1980 World Rally Championship

Last updated September 14, 2025

The 1980 World Rally Championship was the eighth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 12 rallies. While this number was the same as the previous year, one change was made to the schedule, replacing Quebec with the Rally Codasur, marking the first WRC event to be held in South America.

A new driver's champion was crowned, with Fiat backed German driver Walter Röhrl taking the championship convincingly while simultaneously earning for Fiat its third and final manufacturer's title. Finn Hannu Mikkola and Swede Björn Waldegård again battled to a one-point difference in the standings, though this time for second place overall, and this time with Mikkola coming out on top. Fiat's position in the standings was challenged by both Datsun and Ford, but neither could overcome the Italian company's initial lead, settling instead for second and third, respectively. 1980 also saw Mercedes-Benz's best and final effort to compete for a WRC title, placing fourth overall.

For purposes of the championship, neither the Swedish or Finnish rallies were applied to the WRC for Manufacturers.

Calendar

Rd.	Start date	Finish date	Rally	Rally headquarters	Surface	Stages	Distance	Points
1	19 January	25 January	48th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo	Monte Carlo	Mixed	33	695.30 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
2	15 February	17 February	30th International Swedish Rally	Karlstad, Värmland County	Snow	29	413.50 km	Drivers only
3	4 March	9 March	14th Rallye de Portugal - Vinho do Porto	Estoril, Lisbon	Mixed	47	673.50 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
4	3 April	7 April	28th Marlboro Safari Rally	Nairobi	Gravel	N/A	5441 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
5	26 May	29 May	27th Acropolis Rally	Athens	Gravel	56	956.16 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
6	19 July	24 July	2nd Rally Codasur Ultra Movil YPF	Tucumán	Gravel	14	1223.7 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
7	29 August	31 August	30th Jyväskylän Suurajot - Rally of the 1000 Lakes	Jyväskylä, Central Finland	Gravel	48	471.9 km	Drivers only
8	13 September	17 September	11th Motogard Rally of New Zealand	Nelson, Christchurch	Gravel	41	1034 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
9	6 October	11 October	22nd Rallye Sanremo	Sanremo, Liguria	Mixed	51	800.60 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
10	24 October	25 October	24th Tour de Corse ESSO - Rallye de France	Ajaccio, Corsica	Tarmac	18	1128.1 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
11	16 November	19 November	36th Lombard RAC Rally	Bath, Somerset	Gravel	70	708.09 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
12	9 December	14 December	12th Rallye Cote d'Ivoire	Abidjan	Gravel	N/A	5226 km	Drivers & Manufacturers
Sources:^[1]^[2]

Championships

Manufacturers

**1980 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers**
Rank	Manufacturer	Event										Total points
Rank	Manufacturer	MON	POR	KEN	GRC	ARG	NZL	ITA	FRA	GBR	CIV	Total points
1	Fiat	18	18	–	15	18	17	18	16	–	(11)	120
2	Datsun	–	–	18	17	14	18	–	13	8	5	93
3	Ford	8	12	–	18	11	8	16	–	17	–	90
4	Mercedes	–	13	16	–	17	15	–	–	–	18	79
5	Opel	12	–	13	13	–	–	10	10	13	–	71
6	Talbot	–	16	–	–	–	–	15	–	18	–	49
7	Toyota	–	9	–	9	–	–	–	–	–	14	32
8	Peugeot	–	–	–	2	12	–	–	–	–	16	30
9	Porsche	10	–	–	–	–	–	–	18	–	–	28
10	Lancia	16	–	–	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	20
11	Vauxhall	–	–	–	–	–	12	–	–	4	–	16
12	Volkswagen	14	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	14
13	Renault	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12	–	–	12
14	Triumph	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	9	–	9
15	Mitsubishi	–	–	–	–	–	2	–	–	–	7	9
16	FSO	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2

**1980 World Rally Championship point awards for manufacturers**
Overall finish	Group finish
Overall finish	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1	18	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2	17	16	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
3	16	15	14	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
4	15	14	13	12	–	–	–	–	–	–
5	14	13	12	11	10	–	–	–	–	–
6	13	12	11	10	9	8	–	–	–	–
7	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	–	–	–
8	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	–	–
9	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	–
10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1	1

