Eifel rally festival 2016

Looking for tips where to stay as I'm wanting to go.

Already planning a trip after missing this year! James and Juha are your main men but am happy to offer advice! After seeing Reinhard' s plan to celebrate Group B and S in 2016 its got to be a must..

Its off season in Rimini at that time of the year which is 20 km away.

Are you sure you're not referring to San Marino James? Never noticed Rimini was only 20 miles off the Nürburgring.

We stayed in the same place the last two years, but with Saturday's opening stage being a different one now I'll look for something closer to it.

Juha wrote:Are you sure you're not referring to San Marino James? Never noticed Rimini was only 20 miles off the Nürburgring.

We stayed in the same place the last two years, but with Saturday's opening stage being a different one now I'll look for something closer to it.

Juha, glad one of us is awake - bit more than a 20 minute spin from italy to Germany. Accomodation in Daun and the surrounding area is plentiful and reasonably priced. Everything is available from camping to 5 star.

Thanks guys, how far away are airports or would you reccomend driving over?

Zeus wrote:Thanks guys, how far away are airports or would you reccomend driving over?

What Michael O'Leary calls Frankfurt Hahn is about 45 minutes drive. Its Hahn airport and is as near to Frankfurt as Luton is to Birmingham. For us its a no brainer once you time your Ryanair purchase !!!!

Ideally you want to arrive Thursday morning and fly back on Sunday. Shakedown is Thursday night, scrutineering Friday morning, and in the afternoon the fun really starts.

The seeded entry list has been published. JOB with Conor Falvey is at 61, Mark Falvey and I are at 45.
http://www.eifel-rallye-festival.de/de/nennliste.html

Juha wrote:The seeded entry list has been published. JOB with Conor Falvey is at 61, Mark Falvey and I are at 45.
http://www.eifel-rallye-festival.de/de/nennliste.html

Congratulations on your Irish nationality change Juha. I suspected you had gone native!

Looks like a cracking line up of cars - loads i'd love to hear/see ripping past at full throttle.


I see the one true Stig is having a run out. Some say he is a legend who can drive faster with his eyes closed, and that he can take hairpins flat out, all we know is he is called the Stig.........

I wasn't aware I'd put in an application for a nationality change.

Juha wrote:I wasn't aware I'd put in an application for a nationality change.

He has his application in - just in case Belgium votes for their own BREXIT


One of the hidden gems in Eifel takes place on Friday at about 14.00 where most, if not all, of the cars go to an airstrip a few kilometers outside of the town to take the iconic photo from the cherrypicker. It not publicised but well worth going to.

Give us a wave guys as you go past! All being a bit last minute as had originally planned to go but everything was on hold as my wife had been unwell again and we had to cancel another trip b0oked for the end of May.

Doing a couple of days elsewhere in Germany then staying in Gerolstein as obviously everything in Daun booked up but not a million miles away. Looking forward to the local version of pizza at the Berghoff as much as the rally!

Cant wait for next week! So many rare cars on display and on the stages.

JOB wrote:One of the hidden gems in Eifel takes place on Friday at about 14.00 where most, if not all, of the cars go to an airstrip a few kilometers outside of the town to take the iconic photo from the cherrypicker. It not publicised but well worth going to.

For those planning to attend it, beware the photoshoot is now on Thursday, 2 pm, at Airfield Senheld (Flugplatz Daun-Senheld, 54552, Germany).

I hope those who attended the rally had a great time, we sure did!

We didn't do the shakedown so our first run was the gravel stage, great fun, despite being on tarmac tyres and catching the car in front.

On stage 2 we had a great first lap, then the gearbox broke and we were out for the remainder of the weekend. No spare box in our camp, no spare ZF box anywhere in Daun, tried phoning Wales and Sweden to see if they knew any locals with the right equipment, to no avail. So I went out spectating on the first loop, only to be told to get back to service, get my suit on and take Conor's 911, him and James kindly leaving the car to us. I was JOB for half a day, which has all sorts of advantages like being offered cake by the marshals.

Glad you had a great time Juha and just shows how much of gent James is (car and cake!)

In Dusseldorf now so pics and story later in the week. Still drying out from the monumental downpour at shakedown on Thursday though!!!

A message exchange on my facebook page - thought some on here might appreciate his predicament !!!

