Audi triple celebration at Goodwood Festival of Speed

In response to a special request from the Earl of March, Audi Tradition is bringing the Auto Union Type C formerly driven by Bernd Rosemeyer in 1936. At Goodwood, the Type C, to be driven by Nick Mason, is the special version built in the 1930s specifically for use in hillclimbs, with twin-tyred rear wheels.

Audi have a few anniversaries of their own this year, which will also be celebrated at Goodwood. These include the 30th Anniversary of Hannu Mikkola becoming the first Audi driver to clinch the World Rally Championship, and 25 years since Audi Sport took the American TransAm title.

It was in England in November 1983 that Hannu Mikkola clinched the World Rally Championship title, driving the Audi Rallye quattro A2. On the final stage of the British RAC Rally, the last event of the '83 season, Mikkola had the most points and only Walter Röhrl could overtake him in the rankings. When Röhrl failed to start, Mikkola only had to finish in order to take the title.

He recalls: "The tension was enormous, but then the news broke and I was able to drive the RAC Rally in a very relaxed way." Mikkola came in second behind another Audi driver, Stig Blomqvist, but that was still enough to take the Championship title.

Thanks to the AUDI AG Historical Department, Mikkola drive will be the actual car that won the 1983 RAC Rally. Following an extensive restoration, the restored car will be given its maiden outing at Goodwood.

"To be back in the car I drove back then is a very emotional experience," Mikkola said. The 1983 World Championship team will be reunited for the Goodwood Hillclimb, with Mikkola joined by the man who was his co-driver for eleven years: Arne Herz.

In 1988, Audi Sport was concentrating on circuit racing, debuting its 510bhp AWD Audi 200 quattro-based racer in the American TransAm race series. At the end of the season, Audi had won eight of the 13 races and carried off the manufacturers' world championship title. The drivers were Hurley Haywood, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Walter Röhrl.

The driver's title went to Haywood. At the Festival of Speed, Hans-Joachim Stuck will be behind the wheel of the Audi 200 quattro TransAm.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed runs from July 12 - 14. Further details at www.goodwood.co.uk

Images: Audi