Drivers

**1980 World Rally Championship for Drivers**
Rank	Driver	Event												Total points
Rank	Driver	MON	SWE	POR	KEN	GRC	ARG	FIN	NZL	ITA	FRA	GBR	CIV	Total points
1	Walter Röhrl	20	–	20	–	8	20	–	15	20	15	–	–	118
2	Hannu Mikkola	–	10	–	–	–	15	–	12	12	–	15	–	64
3	Björn Waldegård	12	12	10	1	–	–	–	8	–	–	–	20	63
4	Ari Vatanen	–	–	–	–	20	–	15	–	15	–	–	–	50
5	Anders Kulläng	10	20	–	–	10	–	–	–	–	–	8	–	48
6	Markku Alén	–	–	15	–	12	–	20	–	–	–	–	–	47
7	Timo Salonen	–	4	–	–	15	–	6	20	–	–	–	–	45
8	Guy Fréquelin	–	–	12	–	–	–	–	–	10	–	12	–	34
9	Shekhar Mehta	–	–	–	20	–	10	–	–	–	–	–	–	30
10	Henri Toivonen	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8	–	20	–	28
11	Per Eklund	8	3	–	–	–	–	12	–	–	–	–	4	27
12	Jean-Luc Thérier	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	20	–	–	20
13	Vic Preston, Jr.	–	–	–	12	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8	20
14	Jorge Recalde	–	–	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15	18
15	Björn Johansson	–	8	–	–	–	–	10	–	–	–	–	–	18
16	Bernard Darniche	15	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15
	Stig Blomqvist	–	15	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15
	Rauno Aaltonen	–	–	–	15	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15
19	Attilio Bettega	6	–	–	–	3	–	–	–	6	–	–	–	15
20	Alain Coppier	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12	–	–	14
21	Carlos Reutemann	–	–	–	–	–	12	–	–	–	–	–	–	12
21	Alain Ambrosino	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12	12
23	Michèle Mouton	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8	–	–	12
24	Ove Andersson	–	–	6	–	6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12
25	Jean-Claude Lefèbvre	–	–	–	–	–	8	–	–	–	–	–	3	11
26	Mike Kirkland	–	–	–	10	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10
	George Fury	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10	–	–	–	–	10
	Bruno Saby	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10	–	–	10
	Russell Brookes	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10	–	10
	Samir Assef	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10	10
31	Ingvar Carlsson	–	1	8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	9
32	Andy Dawson	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	6	3	–	9
33	Jean-Pierre Nicolas	–	–	–	8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8
33	Lasse Lampi	–	–	–	–	–	–	8	–	–	–	–	–	8
35	Timo Mäkinen	–	–	–	–	1	–	–	–	–	–	6	–	7
36	Pentti Airikkala	–	6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	6
	Andrew Cowan	–	–	–	6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	6
	Domingo De Vitta	–	–	–	–	–	6	–	–	–	–	–	–	6
	Paul Adams	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	6	–	–	–	–	6
	Sandro Munari	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	6	6
41	Jochi Kleint	3	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	5
42	Carlos Torres	–	–	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4
	Yoshio Iwashita	–	–	–	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4
	Harry Källström	–	–	–	–	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4
	Francisco Alcuaz	–	–	–	–	–	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	4
	Tapio Rainio	–	–	–	–	–	–	4	–	–	–	–	–	4
	Paddy Davidson	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4	–	–	–	–	4
	Angelo Presotto	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4	–	–	–	4
	Christian Gardavot	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4	–	–	4
	Tony Pond	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4	–	4
51	Johnny Hellier	–	–	–	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3
	Nestor García-Veiga	–	–	–	–	–	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	3
	Erkki Pitkänen	–	–	–	–	–	–	3	–	–	–	–	–	3
	David Parkes	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3	–	–	–	–	3
	Antonillo Zordan	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3	–	–	–	3
	Paul Rouby	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3	–	–	3
57	Salvador Servià	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
	Bengt Nilsson	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
	Raymond 'Ray' Rué	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
	Tasos 'Siroco' Livieratos	–	–	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
	Federico West	–	–	–	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
	Heikki Enomaa	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	2
	Glenn McIntyre	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	2
	Giorgio Bernocchi	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	–	–	–	2
	Jean-Felix Farrucci	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	–	–	2
	Bror Danielsson	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	–	2
	Jean-François Vincens	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	2
68	Maciej Stawowiak	–	–	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
	Jorge Maggi	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
	Peter Geitel	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	–	–	–	–	1
	Morrie Chandler	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	–	–	–	1
	Massimo Paolieri	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	–	–	1
	Jean Bagarry	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	–	1
	George Hill	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	1
	Naguib Saad	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	1

**1980 World Rally Championship point awards for drivers**
Points awarded by finish	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Points awarded by finish	20	15	12	10	8	6	4	3	2	1

Events

**1980 World Rally Championship event map**
Black = Tarmac	Brown = Gravel	Blue = Snow/Ice	Red = Mixed Surface

**1980 World Rally Championship schedule and results**
Round	Rally name	Stages	Podium finishers
Round	Rally name	Stages	Rank	Driver	Co-driver	Car	Time
1	Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo ( 19 – 25 January)	30 stages 601 km Tarmac	1	Walter Röhrl	Christian Geistdörfer	Fiat 131 Abarth	8:42:20
			2	Bernard Darniche	Alain Mahé	Lancia Stratos HF	8:52:58
			3	Björn Waldegård	Hans Thorszelius	Fiat 131 Abarth	8:53:48