Barry Murphy
Barry Murphy Ye were goin well James. The seeding order was a bit quare with a lot of good machinery at the end. Weird rally
Like · Reply · 15 hrs

James O'Brien
James O'Brien As a rough rule of thumb the older cars came first and the "youngsters" at the end. Big variation in driver ability but you must also remember the value of what they were driving - better than having them hidden away in private garages where they are rarely seen and never heard
Like · Reply · 7 · 15 hrs

Barry Murphy
Barry Murphy Without a doubt James but so many quattros and 6r4s near the end. Did test the wifes patience for stayin until the end. Fair play to ye for giving the car to Juha and Falvey eile for a couple of stages. Will be a few pics when i get home. Have you done the Trasmiera rally, thinkin of it for nxt year

I reckon they should put all the small powered cars at the front, regardless of age. That DAF we caught on the first stage was a lot slower than everything that surrounded it, it would have probably been better to seed it closer to the Trabant and Wartburgs.

Juha wrote:I reckon they should put all the small powered cars at the front, regardless of age. That DAF we caught on the first stage was a lot slower than everything that surrounded it, it would have probably been better to seed it closer to the Trabant and Wartburgs.

Juha, Its a demonstration event so seeding never will be an issue. You are relying on the courtesy of the driver in front to pull over. You must also remember that there may be a very capable driver in an underpowered car and there is no shortage of high powered cars with very average pilots behind the wheel. Every year and almost every stage we catch one or more other cars. Its part of what you sign up for. It may even add to the spectacle for the spectators with some overtaking manoeuvres being attempted during the event. For me the only issue would be stones which could crack/break a windscreen or lamps or worse damage a rad so the answer is to "back off" if they wont let you pass.

The spectators and competitors who broke down on the night stage were very lucky weather wise as the thunder rain in Daun was the longest and heaviest I have seen - it went on for over 2 hours- while the stage a few kilometers out the road was bone dry.

Top class event as usual - even if Juha ate my cake.

JOB wrote:

Juha wrote:I reckon they should put all the small powered cars at the front, regardless of age. That DAF we caught on the first stage was a lot slower than everything that surrounded it, it would have probably been better to seed it closer to the Trabant and Wartburgs.

Juha, Its a demonstration event so seeding never will be an issue. You are relying on the courtesy of the driver in front to pull over. You must also remember that there may be a very capable driver in an underpowered car and there is no shortage of high powered cars with very average pilots behind the wheel. Every year and almost every stage we catch one or more other cars. Its part of what you sign up for. It may even add to the spectacle for the spectators with some overtaking manoeuvres being attempted during the event. For me the only issue would be stones which could crack/break a windscreen or lamps or worse damage a rad so the answer is to "back off" if they wont let you pass.

I'm well aware of how the system works, remember I've been going there since 2003, but those drivers would probably enjoy it more if they wouldn't have to spend most of the stage looking in their mirrors.

A few years ago one of the Trabants apparently had its windscreen blown to bits after it was overtaken by an S1 under acceleration.

JOB wrote:Top class event as usual - even if Juha ate my cake.  

Thanks for asking them to have some cake ready.

Usual model sellers in Daun as well as these guys doing dioramas and a charity auction of a Group B diorama.
Me thinks James has successfully posted his first photos onto the forum.

Nice and well done James!

Finally found some time to sit down and write a few words and post a couple of pics up.

Had a great holiday in Germany with happened to coincide with the Festival. Have a very understanding wife who just happens to love the sound of a Stratos engine! Had a couple of days in Dusseldorf again which is a great city then picked the hire car up and drove down to our base at Gerolstein which is only about 15 minutes from the centre of things in Daun. Have to say if you are in the area the Wolf park nearby is a must, you can get inside the enclosure and feed the wolves if you are brave enough

Back to the rallye and all I can say is weather mixed (shakedown is best left unspoken about) mix of cars great and crowds bigger than in 2014 which was our first visit. As usual you couldn't guarantee seeing every car as it's non competitive and the crews can choose which runs they do and the RS1700T amongst others didn't turn a wheel in anger but what the hell as a celebration of the history of the sport its hard to beat. Already planning our next visit...

A few pics which will hopefully give you an idea of what it's all about

The patron Rohrl



One that might appeal to a few here.



Manta at shakedown when it had stopped lightning!



My favourite car the ex Tabaton Delta S4



The two Toyota MR2 Group S prototypes



Nice Rothmans 911



My fan boy moment!