Silvretta Classic 2009 and Riviera-Côte d’Azur Rallye

From 03 to 05 July 2009, I have contested the Silvretta Classic rally together with Subaru and my co-driver Michael Podlogar (TV producer for German channel „ntv“). Every “active” participant who is at least 20 years old is eligible. In its twelfth year, the event focuses again on regularity and precision. It’s not about top speed or fast driving. Instead, the target is to meet a given time exactly by every hundredth of a second. I can tell you that this is quite difficult and it was a very unusual challenge for me.

178 teams from 15 countries tackled the rally stages. It is incredible how many beautiful and precious cars are being brought to this event. I can only recommend everybody to come and watch those precious cultural possessions, for example as a spectator.

Our start in a Subaru Legacy RS built in 1989 definitely was a success. The world’s biggest manufacturer of four-wheel-driven cars revived his long-standing tradition in rallying. The Subaru Legacy RS had its debut in 1991 in the Safari Rally, two years later the Legacy RS won the New Zealand Rally.

We enjoyed the passion of the spectators. The public had fond memories of the Subaru Legacy RS especially as it was nearly original and had a huge set of headlamps on the bonnet – not to mention the fantastic noise. The Legacy RS is being powered by a turbocharged flat-four-cylinder engine that produces 221 kW (300 PS) at 6.500 revs and a maximum torque of 470 Nm at 5.200 revs. The powerful Legacy RS has been built by the specialists from WERK1 who focus on the restoration of historic cars in the Düsseldorf Meilenwerk in Germany.

For me, the rally was great fun. Rarely do you get the chance to drive a proper rallying legend as Colin McRae used to do. The co-operation with Subaru was simply perfect from organisation up to the service. It was a pleasure to be so close to the fans in a rally.

If you personally want to participate in a rally, come to the South of France in September 2009. Together with the Riviera-Côte d’Azur Journal, I organize the Riviera-Côte d’Azur Rally on 12 September 2009.

Join me to discover the region near Monaco and get the taste of this special adventure together with your team partner. The programm is a kind of treasure hunt. Over the course of one day, you will drive to different locations of action to solve tasks. The roadbook that I have set up guides you safely to every point but be careful: it can be tricky. The navigation is one of the challenges. Every road-registered car is eligible and of course, it’s not about speed. It’s important to be skilful and clever.

In the evening, I will talk about my experience in rallying and you will see motion pictures. Finally, we enjoy a gourmet buffet in the luxury restaurant of the Fairmont Hotel in Monte Carlo. And of course, the most successful teams will be awarded prizes.

It would be a pleasure for me to welcome you to this event.

The fee per person is € 180,00 (including the evening programme and buffet). The programm and the entrance from are available at the Riviera Côte d’Azur Journal, phone 0033 4 97 00 11 22 or via e-mail: p.benzing@mediterra.com.