17 World Rally Champions are Inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame

At a prestigious ceremony in Paris today, and 40 years after the creation of the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers, the 17 different World Rally Champions have been inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame, honouring their outstanding achievements in one of motor sport’s most challenging and diverse disciplines.

The FIA Hall of Fame was launched in 2017 with the 33 FIA Formula One World Champions becoming the inaugural inductees. Today, another branch of motorsport has got its representatives in the Hall of Fame.

Walter Röhrl is one of 17 world rally champions

FIA President Jean Todt said: “The FIA Hall of Fame recognises the successes of the champions in our World Championships. With the World Rally Champions now joining the Formula One World Champions in the FIA Hall of Fame, it adds another storyboard that documents a fascinating journey through time, both with the drivers, co-drivers and their machinery.

To see the progress we have made in rally safety over the decades is particularly pleasing and one of the highlights in the on-going evolution of the Championship. When you see the cars from so many eras, the developments in technology are also clear to see. The stars of the World Rally Championship have so many captivating stories to tell which I’m sure will not only fascinate the rally fans but hopefully inspire future generations.”

World rally champions at FIA Hall of Fame ceremony in Paris

The inductees are (in alphabetical order) Didier Auriol, Massimo Biasion, Stig Blomqvist, Richard Burns, Marcus Gronholm, Juha Kankkunen, Sebastien Loeb, Tommi Makinen, Colin McRae, Hannu Mikkola, Sebastien Ogier, Walter Rohrl, Carlos Sainz, Timo Salonen, Petter Solberg, Ari Vatanen and Bjorn Waldegard.

The FIA Hall of Fame gallery is located at the FIA Headquarters in both Paris and Geneva. Also, a dedicated website celebrates the exceptional careers of the F1 and WRC World Champions. The gallery was created by Wilmotte and Associates, a prominent global architecture company headquartered in France, and will be open to the public.