AN INTERVIEW WITH - Walter Röhrl

A cancelled contract with Mercedes-Benz and an Audi front-wheel drive race car all conspired to see Walter Röhrl working for the company he's always loved...

- Kyle Fortune

My first real contact with Porsche was at the end of 1980,” recalls Walter Röhrl, as we chat over breakfast at the recent launch of the 911 Dakar. Having won the 1980 World Rally Championship with Fiat in a 131 Abarth, Walter, along with Finish ace Ari Vatanen, had signed a multi-year contract to drive for Mercedes-Benz from 1981 in an SL.

Soon afterwards, Daimler’s management got cold feet. They were concerned by the possibility of the company’s expensive flagship being beaten by lightweight, mainstream Opels and Fiats, generating adverse publicity for the upmarket brand.

Mercedes-Benz hastily cancelled its rallying programme in December. It bought out Walter’s contract, but left the incumbent World Rally Champion without a drive. Spotting an opportunity, visionary Porsche engineer, Helmuth Bott, telephoned Walter with a proposition. Walter smiles when regaling what Helmuth said to him on that call: “‘Now Mr Röhrl, I think we have a good chance to work together, because the money you got from Mercedes, and the car you get from us…’”

Helmuth’s request was accepted and Porsche would build a rally version of the 924 Carrera GTS for Walter to campaign in a few rounds of the German, rather than World Rally Championship. Before the rallying he’d debut on track in a Porsche, winning his first race at the 6 Hours of Silverstone – by two whole laps – in a 935 K3 with Harald Grohs and Dieter Schornstein. The following month at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Walter would race a prototype 944 LM with Jürgen Barth. The car had a prototype turbocharged version of the 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine that would feature in the 944. The car and drivers ran faultlessly, taking an incredible seventh overall in the Boss-liveried machine.