Bernard Darniche Explained

Bernard Darniche
Birth Date:28 March 1942
Nationality: French
Birth Place:Cenon
Co-Driver: Alain Mahé
Years:1973–1987
Teams:Alpine-Renault, Lancia, Audi
Races:38
Championships:0
Wins:7
Podiums:11
Stagewins:115
Points:87
First Race:1973 Monte Carlo Rally
First Win:1973 Rally of Morocco
Last Win:1981 Tour de Corse
Last Race:1987 Tour de Corse

Bernard Jean Darniche[1] (born 28 March 1942 in Cenon, a commune in the Gironde department) is a French former rally driver. He won the European Rally Championship in 1976 and 1977 and the French Rally Championship in 1976 and 1978, each time behind the wheel of a Lancia Stratos HF. He also holds the record for most victories in the Tour de Corse which he won six times (1970, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1981), a feat later equalled by Didier Auriol.

He competed in the first World Rally Championships in 1973, winning the 16th Moroccan Rally and placing second in the 44th Alpine Rally, and was one of the top competitors for the remainder of the decade. He finished third in the inaugural FIA Cup for Rally Drivers in 1977, the first of three successive top ten finishes in the drivers' championship.

He also won the Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo in 1979, the event where he holds the record for most wins on the infamous Col de Turini stage, a 1,600 m Alpine mountain pass normally driven in darkness. The so-called "Night of the Long Knives" has seen Darniche victorious on ten occasions.

WRC victories

 # EventSeasonCo-driverCar
1 16ème Rallye du Maroc1973Alain MahéAlpine-Renault A110
2 19ème Tour de Corse1975Alain MahéLancia Stratos HF
3 21ème Tour de Corse1977Alain MahéFiat 131 Abarth
4 22ème Tour de Corse1978Alain MahéFiat 131 Abarth
5 47ème Rallye Monte-Carlo1979Alain MahéLancia Stratos HF
6 23ème Tour de Corse1979Alain MahéLancia Stratos HF
7 25ème Tour de Corse1981Alain MahéLancia Stratos HF

Complete IMC results

YearEntrantCar123456789
1970Alpine RenaultAlpine-Renault A110 1600MONSWEITAKENAUT
5
GREGBR
1971Alpine RenaultAlpine-Renault A110 1600MON
8
SWEITA
4
KENMARAUTGREGBR
1972Alpine RenaultAlpine-Renault A110 1800MON
25
SWEKENMARGREAUTITAUSAGBR

24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-driversCarClassLaps
1972 John Greenwood Racing Alain Cudini
John Greenwood
Chevrolet Corvette C3GTS +5.082DNFDNF
1976 IMSA
Greenwood Corvettes
John GreenwoodChevrolet Corvette StingrayIMSA
GT
29DNFDNF
1978 Jean Rondeau Jacky Haran
Jean Rondeau
Rondeau M378-CosworthGTP2949th1st
1979 Jean Rondeau Jean RagnottiRondeau M379-CosworthGr. 6
S 3.0
2925th1st
1980 Scuderia Lancia Corsa Teo Fabi
Hans Heyer
Lancia Montecarlo TurboGr. 5
SP 2.0
6DNFDNF
1981 BMW Italie-France Philippe Alliot
Johnny Cecotto
BMW M1 Gr. 5Gr. 5
SP +2.0
27816th3rd

References

  1. Web site: Décret du 13 juillet 1994 portant promotion et nomination. fr. 15 June 2023.

External links