1979 World Rally Championship

7th season of the World Rally Championship series 1979 World Rally Championship World Drivers' Champion Björn Waldegård World Manufacturers' Champion Ford 1978 1980 The 1979 World Rally Championship was the seventh season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 12 rallies, one more than the previous year. 1979 marked the first season for the new World Rally Championship for Drivers. This successor to the preceding FIA Cup for Rally Drivers was aligned with the World Rally Championship for Manufacturers. Both championships used the same schedule of events for accumulating points toward the titles, although the point awarding methods were different for each. Manufacturers continued to receive points under the system adopted in 1977, in which points were garnered for both placement overall and placement within the car's group. Only the top finishing car from each manufacturer would garner points, and regardless of group finish, an overall finish of 10th or better was required to obtain points. Drivers were awarded points on the former system, simply based on overall finish, from 20 points for 1st place to 1 point for 10th place. After several years of competitive but ultimately unsuccessful attempts to seize the championship, Ford finally gathered its first WRC manufacturer's title. A strong season which included five rally wins gave it the edge over new challenger Datsun, whose 160J (Violet) proved successful, and former champion Fiat. Ford's fortune would be short-lived however, and despite determined and competitive participation in WRC events, 1979 would be the company's sole WRC title until their return to victory in 2006. The competition for the first WRC driver's title was extremely close, and ultimately was decided by the two contenders placing first and second in the final rally of the season. The final difference between the winner, Swede Björn Waldegård, and the runner-up, Finn Hannu Mikkola, was only a single point.thumb|Björn Waldegård won the inaugural WRC drivers' championship. __TOC__ Calendar Rd.Start dateFinish dateRallyRally headquartersSurfaceStagesDistance120 January26 JanuaryMON 47th Rallye Automobile Monte-CarloMonte CarloMixed30619 km216 February18 FebruarySWE 29th International Swedish RallyKarlstad, Värmland CountySnow38630 km36 March11 MarchPOR 13th Rallye de Portugal - Vinho do PortoEstoril, LisbonMixed45737.5 km412 April16 AprilKEN 27th Safari RallyNairobiGravelN/A5027 km528 May31 MayGRC 26th Acropolis RallyAthensGravel581006.5 km614 July18 JulyNZL 10th Motogard Rally of New ZealandAucklandGravel42658 km724 August28 AugustFIN 29th Jyväskylän Suurajot - Rally of the 1000 LakesJyväskylä, Central FinlandGravel47423.5 km813 September16 SeptemberCAN 7th Critérium Molson du QuébecMontrealMixed32503.7 km91 October7 OctoberITA 21st Rallye SanremoSanremo, LiguriaMixed74962 km102 