Österreichische Alpenfahrt
Encyclopedia
The Österreichische Alpenfahrt (also known as the Austrian Alpine Rally or the Rally of Austria
) was a rally
that was part of the inaugural World Rally Championship
in 1973.
before the First World War.
The Cars at this time were very unreliable and mountain roads were not more than unsecure, steep Paths.
The last Rally was held in 1914.
After the First World War Austria
couldn't finance the event alone, but with the participation of many Automobile Associations around the alps
an international Alpine Rally could be held from 1928 to 1936. The Rally ran through Austria, France
, Germany
, Italy
and Switzerland
.
The first Austrian Alpenfahrt after the Second World War started in 1949. Until around 1965 mostly motorcycles entered the Rally (due to economical reasons). From 1965 to 1973 cars regained the majority in the entrylist.
The 1973 Austrian Alpine Rally
was part of the 1973 World Rally Championship, but after that year the Rally ceased to exist because of the Oil Crisis
.
In 2002 the Rally was restarted as Internationale Österreichische Alpenfahrt Classic Rallye, which celebrated the centenary of the Alpenfahrt at Bad Kleinkirchheim
in 2010.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
) was a rally
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
that was part of the inaugural World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
in 1973.
History
The Alpenfahrt started in 1910 (older than the Rally Monte Carlo) and was considered as one of the hardest Rallies in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
before the First World War.
The Cars at this time were very unreliable and mountain roads were not more than unsecure, steep Paths.
The last Rally was held in 1914.
After the First World War Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
couldn't finance the event alone, but with the participation of many Automobile Associations around the alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
an international Alpine Rally could be held from 1928 to 1936. The Rally ran through Austria, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
The first Austrian Alpenfahrt after the Second World War started in 1949. Until around 1965 mostly motorcycles entered the Rally (due to economical reasons). From 1965 to 1973 cars regained the majority in the entrylist.
The 1973 Austrian Alpine Rally
1973 Austrian Alpine Rally
The 1973 Austrian Alpine Rally was the 44th running of the Austrian rally, and the ninth round of the inaugural World Rally Championship season. Run in mid-September around Baden, Austria, the rally was entirely on gravel surface special stages...
was part of the 1973 World Rally Championship, but after that year the Rally ceased to exist because of the Oil Crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
.
In 2002 the Rally was restarted as Internationale Österreichische Alpenfahrt Classic Rallye, which celebrated the centenary of the Alpenfahrt at Bad Kleinkirchheim
Bad Kleinkirchheim
Bad Kleinkirchheim is a municipality in Spittal an der Drau, Carinthia, Austria. Until the middle of the 20th century, agriculture was the dominant focus, but it is now a renowned spa and ski resort...
in 2010.
Winners
| Year | Winner | Car |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Achim Warmbold Achim Warmbold Achim Warmbold is a German former rally driver. He won the West German Rally Championship in 1971 and 1980, and scored two outright victories during the inaugural World Rally Championship season in 1973 at the Rally of Poland and Austrian Alpine Rally events.Aside from his first WRC race, his... |
BMW 2002tii BMW 2002tii The BMW 2002tii was the high performance, fuel injected, limited edition of BMW's 2002 automobile model line. It was a two door sports sedan based on the four door BMW 1500 of 1961.-Background:... |
Literature
- Martin Pfundner: 100 Jahre Alpenfahrt, Böhlau Verlag, Wien-Köln-Weimar 2010 ISBN 978-3-205-78529-3