Five of the Greatest Rally On-Board Clips You’ll See Today

Rallying, aside from being clearly the most awesome form of motorsport, has one particularly major issue. As a spectator, you usually see the total sum of not very much from your viewing point. With long, technical stages that are generally spread across huge areas, it’s usually not possible to watch all of the action in person – unless you’re viewing from a helicopter. Thankfully, someone realised this many, many years ago and started putting cameras into the cars so we can relive some of the greatest moments in motorsport that pretty much no one saw happen. In no particular order…

“Oh, dear God.”

Ari Vatanen, Manx Rally, Opel Manta 400. It’s probably the most famous on-board rally footage which also happens to include the famous line from Terry Harryman as Vatanen manages to squeeze the Manta through a particularly narrow gateway, immediately after clipping a wall. It’s butthole-clenching stuff. No matter how many times I watch it, I still expect it to end in disaster.

Röhrl Versus the Human Sea

I think if there was ever a video that depicted the insanity that was Group B, this is it. Although it’s benefitted (or suffered) from an editor’s hand, there’s no doubting what you see as Röhrl pilots his quattro S2 through a sea of people. Breathtaking.

Flat out followed Immediately by Brake Failure

It’s easily every driver’s worst nightmare. Approaching a square right at 120mph, Fisher somehow manages to guide his out of control Manta through spectators and cars parked in the run-off area. This is the sort of natural talent that very few are born with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kabFSoJ-nB4

Over Jump

I’ll make no apologies for another Irish video in here. It may only be 14 seconds long, but it has hours of replay value. Flat, over jump, pull another gear. Ain’t care.

If in Doubt, Flat Out

Finally, I leave you with this. No gimmicks, no accidents, no cheesy music. Just six minutes of one of the greatest talents rallying has ever seen. Count those upshifts and watch in complete and utter admiration as McRae casually catches an armful of opposite lock at the top of fifth gear. On gravel. In the wet.

These are just five of my favourites, ones which I come back to time and time again. What are yours?

Paddy McGrath
Twitter: @PaddyMcGrathSH
Instagram: speedhunters_paddy
paddy@speedhunters.com

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1

Leszik Kuzaj, S10 WRC from Kormoran 03 when the intercom fails.  As far as on board, one of the all time best.  
http://youtu.be/Dwnc3c9LWEA
Mcrae in GB has gotten some of the best onboard to date, both BRC and WRC though the one you posted is one of my favorites.

2
Patrick Deschenes

One of the greatest on-board shots ever...
http://youtu.be/jpDSPhECTSA
And the top performance may not even be Solberg - as an ex-codriver, I have to give mad props to Mills on that one...

3

My favorite WRC memory (I hope someone can find the clip) was when McRae flipped his car and caught on fire.  He quickly flipped the car back over, used a fire extinguisher to stop the fire and then got back into the car and drove off.  I could not believe how hardcore McRae was.  Damn I miss his driving.  RIP McRae!

4

If in Doubt, Flat Out. That vid was just violent! hehe!

5
MatiasIgnacioBello

this is one of my favorites, not wrc, but a close call, its a video from the chilean rally championship,
i met this guy one day at a rally stage, hand told us, that he was an ex rally driver, and that he had one of those life moments, he told us to look for the video on youtube, so i did, and this its what I found.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwrl7TsajfE&NR=1 
after a blind drop, the driver loose control of the car and it started turning side to side, kissing the grass, after the driver controls the car, the co pilot says to him: "you're awesome Cachilupe, that gives me an amazing trust, thanks for saving my life", its one of those videos that gives you goose bumps !

6

30 mins of Group-B in Finland!!! my favourite!!!
http://youtu.be/bAbv07cJC9A

7

you may want to pay some attention to antti vids.... :)

8

One of the best of all time, from Ari Vatanen as well, when Pikes Peak was still unpaved:
hhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PZ5J3GLSYI
A fun one, the guy (Gilles Panizzi) ended up winning the rally (2002 WRC Rally Catalunia). He had so much lead he decided to please the spectators at a particularly busy hairpin with a little 360:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFvs7JLl0_A
And a very young Sebastien Loeb driving a Citroen Xsara Kit Car in 2001.
Not a crazy video per se, but you have the most successful rally driver of all time at an early stage in its career, driving the last 2wd car to win a wrc race. 
The Xsara won 2 races during the 1999 season, the Tour de Corse and Rally Catalunya, against Tommi Makinen in a Mitsubishi Lancer, Carlos Sainz in a Toyota Corolla, Richard Burns in a Subaru Impreza, and Colin McRae in a Ford Focus. 
Not bad for a FWD 2.0 Liter N/A car!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkPbkwnB6mE
I hope you enjoy!

9

If I had half the talent that Rohrl, Vatanen or McRae have (and had) then I would be a very, very happy driver.
Jesus they are good.

10

Those sounds, those roads, those calls... RALLY!!

11

Brilliant

12

Collin McRae is a beast!

13

Patrick Deschenes Was just about to post this! One of my fave onboard clips ever, the "gets faster now" line (around the 6 minute mark) always makes me smile.

14

Kris Meeke driving the pants off a MK2 escort in the 2008 McRae Stages Rally. 110% commitment and flat out! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh_SWN0BsZQ

15

By FAR the most epic tribute to rallying ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddf_Bf3fLdY

16

Great selection, my only addition would be the Solberg Ouninpohja clip which Patrick has already added to the comments.
Any of the McRae onboards from RallyGB 2001 are jaw dropping (especially when you watch the same stages onboard with different drivers); he is so quick and so aggressive with his lines, but then thats what made him so brilliant to watch... 
Oh, and you can be forgiven for the heavy Irish bias: the Irish Tarmac Championships are (in my opinion!) the most consistently entertaining rally Championships around at the moment.