November4 NovemberFRA 23rd Tour de Corse - Rallye de FranceAjaccio, CorsicaTarmac221128.9 km1118 November21 NovemberGBR 35th Lombard RAC RallyChesterGravel59661.48 km129 December14 DecemberCIV 11th Rallye Bandama Côte d'IvoireAbidjanGravelN/A5622 kmSources:WRC 1979 https://www.ewrc-results.com/season/1979/ 13 September 2025 eWRC-results.com1979 WRC calendar https://www.juwra.com/calendar_1979.html 13 September 2025 Jonkka's World Rally Archive This was the only season that all rounds counted towards the Manufacturers championship until 1993. Events 1979 World Rally Championship event map 800px Black = Tarmac Brown = Gravel Blue = Snow/Ice Red = Mixed Surface 1979 World Rally Championship schedule and results Round Rally name Stages Podium finishers Rank Driver Co-driver Team Car Time 1 MCORallye Automobile Monte Carlo(20 January–26 January) 30 stages619 kmTarmac1FRA Bernard DarnicheFRA Alain MahéFRA Team ChardonnetLancia Stratos HF8:13.382SWE Björn WaldegårdSWE Hans ThorszeliusUSA Ford Motor CompanyFord Escort RS18008:13.443FIN Markku AlénFIN Ilkka KivimäkiITA Alitalia FiatFiat 131 Abarth8:17.47 2 SWESwedish Rally(16 February–18 February) 38 stages630 kmSnow/Ice1SWE Stig BlomqvistSWE Björn CederbergSaab 99 Turbo6:34.492SWE Björn WaldegårdSWE Hans ThorszeliusUSA Ford Motor CompanyFord Escort RS18006:36.093FIN Pentti AirikkalaFIN Risto VirtanenVauxhall Chevette 2300 HS6:39.31 3 PRTRallye de Portugal(6 March–11 March) 45 stages735 kmTarmac/Gravel1FIN Hannu MikkolaSWE Arne HertzUSA Ford Motor CompanyFord Escort RS18009:13.522SWE Björn WaldegårdSWE Hans ThorszeliusUSA Ford Motor CompanyFord Escort RS18009:16.363SWE Ove AnderssonGBR Henry LiddonFRG Toyota Team EuropeToyota Celica 2000GT9:35.00 4 KENSafari Rally(April 12–16) 82 controls5028 kmGravel1KEN Shekhar MehtaKEN Mike DoughtyKEN DT Dobie Team DatsunDatsun 160J+6:27 pen2FIN Hannu MikkolaSWE Arne HertzKEN DT Dobie Daimler-BenzMercedes 450 SLC 5.0+7:15 pen3FIN Markku AlénFIN Ilkka KivimäkiITA Alitalia FiatFiat 131 Abarth+7:20 pen 5 GRCAcropolis Rally(May 28–31) 54 stages1008 kmGravel/Tarmac1SWE Björn WaldegårdSWE Hans ThorszeliusGBR Rothmans Rally TeamFord Escort RS180013:35.062FIN Timo SalonenFIN Seppo HarjanneGRC N. I. TheocharakisDatsun 160J14:07.043SWE Harry KällströmSWE Claes BillstamGRC N. I. TheocharakisDatsun 160J14:11.39 6 NZLRally New Zealand(14 July–18 July) 42 stages672 kmTarmac/Gravel1FIN Hannu MikkolaSWE Arne HertzNZL MasportFord Escort RS18008:05.45,82NZL Blair RobsonNZL Chris PorterNZL MasportFord Escort RS18008:27.03,03FIN Ari VatanenGBR David RichardsUSA Ford Motor CompanyFord Escort RS18008:29.40,8 7 FIN1000 Lakes Rally(24 August–28 August) 45 stages424 kmGravel1FIN Markku AlénFIN Ilkka KivimäkiITA Alitalia FiatFiat 131 Abarth4:01.112FIN Ari VatanenGBR David RichardsGBR Rothmans Rally TeamFord Escort RS18004:02.423SWE Björn WaldegårdSWE Hans ThorszeliusUSA Ford Motor CompanyFord