Waldegard’s son yearning for a driving debut in EA Safari Classic after having won it as his father’s navigator
With the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally coming up later this year, son of legendary Bjorn Waldegard has discussed what the future holds for the family name on this great event, won so many times by his father.
Speaking on Tuthill Porsche’s website, Mathias who navigated his late father to victory in the 2011 EA Safari Classic said: “It was great to take part in this special rally and winning it with dad in 2011, but regarding the future of the Waldegards in this iconic event, I would honestly say I know nothing about it. I love Kenya and the Safari Rally as much as my father did and I miss it for sure. I have received some offers to act as co-driver but declined. It would feel strange to co-drive someone other than my dad on the Safari Classic. If I get the opportunity to drive (at) the East African Safari Rally some day it would be a dream come true.” Tuthill Porsche were reunited with the Waldegard family earlier this month, when Mathias Waldegarddrove a Tuthill Porsche 911 Safari car on a Swedish rally in memory of his late father: the first ever World Rally Champion and a multiple winner of the East African Safari Rally.
MK Rimo organised the event, which took in many of the roads the great man had trained on. Ninety-one cars turned out in memory of Bjorn, including Jan Hagman’s Tuthill Porsche Safari 911, which Mathias used for the event. It was an emotional experience for Mathias, who had co-driven Porsche 911s for his father over many thousands of kilometres but had never driven one personally up to this rally.
“This was the first time for me behind the wheel of a Tuthill Porsche,” said Mathias afterwards. “It was really great fun and the car was fantastic to drive. It was a very good weekend – I drove the whole rally with a huge smile on my face.”
Bjorn Waldegard passed away in August last year.
Soon after his death, MK Rimo began planning a competition to honour his memory. The Bjorn Waldegard Minne was the result.
Organised by Roger Larsson and run as part of the 2015 Upplanska Rally championship, the entries were split into five categories, including for four-wheel drive cars. Part of the proceeds from the rally were donated to the Swedish Cancer Society in memory of Bjorn. MK Rimo aims to make the Bjorn Waldegard Minne an annual event.
“Bjorn’s death came as a shock to us,” said Roger Larsson, MK Rimo President from 2001 to 2014. He died as we were organising a rally that ran the next day, so we agreed that we would remember him properly when time allowed.”