17

Gigi Galli making every drifter look stupid!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewxrNSOKFow

19

I always have Bertie Fisher on Atlantic Drive as my favourite rally video. Possibly one of Irelands greatest stages, in the wet, with our greatest ever drivers in the king of rally cars, the Group A Impreza 555
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqlpxDYArrY

Author20

Max Muller Now that's reply!

Author21

Michael Busby I still maintain that was at least 75% luck!

Author22

Michael Busby Similarly, McRae up Moll's Gap in his own MKII is worth a watch :)

Author23

aussieANON It's the difference between someone who gets good by practice and someone where it's just natural talent.

24

PaddyMcGrath Max Muller It's just a small selection. :-)

25

PaddyMcGrath aussieANON It also limits the ultimate level of skill by the driver, like someone with serious natural talent, if they practise enough, will just destroy everyone.
I've been told that I have a fair amount of talent.... Does anyone want to lend me a race car?
Anyone?

26

The "Human Sea" was at Rallye de Portugal, sadly where Group B ended too, due to a massive accident with a RS200.

28

One of my favorites, an onboard video of Henri Toivonen in a Talbot Sunbeam. Complete with epic '80s soundtrack and all the sideways action you could want. There's something epic about going from opposite lock right to opposite lock left in quick succession, and then throw in the still H pattern gearbox, and you have yourself an awesome video. I wish Henri was still around, I'm sure he'd be one of the best. Even though his name is still up there with Rohl, Vatanen and the likes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdSSdI2sBqw&feature=share&list=FLCtDvYSkVACtDIZT5Bs_KGw

29

That McRae video at the end gave me goose bumps in the first 30 seconds and all the way through.  I just can't wrap my brain around how amazing a driver he was.  He is missed!

30

Not the best rally car but one of the most comitted drivers on tarmac Jean Ragnotti in the clio maxi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asKuYgAcyIk&list=FL2Ai6SH9gjPkhZRNxPL15cg

32

PaddyMcGrath Michael Busby What? That's how I take hairpins in my Evo. :)

Author33

SuzyWallace It doesn't count when your car is on the back of a transporter...

34

Colin McRae is the absolute master.

35

When I see a rally themed thread I always put this video as an example 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=WLF68C8809937A591C&v=164Oi0TW7y8&feature=player_detailpage

36

zephoto all hail the mighty Colin McRae!

37

In my hours and hours of WRC "study" on YouTube, I've seen every video in this post (even the ones here in the comments) a handful of times or more.  All except that Bertie Fisher clip.
Oh.  My.  God.  That was some Jedi shit.

38

That Walter Röhrl video is what started my love for Group B Rallying (and what got me to try left foot braking in a parking lot. Lots and lots of engine stalling that day). As for my favorite...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-PZ5J3GLSYI

39

the best rallycars and drivers!!!!

40

ps: that Vatanen clip sent chills through my spine, Jesus Christ. And for Bertie Fisher... that's just uncanny, dear god

41
ValassisPapantoniou

after A.Vatanen in Pikes Peak that is the clip that followes it according my opinion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szpvcMcDN5I

42

AlexandreSiviero Vatanen threading the needle was epic for sure, but Harryman deserves near-equal credit for being able to compose himself so quickly as well.  
Bertie though...  When Kennedy told him "Well done." I thought that was the epitome of professionalism on his part (not to mention the understatement of the century).  I would've been like "HOLY SHIT MAN!! THAT WAS THE GREATEST F___ING DRIVING EVER!!".

43

how did not no one post this epicness? maybe it's not onboard but impressive this is a rally that has to come back :) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY87ykzsnL8

44

I have been co-driving with a few quick drivers before and the secret to making them go quicker is to stay as calm as possible. But my hearts rate just went through the  roof just by watching mcrae's onboard.

45

"If in doubt, flat out"
A lovely demonstration of  man and machine in perfect harmony, McRae and a factory Ford with active diffs.
Those active diffs were a wonder in themselves, enabling torque vectoring and incredible speed regardless of surface :)
http://www.rallycars.com/Cars/Focus_WRC/Focus_WRC_4.html

47

Streetwise  I was going to add this but is it a rally car? he uses it for hillclimbs I think but don't know if it's eligible for rallying. Great clip and maybe i'm being too pedantic.

48

Og667 Streetwise Yes I think he only does hillclimbs in it but I thought it was still worthwhile to post.

49

MatiasIgnacioBello Rally Mobil tiene sus cosas igual / Chilean Rally Mobil has its great footage as well!

50

What I find really amazing about that Vatanen clip is the fact that after he clips the wall the tyre is flat!

51
AndrewPascarella

The over Jump video is not from Ireland believe it our not. This is the link to the original youtube http://youtu.be/kabFSoJ-nB4 
It was at Rally New York in April of 2012. It was cold wet and rainy, also the Irish flags where put up by a group of Irish rally fans that go every year. SO I understand the confusion.  I was standing next to the road when this was filmed tying to shoot some photos. I have soft shot of the Subaru leaving the ground. My self and my friend video taping where in shock. I'd never seen a rally car hit low earth orbit in the U.S. before. It was insane and the stuff of legend. 
Too fast for me to capture it,  http://www.flickr.com/photos/drew84/6959599102/
This happened two corners later on the same stage, he was cooking trying to catch the leading car. 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dirtyimpreza/7178578614/in/set-72157629682610756

52

Not the best, but possibly one of the firsts? I'm sure someone will show me something earlier to prove me wrong... You have to love the commentary in the later half of the video though! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oKLIMY6tfs

54

PaddyMcGrath I still think this is the greatest rally video ever, it captures pure raw what it's all about.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4quNnCojoVY

55

Og667 was waiting for some one to POst This... HOLY GOD!

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