Escort RS18004:07.15 8 CANCritérium du Québec(13 September–16 September) 25 stages384 kmTarmac/Gravel1SWE Björn WaldegårdSWE Hans ThorszeliusUSA Ford Motor CompanyFord Escort RS18003:35.322FIN Timo SalonenFIN Seppo HarjanneJPN Team Datsun EuropeDatsun 160J3:36.103FIN Ari VatanenGBR David RichardsGBR Rothmans Rally TeamFord Escort RS18003:41.50 9 ITARallye Sanremo(1 October–7 October) 66 stages1078 kmTarmac/Gravel1ITA Antonio 'Tony' FassinaITA Mauro ManniniITA Jolly ClubLancia Stratos HF12:37.172FRG Walter RöhrlFRG Christian GeistdörferITA Alitalia FiatFiat 131 Abarth12:41.313ITA Attilio BettegaITA Maurizio PerissinotFiat 131 Abarth12:55.59 10 FRATour de Corse(2 November–4 November) 22 stages1129 kmTarmac1FRA Bernard DarnicheFRA Alain MahéFRA Team ChardonnetLancia Stratos HF14:36.462FRA Jean RagnottiFRA Jean-Marc AndriéRenault 5 Alpine15:12.523FRA Pierre-Louis MoreauFRA Patrice BaronPorsche 911 SC15:23.06 11 GBRRAC Rally(19 November–23 November) 56 stages687 kmGravel/Tarmac1FIN Hannu MikkolaSWE Arne HertzUSA Ford Motor CompanyFord Escort RS18008:03.382GBR Russell BrookesGBR Paul WhiteGBR Andrews Heat For HireFord Escort RS18008:14.073FIN Timo SalonenZAF 1928 Stuart PeggJPN Team Datsun EuropeDatsun 160J8:16.22 12 Ivory CoastRallye Côte d'Ivoire(9 December–14 December) 50 controls5668 kmGravel1FIN Hannu MikkolaSWE Arne HertzMercedes 450 SLC 5.0+3:23 pen2SWE Björn WaldegårdSWE Hans ThorszeliusMercedes 450 SLC 5.0+3:58 pen3GBR Andrew CowanFRG Klaus KaiserMercedes 450 SLC 5.0+4:10 pen Championship for manufacturers 1979 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers Rank Manufacturer Event Totalpoints MCOMON SWESWE PRTPOR KENKEN GRCGRC NZLNZL FINFIN CANCAN ITAITA FRAFRA GBRGBR Ivory CoastCIV 1 GBR Ford 16 16 18 - 18 18 (16) 18 (12) - 18 - 122 2 JPN Datsun - (8) 14 18 17 (6) 14 17 - - 16 12 108 3 ITA Fiat 14 12 - 15 - - 18 - 16 12 5 - 92 4 ITA Lancia 18 - - - - - - - 18 18 11 - 65 5 JPN Toyota - - 16 - - - 10 12 - 10 - 10 58 6 DEU Opel - 13 9 - - - - - 14 13 - - 49 7 FRA Renault 11 - - - 13 - - - - 17 - - 41 8 DEU Mercedes - - - 17 - - - - - - - 18 35 9 DEU Porsche 8 - - - - - - - 9 15 - - 32 10 GBR Vauxhall - 14 - - - 10 - - - - 7 - 31 11 FRA Peugeot - - - - - - - 8 - 6 - 8 22 12 SWE Saab - 18 - - - - - - - - - - 18 13 JPN Mitsubishi - - - - - - - 13 - - - - 13 14 GBR Talbot - - - - - - - - 12 - - - 12 15 DEU Audi - - 11 - - - - - - - - - 11 16 JPN Mazda - - - - - 10 - - - - - - 10 17 GBR Triumph - - - - - - 7 - - - - - 7 18 SWE Volvo - 6 - - - - - - - - - - 6 CSK Škoda - - - - 6 - - - - - - - 6 20 SUN Lada - - - - 4 - - - - - - - 4 1979 World Rally Championship point awards for manufacturers Overallfinish Group finish 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 18 - - - - - - - - - 2 17 16 - - - - - - - - 3 16 15 14 - - - - - - - 4 15 14 13 12 - - - - - - 5 14 13 12 11 10 - - - - - 6 13 12 11 10 9 8 - - - - 7 