Doppelreiter is 80

Rally legend jumps into his ninth decade

Helmut Doppelreiter and his Beetle were legendary; the rally legend turns 80 on Friday.(Bild: zVg)

As a driver, he even made a name for himself in the World Championship with his VW Beetle and was Austria's motorsport champion in 1973. As an organizer, he attracted over 20,000 spectators to Vienna's Krieau and later also to the Racino Ebreichsdorf. Helmut Doppelreiter is a rally legend - he celebrates his 80th birthday on Friday!

"We drove everything there and back on axles, even to Africa," Doppelreiter recalls of the World Rally Championship. In which the man from Gleißenfeld shone in eighth place in Greece and was the only Beetle driver to finish in Portugal and Morocco.

Doppelreiter with his former rally rival Rauno Aaltonen (left) and Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda.(Bild: zVg)

It all started by chance. In 1968, he worked as a mechanic at Porsche Wr. Neustadt. "The motorsport stars always came there, and then I also bought a Formula Vee." His boss at the time ignited the spark for his love of rallying, and in 1969 the Baden Autumn Rally got underway.

Doppelreiter competed twice in the "Monte", 1977 was the end of his active career, and in 1979 his son David was born - he too would later celebrate success as a rally driver. And also supported his father as an organizer. From 1991, he organized the 1000 Hills Rally, whose special stage in Krieau was a stroke of genius. And for 20 years, Helmut was the rally boss.

Doppelreiter also shone with the VW Beetle in the World Rally Championship.(Bild: zVg)

After surviving a serious illness, Doppelreiter is taking it easy on his 80th birthday. He has kept his sense of humor. Just like his love of rallying: "I watch the WRC, the way they step on the gas, there's not a dry eye in the house."