Audi Tradition brings further highlights for fans of the ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival (July 24 to 26, 2025) to the Eifel. Jutta Kleinschmidt, the 2001 Dakar winner, will drive the Audi RS Q e-tron, in which Carlos Sainz won the 2024 raid classic, together with Fabrizia Pons, another of the most successful women in motorsport.
Two-time German rally champion Harald Demuth, together with Christian Fellinger from the Ingolstadt treasury, will drive the Audi Sport quattro in which Walter Röhrl finished second in the 1985 Monte Carlo Rally. This gives festival fans the unique opportunity to see the winning vehicle of the 2024 Dakar with its innovative technology not only in an exhibition, but also in action on the demonstration routes around Daun. This high-tech racer is powered by one electric motor per axle, which can be fed either by a battery system or by an energy converter (2-liter four-cylinder turbo engine). Audi set new standards at the Dakar with the victory in this vehicle.
VIP lounge fills up more and more
In addition to Kleinschmidt, Pons, Demuth and Fellinger, the VIP lounge, which is now full to bursting, is growing. Reinhard Hainbach, two-time German rally champion in 1978 and 1979, will be driving an Opel Manta 400 around the presentation routes in the Vulkaneifel. In addition to the three world champions Thierry Neuville, Nicky Grist and Stig Blomqvist, Kalle Grundel, Bruno Thiry (European champion 2003), John Buffum (four-time US champion), Rauno Aaltonen (European champion 1965) as well as two-time German rally champion Ruben Zeltner, Danish champion Kim Boisen, safari legend Mike Kirkland and TV star Niki Schelle have already confirmed their attendance. Fans will have to bring some time with them for the autograph session on Thursday from 6.30 pm.
A truck full of rarities arrives from Portugal
The rally enthusiasts around Pedro Ortigao, the organizer of the Portuguese RallySpirit, a partner event of the Eifel Rallye Festival, are bringing a whole truck full of rally rarities to Daun. Among them is a rebuilt Datsun 240Z, just as Rauno Aaltonen drove it at the 1972 Monte. There will also be a Lancia Martini Integrale 16V from 1990, a Ford Escort WRC driven by Carlos Sainz at the 1997 Portugal Rally and a Ford Escort driven by Hannu Mikkola at the 1969 Monte.
There is also space for a small Toyota Starlet, which was used by Toyota Portugal in the early 1980s and which Jorge Ortigao, Pedro's father, drove at the time. In 1981 and 1982, he finished fourth in the Portuguese championship, and in 1983 he even finished on the podium in third place. Father and son drove the faithful replica of the Starlet of the time together in the Eifel.
Pre-sale of program booklets and tickets is underway
Following the positive experiences in previous years, the sale of the programme booklet and tickets will also be organized via the RallyWebShop in 2025. As a result, it is once again possible to offer day tickets in advance in addition to weekend tickets. In addition, the RallyWebShop offers payment options via PayPal or credit card.
The Eifel Rallye Festival timetable
Thursday, 24.07.2025 (all in the Rally Mile, Daun)
From 14.30: public scrutineering with presentation of the vehicles
From 18:30: Autograph session
From 20:30: Welcome evening, open-air rally cinema with cult filmmaker Helmut Deimel
Friday, 25.07.2025
From 09:40: Kelberger Land 1
from 13:42: Kelberger Land 2 followed by Hochkelberg 1
from 18:01: Hochkelberg 2, partly at night
Saturday, 26.07.2025
09:00 - 16:00: Special stages in the Vulkaneifel, in between the Daun rally mile with many attractions
From 19:30: Rally party in the rally mile
Further information can be found on the event website.