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 - - - 8 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 - - 9 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 - 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 Championship for drivers 1979 World Rally Championship for Drivers Rank Driver Event Totalpoints MCOMON SWESWE PRTPOR KENKEN GRCGRC NZLNZL FINFIN CANCAN ITAITA FRAFRA GBRGBR Ivory CoastCIV 1 SWE Björn Waldegård 15 15 15 (6) 20 - 12 20 - - (2) 15 112 2 FIN Hannu Mikkola 8 8 20 15 - 20 - - - - 20 20 111 3 FIN Markku Alén 12 10 - 12 - - 20 - 6 - 8 - 68 4 FIN Timo Salonen - - - - 15 - 8 15 - - 12 - 50 FIN Ari Vatanen 1 - - - - 12 15 12 - - 10 - 50 6 FRA Bernard Darniche 20 - - - - - - - - 20 - - 40 7 FRA Jean Ragnotti - - - - 10 - - - - 15 - - 25 8 GBR Andrew Cowan - - - 10 - - - - - - - 12 22 9 FRG Walter Röhrl - - - 3 - - - - 15 - 3 - 21 10 SWE Stig Blomqvist - 20 - - - - - - - - - - 20 KEN Shekhar Mehta - - - 20 - - - - - - - - 20 ITA Antonio 'Tony' Fassina - - - - - - - - 20 - - - 20 13 SWE Ove Andersson - - 12 - - - - - - - - 8 20 14 GBR Andy Dawson - - 10 - - - - 10 - - - - 20 15 FIN Pentti Airikkala - 12 - - - - - - - - 4 - 16 16 NZL Blair Robson - - - - - 15 - - - - - - 15 GBR Russell Brookes - - - - - - - - - - 15 - 15 18 SWE Harry Källström - - - 2 12 - - - - - - - 14 19 ITA Attilio Bettega - - - - - - - - 12 - - - 12 FRA Pierre-Louis Moreau - - - - - - - - - 12 - - 12 21 FRA Michèle Mouton 4 - - - - - - - - 8 - - 12 22 FRA Jean-Claude Andruet 10 - - - - - - - - - - - 10 NZL Paul Adams - - - - - 10 - - - - - - 10 FIN Ulf Grönholm - - - - - - 10 - - - - - 10 GBR Tony Pond - - - - - - - - 10 - - - 10 FRA Alain Coppier - - - - - - - - - 10 - - 10 KEN Vic Preston, Jr. - - - - - - - - - - - 10 10 28 PRT Carlos Torres - - 8 - - - - - - - - - 10 FIN Rauno Aaltonen - - - 8 - - - - - - - - 8 GRC Anastasios 'Iaveris' Markouizos - - - - 8 - - - - - - - 8 NZL Shane Murland - - - - - 8 - - - - - - 8 CAN Taisto Heinonen - - - - - - - 8 - - - - 8 ITA Dario Cerrato - - - - - - - - 8 - - - 8 34 FRA Jean-Pierre Nicolas 6 - - - - - - - - - - - 6 SWE Björn Johansson - 6 - - - - - - - - - - 6 FRG Harald Demuth - - 6 - - - - - - - - - 6 GRC Iórgos Moschous - - - - 6 - - - - - - - 6 NZL David Parkes - - - - - 6 - - - - - - 6 FIN Lasse Lampi - - - - - - 6 - - - - - 6 USA Hendrik Blok - - - - - - - 6 - - - - 6 FRA Bernard Picone - - - - - - - - - 6 - - 6 GBR John Taylor - - - - - - - - - - 6 - 6 FRA Alain Ambrosino - - - - - - - - - - - 6 6 44 SWE Ola Strömberg - 4 - - - - - - - - - - 4 SWE Freddy Kottulinsky - - 4 - - - - - - - - - 4 KEN Mike Kirkland - - - 4 - - - - - - - - 4 GRC Evangelos Gallo - - - - 4 - - - - - - - 4 NZL Brian Green - - - - - 4 - - - - - - 4 FIN Tapio Rainio - - - - - - 4 - - - - - 4 CAN Jack Swayze - - - - - - - 4 - - - - 4 ITA Angelo Presotto - - - - - - - - 4 - - - 4 FRA Paul Rouby - - - - - - - - - 4 - - 4 FRA Michel