The Jänner Rallye, also known as the Internationale Jänner Rallye, is an international rallying event based in Freistadt in northern Austria. The event is the season opening round of the European Rally Championship, the Austrian Rally Championship and the Czech Rally Championship. Translated from German the name means January Rally. The mid-winter calendar position means the rally is frequently snow-bound with the surface a mix of ice and asphalt.
History First run in 1969 as the Casino Rallye, it quickly became a feature of the Austrian championship and soon joined the European championship although only in the lower co-efficient category. Achim Warmbold became the first multiple winner of the event in 1973, but Franz Wittmann, Sr. came to dominate the rally. He won the rally nine times in a ten-year period from 1975 to 1984, including six straight wins in Audis as the 4WD era dawned.
The rally ended in 1986 because of environmental concerns. The rally returned in 2000 and in 2003 Wittman won the rally for a tenth time. In recent times honours have been shared between Austrian and Czech drivers, reflecting the dual national championship status the rally has acquired. Raimund Baumschlager, Václav Pech, Jr. and Jan Kopecký have claimed multiple victories.
In 2012, the rally rejoined the European Championship after having dropped out with the demise of the co-efficient system in 2004. The rally replaced the ELPA Rally in Greece which had been cancelled in 2011.
In 2016, the rally didn't take place since the Rallye Club Mühlviertel (responsible for the rally organization) was struggling with lack of candidates to assume the management board. The rally restarted in 2018 as a round of the Austrian Rally Championship.
List of winners Sourced in part from: YearWinnerCar 1969 Heinz Weiner Citroën DS 19 1970 Helmut Bein BMW 2002 1971 Rudolf Müller BMW 2002 1972 Achim Warmbold Opel Ascona 1973 Achim Warmbold Volkswagen 1302S 1974 not held 1975 Franz Wittmann, Sr. BMW 2002 1976 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Opel Kadett C 1977 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Opel Kadett C 1978 Beppo Sulc Volkswagen 1302S 1979 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Porsche Carrera 1980 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Audi 80 GTE 1981 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Audi Quattro 1982 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Audi Quattro 1983 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Audi Quattro A1 1984 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Audi Quattro A2 1985 Wilfried Wiedner Audi Quattro A2 1986 Georg Fischer Audi 80 Quattro 1987-1999 not held 2000 Felix Pailer Lancia Delta Integrale 16V 2001 Herwig Hüfinger Mazda 323 4WD 2002 Hermann Gassner Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VI 2003 Franz Wittmann, Sr. Toyota Corolla WRC 2004 Raimund Baumschlager Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo V 2005 Václav Pech, Jr. Ford Focus RS WRC 2006 Raimund Baumschlager Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 2007 Václav Pech, Jr. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2008 Václav Pech, Jr. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2009 Raimund Baumschlager Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2010 not held 2011 Beppo Harrach Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2012 Jan Kopecký Škoda Fabia S2000 2013 Jan Kopecký Škoda Fabia S2000 2014 Robert Kubica Ford Fiesta RRC 2015 Kajetan Kajetanowicz Ford Fiesta R5 2016 2017 not held 2018 Johannes Keferböck Ford Fiesta R5 2019 Julian Wagner Škoda Fabia R52020 Hermann NeubauerFord Fiesta R520212022not held2023 Adrien FourmauxFord Fiesta Rally2 2024 Michael LengauerŠkoda Fabia Rally2 Evo2025 Michael LengauerŠkoda Fabia RS Rally2
See also
Andros Trophy Sno*Drift
References
External links
Official website European Rally Championship