Armin Schwarz
Encyclopedia
Armin Schwarz is a German
rally
driver. He competed in the World Rally Championship
from 1988 to 2005, winning the 1991 Rally Catalunya
and taking six other podium finishes. Outside the WRC, he won the German Rally Championship (1987–88), the European Rally Championship
(1996) and the "Rally Masters" event at the Race of Champions
(2000).
Schwarz was born in Neustadt an der Aisch
in Franken
in 1963 and debuted in rallying in 1983. After having won the German Rally Championship for two years in a row, he made his debut in the World Rally Championship
in 1988
and was signed by Toyota Team Europe, Toyota's factory WRC team, for the 1990 season
.
Driving a Toyota Celica GT-Four
, Schwarz led a world championship rally for the first time at the 1990 Rally Portugal, took his first podium finish at the 1991 Rally Australia
and his first and only win at the 1991 Rally Catalunya
.
In 1996, due to Toyota's 12-month ban from the WRC, Schwarz drove for the team in the European Rally Championship
. He won the Manx International Rally and the Cyprus Rally
and captured the overall title. Later that same year, he drove to victory in the RAC Rally, then part of the 2-Litre World Championship ("Formula 2").
In the 1999 season, after stints with Mitsubishi
and Ford, Schwarz started his long partnership with the debuting Škoda
works team. His best result with the team was third place at the 2001 Safari Rally
. Schwarz retired from the world championship after the 2005 season, during which he took his first points finish in over a year at the season-ending Rally Australia.
Schwarz now lives in Austria
and still participates in motorsport, not only as a driver but as a team manager for a Škoda rally team and as a TV commentator. He is married with two children.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
rally
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
driver. He competed in the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
from 1988 to 2005, winning the 1991 Rally Catalunya
Rally Catalunya
The Rally Catalunya is a rally competition on the World Rally Championship schedule. Now held on the wide, smooth and sweeping asphalt roads around the town of Salou, Catalonia, Spain, it was previously held around the region of Costa Brava...
and taking six other podium finishes. Outside the WRC, he won the German Rally Championship (1987–88), the European Rally Championship
European Rally Championship
The European Rally Championship is the European continental championship series in rallying. It is organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile .-History:...
(1996) and the "Rally Masters" event at the Race of Champions
Race of Champions
The Race of Champions is an international motorsport event held at the end of each year, featuring some of the world's best racing and rally drivers...
(2000).
Career
Neustadt an der Aisch
Neustadt an der Aisch is a small town in the northern part of Bavaria , within the Franconian administrative region Middle Franconia,...
in Franken
Franken
Franken may refer to:*Franks, medieval Germanic tribes*Franconia, a region in Bavaria, Germany*Franconia , one of the 13 wine regions of Germany*Franken, Haut-Rhin, a commune of the Haut-Rhin département of France*Franc, a currency unit...
in 1963 and debuted in rallying in 1983. After having won the German Rally Championship for two years in a row, he made his debut in the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
in 1988
1988 World Rally Championship season
The 1988 World Rally Championship season was the 16th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship...
and was signed by Toyota Team Europe, Toyota's factory WRC team, for the 1990 season
1990 World Rally Championship season
The 1990 World Rally Championship season was the 18th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 12 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Carlos Sainz in a Toyota Celica GT-Four, ahead of Didier Auriol and Juha Kankkunen...
.
Driving a Toyota Celica GT-Four
Toyota Celica GT-Four
The Toyota Celica GT-Four is a high performance model of the Celica liftback, with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine, and full-time AWD. It was created to compete in the World Rally Championship, whose regulations dictate that a manufacturer must build road-going versions of the vehicle in sufficient...
, Schwarz led a world championship rally for the first time at the 1990 Rally Portugal, took his first podium finish at the 1991 Rally Australia
Rally Australia
Rally Australia is an automobile rally event which was held in and around Perth, Western Australia from 1988 until 2006, when that state's tourism commission severed its collaboration with the event. The rally was part of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in 1988 and the World Rally Championship...
and his first and only win at the 1991 Rally Catalunya
Rally Catalunya
The Rally Catalunya is a rally competition on the World Rally Championship schedule. Now held on the wide, smooth and sweeping asphalt roads around the town of Salou, Catalonia, Spain, it was previously held around the region of Costa Brava...
.
In 1996, due to Toyota's 12-month ban from the WRC, Schwarz drove for the team in the European Rally Championship
European Rally Championship
The European Rally Championship is the European continental championship series in rallying. It is organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile .-History:...
. He won the Manx International Rally and the Cyprus Rally
Cyprus Rally
The Cyprus Rally is a rallying competition held yearly in Cyprus since 1970. The event is run by the Cyprus Automobile Association and is based in the city of Limassol . It is run on the winding roads of the nearby mountains of Troödos. It was part of the FIA's World Rally Championship from 2000...
and captured the overall title. Later that same year, he drove to victory in the RAC Rally, then part of the 2-Litre World Championship ("Formula 2").
In the 1999 season, after stints with Mitsubishi
Ralliart
Ralliart was the high-performance and motorsports division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally racing and off-road racing vehicles, as well as the development of high-performance models and parts available to the public...
and Ford, Schwarz started his long partnership with the debuting Škoda
Škoda Motorsport
Škoda Motorsport is the division of Czech car manufacturer Škoda Auto responsible for motorsport activities. Škoda competed as a manufacturer in the World Rally Championship between 1999 and 2005, and today competes in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge....
works team. His best result with the team was third place at the 2001 Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
. Schwarz retired from the world championship after the 2005 season, during which he took his first points finish in over a year at the season-ending Rally Australia.
Schwarz now lives in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and still participates in motorsport, not only as a driver but as a team manager for a Škoda rally team and as a TV commentator. He is married with two children.
WRC victories
| # | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  27º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España)Rally Catalunya The Rally Catalunya is a rally competition on the World Rally Championship schedule. Now held on the wide, smooth and sweeping asphalt roads around the town of Salou, Catalonia, Spain, it was previously held around the region of Costa Brava... |
1991 1991 World Rally Championship season The 1991 World Rally Championship season was the 19th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 14 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Juha Kankkunen in a Lancia Delta Integrale 16V, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Didier... |
Arne Hertz Arne Hertz Arne Hertz was a Swedish co-driver in motor rallying.His name first became prominent when co-driving for Stig Blomqvist , with whom he first won the RAC Rally, in 1971. With Blomqvist, in the same year, he also won the Hankiralli, the Swedish Rally and the 1000 Lakes Rally... |
Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 |