicky Grist enjoyed their stay in Daun, as did Dakar winner Jutta Kleinschmidt and the German champions Reinhard Hainbach, Harald Demuth, Kalle Grundel, Ruben Zeltner, Georg Berlandy and Mark Wallenwein. The VIP lounge was completed by John Buffum (four-time US Champion), Kim Boisen (Danish Histo Champion), Bruno Ianniello (five-time Swiss Hillclimb Champion), Philippe Camandona (Swiss Champion), Jorge Ortigao (Portuguese Vice-Champion) and Ryan Champion (British Vice-Champion). They were joined by Beetle legend Herbert Grünsteidl, safari legend Mike Kirkland and two-time DRM 2WD champion and TV star Nicky Schelle.
This event is a cultural asset
Jörg Hennig, Sports Director of ADAC Mittelrhein e.V., and Sascha Söffing, his Sports Department Manager, were impressed during their visit. "This is a truly extraordinary and very international event that is second to none. It exudes a fascination for the entire region," said Hennig. "The world is a guest here and the inhabitants of the Vulkaneifel celebrate the festival with barbecues along the stages. The rolling rally museum is a cultural asset and one of the absolute icing on the cake of the events organized by our local ADAC clubs. Personally, I am fascinated by the wide range of participating vehicles, from small to large to real rally rockets. It is these contrasts that inspire the international audience. As Sports Director, I am also amazed and delighted at how many people are involved in the organization of the MSC Daun on a voluntary basis. With Jonas Gundert and Cedric Fuchs, two of our ADAC Mittelrhein sponsored drivers are even helping out."
Successful start with Daun Town Day
"The new Daun-Town-Day on Thursday was a successful start to our festival, there were a lot of fans in the rally mile and the presentation of the vehicles on the ramp was also well attended," said a delighted Otmar Anschütz. The organization manager and chairman of MSC Daun added, "I am proud of our huge team of almost 800 helpers, each of whom makes this brilliant festival possible in their own area of responsibility and function. Many thanks to the sponsors, licensing authorities, local communities, aid organizations and all other supporters."
Awareness of rally history continues to grow
Reinhard Klein, who as the head of Slowly Sideways is responsible for putting together the starting field, was also very satisfied. "Our field of participants is getting younger, which is why we had more vehicles from the recent rally past at the start. It is really very complicated to keep the technology of one of the first WRCs alive, for example. Of course, this also causes minor problems in the starting order when more modern vehicles meet the cars from the 60s. But our teams respect each other and treat each other with care."
Klein uses an example to explain just how much the teams now care about preserving history: "Dieter Walterscheid spent years building up his 1974 Toyota Celica TA22 and presented it here at the festival for the first time last year. Then Pedro Ortigao, who was a works driver for Toyota in his native Portugal at the time, came by. He just said that the orange color of the vehicle was a little darker than back then. Walterscheid repainted the Corolla and took part this year in the correct color."
Mutual support is a matter of honor anyway. When Bruno Ianniello / Thomas Fuchs broke a part in the gearbox of their Lancia Delta S4, they urgently needed a lift. Hanging on the tow rope, they drove past the Renault Schäfer workshop in Daun and stopped. A platform was immediately cleared there, tools were brought in and the workshop remained open until the repairs were successfully completed. This meant that the fans were able to enjoy the Group B car, albeit a little late, on the final demonstration track.
Questions get in the way of earning money
Jürgen C. Braun, reporter for the Trierischer Volksfreund, asked around the Daun business community what the people who live here gain from the peaceful invasion of tens of thousands of fans. What is the bottom line? There was hardly any time to answer the questions in almost all the stores due to the large crowds. Nevertheless, the reporter was not shown the door. The only slight criticism came when a sales clerk said, "Your questions are getting in the way of us earning money."