Mitri - - - - - - - - - - - 4 4 54 FRA Guy Fréquelin 3 - - - - - - - - - - - 3 SWE Lars Carlsson - 3 - - - - - - - - - - 3 PRT Joaquim Santos - - 3 - - - - - - - - - 3 CZE Václav Blahna - - - - 3 - - - - - - - 3 NZL Roger Goss - - - - - 3 - - - - - - 3 SWE Per Eklund - - - - - - 3 - - - - - 3 FRA Claude Laurent - - - - - - - 3 - - - - 3 ITA Antonio Tognana - - - - - - - - 3 - - - 3 FRA Jean-Pierre Mari - - - - - - - - - 3 - - 3 FRA Jean-Pierre Paure - - - - - - - - - - - 3 3 64 FRA Jacques Alméras 2 - - - - - - - - - - - 2 NOR John Haugland - 2 - - - - - - - - - - 2 PRT Jorge Ortigão - - 2 - - - - - - - - - 2 SUN Nikolay Elizarov - - - - 2 - - - - - - - 2 NZL Malcolm Stewart - - - - - 2 - - - - - - 2 FIN Erkki Pitkänen - - - - - - 2 - - - - - 2 CAN Nicole Quimet - - - - - - - 2 - - - - 2 ITA Domenico 'Nico' Grosoli - - - - - - - - 2 - - - 2 FRA Jean Bondrille - - - - - - - - - 2 - - 2 73 SWE Sven-Inge Neby - 1 - - - - - - - - - - 1 PRT Marques Baptista - - 1 - - - - - - - - - 1 ITA Sandro Munari - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 1 SUN Sergey Vukovich - - - - 1 - - - - - - - 1 NZL Bob Robb - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 FIN Pekka Vilpponen - - - - - - 1 - - - - - 1 CAN Paul Bourgeois - - - - - - - 1 - - - - 1 ITA Paolo Pasutti - - - - - - - - 1 - - - 1 FRA Jean-Charles Martinetti - - - - - - - - - 1 - - 1 AUS Greg Carr - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 1979 World Rally Championship point awards for drivers Points awarded by finish 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 20 15 12 10 8 6 4 3 2 1 1979 driver points awarded by nationality Rank Country Top ranked driver Event Totalpoints MCOMON SWESWE PRTPOR KENKEN GRCGRC NZLNZL FINFIN CANCAN ITAITA FRAFRA GBRGBR Ivory CoastCIV 1 Hannu Mikkola 21 30 20 35 15 32 66 27 6 - 54 20 326 2 Björn Waldegård 15 49 31 2 32 - 12 23 - - - 23 187 3 Bernard Darniche 45 - - - 10 - - 3 - 81 - 13 152 4 Andrew Cowan - - 10 10 - - - 10 10 - 21 12 73 5 Tony - - - 1 - - - - 48 - - - 48 6 Blair Robson - - - - - 43 - - - - - - 43 7 Shekhar Mehta - - - 24 - - - - - - - 10 34 8 Walter Röhrl - - 6 3 - - - - 15 - 3 - 27 9 Iaveris - - - - 18 - - - - - - - 18 10 Taisto Heinonen - - - - - - - 15 - - - - 15 11 Carlos Torres - - 14 - - - - - - - - - 14 12 Hendrik Blok - - - - - - - 6 - - - - 6 13 Václav Blahna - - - - 3 - - - - - - - 3 14 Nikolay Elizarov - - - - 3 - - - - - - - 3 15 John Haugland - 2 - - - - - - - - - - 2 16 Greg Carr - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 Teams 1979 team performance Team Drivers Cars Performance Results Points Entries Finishes Wins Maker Driver GBR Ford Motor Company SWE Björn WaldegårdFIN Hannu Mikkola Ford Escort RS1800 11 11 3 86 147 ITA Alitalia Fiat SWE FIN Markku AlénDEU Walter RöhrlITA Sandro Munari Fiat 131 Abarth 9 8 1 80 82 JPN Team Datsun Europe FIN Timo SalonenGBR Andy DawsonSWE Harry