Sandro Munari dead: the 'Drago' who made rallying Italia great

The passing of Sandro Munari one month after his 86th birthday marks the end of an era for world motor racing. No one can restore the depth of the man and the champion better than those who shared the dust of the roads and the glory of the podiums with him: Cesare Fiorio, the historic Lancia team manager. His recollection is stark: 'Sandro Munari was the greatest champion to have served in the ranks of Lancia'. According to Fiorio, Munari had the immense merit of taking the brand 'to the highest level' and he did so at a pioneering moment, 'at a time when Lancia was not an absolutely winning team as it became later'. Even on his famous nickname, the manager admits to a veil of mystery, while recognising his charisma: 'The Dragon? I never knew who gave it to him, but it gave a good idea.

Munari's historical value lies in having broken the dominance of the northern European drivers. Fiorio proudly recalls that, before him, 'the Italians were not as famous as rallyists as the Northerners were'. Munari was the turning point: 'He showed that we know how to do those things there too, and we know how to do it even better than they do. A deep bond existed between the two, being almost the same age: 'We were more or less the same age and shared the same emotions'. For Fiorio, seeing a tricolour talent impose himself on the world was the greatest satisfaction: "To bring an Italian to those levels was a great satisfaction for me" concluding that Sandro will forever remain 'certainly a great champion'.

Munari's racing career is a succession of feats that turned rallying into a mass phenomenon. After his beginnings as a navigator, his rise as a driver was meteoric, culminating in the legendary 1972: the year of the first of four victories at the Monte Carlo Rally with the small Lancia Fulvia HF 1600 and the triumph at the Targa Florio on track with the Ferrari 312 PB together with the eclectic Arturo Merzario in the very year of his debut with Ferrari in Formula 1. These victories demonstrated a rare versatility, able to tame both snowy hairpin bends and the world's most demanding circuits, confirming his stature as a complete athlete and supreme test driver.

The association with the Lancia Stratos HF then marked his definitive international consecration. With the unforgettable coupé from Bertone, Munari dominated the world scene by winning three more consecutive victories in Monte Carlo (1975, 1976, 1977), preceded by the first global victory for the Stratos, the 1974 Sanremo. The highlight of his career was winning the FIA Drivers' Cup in 1977, the highest accolade at the time before the institution of the official 'world champion' title. Also memorable was the first 'tough' medal for the still-developing Stratos, with its success at the 1973 Tour de France Automobile: this was a combination of special road tests, circuit and hillclimb races, plus long journeys in open traffic, totalling more than 3,000 km at race pace in less than a week. There the short wheelbase, low weight, Ferrari V6 engine and great agility of that excellent Italia project were beginning to bode well for the possible triumphs that would come in the following years.

In addition to his prestigious achievements in classic rallies such as the Sanremo or the Tour de Corse, Munari has remained in the hearts of fans for his ability to challenge the African deserts and for having dedicated his mature years to training, leaving behind a safe driving school that has educated generations of drivers. Thanks to experience gained in the Abarth ranks and in the Fiat di Balocco activities, Munari became the coach of new drivers in the late 1990s, both for his driving method and philosophy and for his link with the racing world and also for the professionalisation of the figure of the former driver to permanent instructor.