The 1964 Monte Carlo Rally Miracle
The Monte Carlo Rally is one of the oldest and one of the most famous events in the world of motorsports. The first races were held back in 1911. The history of the event is full of many memorable, astonishing and fascinating events which would certainly take more than one volume to describe in any detail. But even in this abundance, the success of the Irish team of driver Paddy Hopkirk and co-driver Henry Liddon in the Mini Cooper S stands out. It was back in 1964.
In an interview in 2020 Paddy Hopkirk, then 86, recalled that the decision to drive a Mini Cooper S might have been perceived by some as a gamble because the car was being marketed as a family car. However, according to Hopkirk the specifications of the car (front wheel drive, good engine and small dimensions) were very well suited to the Monte Carlo Rally with its specificity of narrow roads in the first place.
However, the rally was not the first competition for which the car was entered. In 1959, John Cooper entered the car in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. At the time, the famous Roy Salvadori was at the wheel. And the small, manoeuvrable car proved to be superb. In 1962, also in a Mini Cooper, racer Patt Moss claimed victories at Rally Tulip and Baden-Baden.
But the true landmark was in 1964 when the Mini Cooper S with the historic number plate 33 EJB claimed victory at the Monte Carlo Rally. Experts and pundits would have predicted that the event would be won by the legendary Swede Bo Ljungfelde driving the Ford Falcon Sprint, which was far superior to the car driven by Paddy Hopkirk.
It was a fiercely competitive race watched by millions of racing fans. The battle between Hopkirk and Lungfeldt began in the first metres after the start and it would be impossible to know the likely winner until the rally was over. This was when the Mini Cooper S showed its full fighting potential. Also with its relatively modest technical parameters, particularly a 34 hp engine, the car was excellent on mountainous and country roads, as well as on icy and snow-covered roads. Strengths were its low weight, front wheel drive and a very well designed wheelbase which provided excellent maneuverability.
The result was a tightly contested victory for Paddy Hopkirk. His Mini Cooper S crossed the finishing line 17 seconds ahead of Bo Lungfeld’s car. Hopkirk’s two teammates Timo Mäkinen and Rauno Altonen also finished the race very well. They also raced in the Mini Cooper and finished the event in 4th and 7th place respectively.
This success was one of the most momentous events in British motor sport history. Paddy Hopkirk received many congratulatory messages, including from the British Government and the Beatles. And the Mini Cooper S cars went on to win several more Monte Carlo Rally victories in the following years.
