Legendry rally driver Björn Waldegård dies in Sweden

A rally driver during a past Safari Rally competition. Rally driver Björn Waldegård, 70, who won Kenya’s Safari Rally four times when it was still a World Rally Championships, succumbed to cancer on August 29, 2014 at his native home in Sweden. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • Waldegård, known for his driving skills that inspired many locals not only to line up the routes to cheer but also take up driving, won his last 38th Marlboro Safari Rally Kenya in 1990 co-driven by Fred Gallagher in their famous Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165.
  • Despite his old age, Waldegård’s passion and love for the Kenyan terrains never ceased as he came back to excite people with memoires from the yester years with two victories at East African Classic Safari Rally.

Rally driver Björn Waldegård, 70, who won Kenya’s Safari Rally four times when it was still a World Rally Championships, succumbed to cancer on Friday at his native home in Sweden.

Waldegård, known for his driving skills that inspired many locals not only to line up the routes to cheer but also take up driving, won his last 38th Marlboro Safari Rally Kenya in 1990 co-driven by Fred Gallagher in their famous Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165.

Born on November 12, 1943 at Solna, Waldegård, won the inaugural World Rally Championship for drivers in 1979 in a Ford Escort RS1800.

He would recapture the 32nd Marlboro Safari Rally in 1984 title, navigated by Hans Thorszelius in Toyota Celica TCT. He was doing his thing again at the 34th Marlboro Safari Rally Kenya in 1986, where he secured a top podium place co-driven by Fred Gallagher in Toyota Celica TCT.

Despite his old age, Waldegård’s passion and love for the Kenyan terrains never ceased as he came back to excite people with memoires from the yester years with two victories at East African Classic Safari Rally.

He won the third edition of the event in 2007 navigated by his brother Mathias Waldegård in a Ford Escort Mk1 before winning again in 2011 in a Porsche 911.

He passed away following a rapid decline in his health. He had been due to take part at Rallyday in Wiltshire next month, but had cancelled that trip to get treatment.

He did, however, attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier in the summer, where he drove a Toyota Twincam Turbo.

He tackled 25 WRC rounds in Africa and won seven of them (four Safaris and three Ivory Coast).