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Sandro Munari, Lancia Rally Icon, Dies at 85

His Monte Carlo dominance capped by the 1977 FIA Cup for Drivers made him a defining force of 1970s rallying.

Overview

  • Multiple outlets reported his death on February 28 after a long illness, with some citing Bologna as the place of death.
  • He claimed four Monte Carlo Rally victories, beginning with a landmark 1972 win in a Lancia Fulvia and followed by three straight in 1975–77 in the Stratos.
  • He secured the 1977 FIA Cup for Rally Drivers, the precursor to today’s WRC title, and logged seven WRC rally wins, all in the Stratos.
  • He delivered Lancia’s first WRC victory at Sanremo in 1974 and contributed to the marque’s manufacturers’ crowns in the mid-1970s.
  • Beyond rallying, he won the 1972 Targa Florio with Arturo Merzario and later mentored drivers and appeared at historic events.