Stig Blomqvist is 74 years old: what you don't know about him

Stig Blomqvist is synonymous with Audi Quattro gliding on the roads of the World Rally Championship. Crowned in 1984 with the A2 and Sport version of the German sedan, the native of Örebro (the sixth most populous city in Sweden, so going to bed less stupid this evening) has had an extremely rich career.

1. Longevity record in the World Cup

You thought that the experience of a Kimi Räikkönen in F1 or Valentino Rossi en MotoGP was remarkable? Wait until you see Stig Blomqvist’s journey! His first World Cup start dates from February 15, 1973 with his rally national (which he won), on a Saab 96 V4 from Group 2…

… 34 years later, on February 5, 2006, Stig Blomqvist finished the Swedish Rally aboard a Group N Subaru Impreza, in fourth place in the category! During this period, the Nordic participated in at least one World Championship rally in 32 seasons. We won't blame him for staying at home in 1990 and 1998, as this record seems impossible to beat.

2. Highest average speed on special

The Finland Rally allows you to reach crazy speeds, but the average speed record on a single special stage was achieved on Argentinian soil. Stig Blomqvist, associated with Björn Cederberg in an Audi Quattro A2 covered the first ES of the 1983 edition at 189,53 km/h on average ! 

The road ? Three times nothing, only 81 terminals to connect Fray Louis Beltran to Valle Azul. As if the performance wasn't already crazy, Stig Blomqvist had to use photocopied notes from his teammate Hannu Mikkola. Indeed, his participation in the Ulster Rally (victory) the previous week had prevented him from carrying out the reconnaissance.

3. Pikes Peak 

Like his compatriot Per Eklund, Stig Blomqvist went to visit Colorado's most legendary mountain in motorsport: Pikes Peak. Moreover, the two men represented the interests of the manufacturer Saab in 2002, to the advantage of Per Eklund.

But in 2004, Stig Blomqvist took his revenge. On a shortened course due to difficult weather conditions (only the first half of the climb is on the program), he won the Unlimited class, equipped with a Ford RS200E. 

The 80’s sports car is deeply boosted by the Mach 2 Racing team. Its engine develops a whopping 840 horsepower, the rear wing is immense, as is the front spoiler. It was enough to win. 

4. Race of Champions

Before the Race of Champions became a spectacle in football stadiums, the concept imagined by Michèle Mouton pitted the best rallymen against each other on courses mixing dirt and asphalt.

In 1989, for the second edition, the circuit was traced to the Nürburgring. The final pits Stig Blomqvist against Walter Röhrl on monstrous Peugeot 205 T16 Group B:

Un an plus tard, cap sur la parc olympique de Barcelone pour une autre finale. Cette fois, c’est dans une Toyota Celica de Groupe A que Stig Blomqvist doit se défaire du jeunot Tommi Mäkinen (26 ans à l’époque) : 

5. It still rolls!

Age has no influence on passion. At over 70 years old, Stig Blomqvist has converted to historic events such as the Eifel Rallye Festival, where he was navigated by Luis Moya in a Ford Escort WRC en 2019. L’East African Safari Classic Rally a également sa préférence comme le montre sa deuxième place acquise en 2019 avec une Porsche 911!