KällströmNOR John HauglandFIN Erkki Pitkänen Datsun 160J 10 6 - 61 59 FRA Team Chardonnet FRA Bernard Darniche Lancia Stratos HF 4 2 2 36 40 GBR Rothmans Rally Team SWE Björn WaldegårdFIN Ari Vatanen Ford Escort RS1800Ford Fiesta 9 5 1 34 66 DEU Toyota Team Europe SWE Ove Andersson Toyota Celica 2000GT 9 2 - 26 20 NZL Masport FIN Hannu MikkolaNZL Blair Robson Ford Escort RS1800 3 2 1 18 35 KEN DT Dobie Team Datsun KEN Shekhar MehtaSWE Harry KällströmFIN Rauno AaltonenKEN Mike Kirkland Datsun 160J 4 4 1 18 34 ITA Jolly Club ITA Tony Lancia Stratos HF 1 1 1 18 20 GRC N. I. Theocharakis FIN Timo SalonenSWE Harry KällströmGRC Iórgos MoschousGRC Evangelos Gallo Datsun 160J 4 4 - 17 37 KEN DT Dobie Daimler-Benz FIN Hannu MikkolaGBR Andrew CowanSWE Björn Waldegård Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0Mercedes 280 E 5 3 - 17 31 ITA Conrero ITA Dario Cerrato Opel Ascona B 1 1 - 14 8 FRA Renault Elf Calberson FRA Jean Ragnotti Renault 5 Alpine 1 1 - 13 10 FRA Fiat France FRA Michèle MoutonFRA Jean-Claude Andruet Fiat 131 Abarth 2 2 - 12 14 DEU Audi Motorsport DEU Harald DemuthSWE Freddy KottulinskyAUT Franz Wittmann Audi 80 GLE 10 7 - 11 10 GBR Lancia GB FIN Markku Alén Lancia Stratos HF 1 1 - 11 8 PRT Team Lopes Correia PRT Joaquim SantosPRT Joaquim Moutinho Opel Kadett GT/E 2 1 - 9 3 GBR Dealer Team Vauxhall FIN Pentti Airikkala Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS 1 1 - 7 4 POL Biamar CSK Václav Blahna Škoda 130RS 2 1 - 6 3 SUN Autoexport Moskva SUN Nikolay ElizarovSUN Sergey Vukovich Lada 21011 3 2 - 4 3 AUS Nylex NZL Paul Adams Ford Escort RS1800 2 1 - - 10 AUS Ford Australia AUS Greg Carr Ford Escort RS1800 1 1 - - 1 GBR British Leyland Cars SWE Per EklundGBR Graham ElsmoreFIN Simo Lampinen Triumph TR 7 V8 4 3 - - - KEN Marshalls FRA Jean-Claude Lefèbvre Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé 4 1 - - - POL FSO POL Andrzej Jaroszewicz FSO Polonez 2000 2 1 - - - PRT Aleuropa PRT Vítor Oliveira Opel 1204 SL 1 1 - - - KEN Fiat Kenya KEN Robin Ulyate Fiat 131 Abarth 1 1 - - - GRC Kassidopoulos GRC Manolis Halivelakis Toyota Corolla 1 1 - - - GBR Toyota Team Great Britain FIN Tapio Rainio Toyota Celica 2000GT 1 1 - - - NLD Opel Dealer Team Holland SWE Anders Kulläng Opel Kadett GT/E 5 - - - - NZL GM Dealer Team New Zealand FIN Pentti Airikkala Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS 1 - - - - PRT GM Portugal PRT Mêquêpê Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS 1 - - - - FRA Opel France FRA Jean-Louis Clarr Opel Kadett GT/E 1 - - - - SWE Saab Scania SWE Stig BlomqvistSWE Ola Strömberg Saab 99 Turbo 2 - - - - FRA Talbot France FRA Jean-Pierre Nicolas Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 1 - - - - See also 1979 in sports References External links FIA World Rally Championship 1979 at ewrc-results.com World Rally Championship Category:World Rally Championship seasons