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.

Bernard Darniche
Personal information
NationalityFrance French
Born (1942-03-28) 28 March 1942 (age 82)
Cenon
World Rally Championship record
Active years1973–1987
Co-driverFrance Alain Mahé
TeamsAlpine-Renault, Lancia, Audi
Rallies38
Championships0
Rally wins7
Podiums11
Stage wins115
Total points87
First rally1973 Monte Carlo Rally
First win1973 Rally of Morocco
Last win1981 Tour de Corse
Last rally1987 Tour de Corse

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

edit
 #  Event Season Co-driver Car
1   16ème Rallye du Maroc 1973 Alain Mahé Alpine-Renault A110
2   19ème Tour de Corse 1975 Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF
3   21ème Tour de Corse 1977 Alain Mahé Fiat 131 Abarth
4   22ème Tour de Corse 1978 Alain Mahé Fiat 131 Abarth
5   47ème Rallye Monte-Carlo 1979 Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF
6   23ème Tour de Corse 1979 Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF
7   25ème Tour de Corse 1981 Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF

Complete IMC results

edit
Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1970 Alpine Renault Alpine-Renault A110 1600 MON SWE ITA KEN AUT
5
GRE GBR
1971 Alpine Renault Alpine-Renault A110 1600 MON
8
SWE ITA
4
KEN MAR AUT GRE GBR
1972 Alpine Renault Alpine-Renault A110 1800 MON
25
SWE KEN MAR GRE AUT ITA USA GBR

24 Hours of Le Mans results

edit
Year Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
pos.
1972   John Greenwood Racing   Alain Cudini
  John Greenwood
Chevrolet Corvette C3 GTS +5.0 82 DNF DNF
1976   IMSA
  Greenwood Corvettes
  John Greenwood Chevrolet Corvette Stingray IMSA
GT
29 DNF DNF
1978   Jean Rondeau   Jacky Haran
  Jean Rondeau
Rondeau M378-Cosworth GTP 294 9th 1st
1979   Jean Rondeau   Jean Ragnotti Rondeau M379-Cosworth Gr. 6
S 3.0
292 5th 1st
1980   Scuderia Lancia Corsa   Teo Fabi
  Hans Heyer
Lancia Montecarlo Turbo Gr. 5
SP 2.0
6 DNF DNF
1981   BMW Italie-France   Philippe Alliot
  Johnny Cecotto
BMW M1 Gr. 5 Gr. 5
SP +2.0
278 16th 3rd

References

edit
  1. ^ "Décret du 13 juillet 1994 portant promotion et nomination" (in French). Retrieved 15 June 2023.
edit
Sporting positions
Preceded by European Rally Champion
1976–1977
Succeeded by