2	Swedish Rally ^[3] ( 15 – 17 February)	29 stages 413.5 km Snow/Ice	1	Anders Kulläng	Bruno Berglund	Opel Ascona 400	4:17:52
			2	Stig Blomqvist	Björn Cederberg	Saab 99 Turbo	4:19:22
			3	Björn Waldegård	Hans Thorszelius	Fiat 131 Abarth	4:21:39

3	Rallye de Portugal ( 4 – 9 March)	47 stages 673.5 km Gravel/Tarmac	1	Walter Röhrl	Christian Geistdörfer	Fiat 131 Abarth	8:45:35
			2	Markku Alén	Ilkka Kivimäki	Fiat 131 Abarth	8:59:54
			3	Guy Fréquelin	Jean Todt	Talbot Sunbeam Lotus	9:16:04

4	Safari Rally ( 3 – 7 April)	95 controls 5333 km Gravel	1	Shekhar Mehta	Mike Doughty	Datsun 160J	+3:27 pen
			2	Rauno Aaltonen	Lofty Drews	Datsun 160J	+4:02 pen
			3	Vic Preston Jr.	John Lyall	Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0	+5:07 pen

5	Acropolis Rally ( 25 – 29 May)	56 stages 964 km Gravel/Tarmac	1	Ari Vatanen	David Richards	Ford Escort RS1800	12:55:44
			2	Timo Salonen	Seppo Harjanne	Datsun 160J	12:58:26
			3	Markku Alén	Ilkka Kivimäki	Fiat 131 Abarth	13:02:48

6	Rally Codasur ( 19 – 24 July)	18 stages 1224.4 km Gravel/Tarmac	1	Walter Röhrl	Christian Geistdörfer	Fiat 131 Abarth	12:48:36
			2	Hannu Mikkola	Arne Hertz	Mercedes 500 SLC	13:04:35
			3	Carlos Reutemann	Mirko Perissutti	Fiat 131 Abarth	13:35.26

7	1000 Lakes Rally ^[3] ( 29 – 31 August)	48 stages 472 km Gravel	1	Markku Alén	Ilkka Kivimäki	Fiat 131 Abarth	4:24:11
			2	Ari Vatanen	David Richards	Ford Escort RS1800	4:25:07
			3	Per Eklund	Hans Sylvan	Triumph TR 7 V8	4:35:25

8	Rally New Zealand ( 13 – 17 September)	40 stages 1040 km Gravel	1	Timo Salonen	Seppo Harjanne	Datsun 160J	12:06:57
			2	Walter Röhrl	Christian Geistdörfer	Fiat 131 Abarth	12:09:38
			3	Hannu Mikkola	Arne Hertz	Mercedes 500 SLC	12:29:22

9	Rallye Sanremo ( 6 – 11 October)	50 stages 821 km Gravel	1	Walter Röhrl	Christian Geistdörfer	Fiat 131 Abarth	10:22:42
			2	Ari Vatanen	David Richards	Ford Escort RS1800	10:29:17
			3	Hannu Mikkola	Arne Hertz	Ford Escort RS	10:36:52

10	Rallye de France ( 24 – 25 October)	18 stages 1128 km Tarmac	1	Jean-Luc Thérier	Michel Vial	Porsche 911 SC	14:51:43
			2	Walter Röhrl	Christian Geistdörfer	Fiat 131 Abarth	15:02:06
			3	Alain Coppier	Josépha Laloz	Porsche 911 SC	15:17:21

11	RAC Rally ( 16 – 19 November)	70 stages 708 km Gravel/Tarmac	1	Henri Toivonen	Paul White	Talbot Sunbeam Lotus	8:17:33
			2	Hannu Mikkola	Arne Hertz	Ford Escort RS1800	8:22:09
			3	Guy Fréquelin	Jean Todt	Talbot Sunbeam Lotus	8:31:24

12	Rallye Côte d'Ivoire ( 9 – 14 December)	62 controls 5336 km Gravel	1	Björn Waldegård	Hans Thorszelius	Mercedes 500 SLC	+2:36 pen
			2	Jorge Recalde	Nestor Straimel	Mercedes 500 SLC	+3:47 pen
			3	Alain Ambrosino	Jean-Robert Bureau	Peugeot 504 V6	+5:17 pen

↑ "WRC 1980". eWRC-results.com . Retrieved 13 September 2025.
↑ "1980 WRC calendar". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
1 2 Event not included in Manufacturers' Championship

External links

FIA World Rally Championship 1980 at ewrc-results.com

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[WRC1991-1] "WRC 1980". eWRC-results.com . Retrieved 13 September 2025.

[2] "1980 WRC calendar". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 13 September 2025.

[man-3] 1 2 Event not included in Manufacturers' Championship

[1]

[2]

[3]