History 1960s

1961 Tulip Rally (Rally van Nederland)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

The 1961 Tulip Rally continued its reputation as a precision-focused international event, blending long-distance touring with competitive stages through the Netherlands and across Europe. With challenging navigation and unpredictable spring weather, it remained one of the most respected rallies in the pre-WRC calendar.

Event Name: 1961 Tulip Rally (13th Internationale Tulpenrallye)

Date: April 30 - May 5 1961

Start/Finish Location: Noordwijk, Netherlands

Total Distance: Over 3,000 kilometers

Participating Teams: Over 170 crews

Route

Netherlands: Initial tarmac stages and urban navigation through Dutch cities.

Belgium & France: Rural lanes, cobbled roads, and tighter junctions made timing difficult.

Alps & Return: Sections through the French Alps tested engines and braking on long climbs and descents before returning to the Dutch coast.

The rally traced a demanding loop through several European countries, combining speed tests with navigation trials. The blend of open-road precision and high-altitude technical stages rewarded the most consistent and composed crews.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner

Gunnar Andersson · Volvo PV544

2nd Place

Pat Moss & Ann Wisdom · Austin-Healey 3000

3rd Place

Eugen Böhringer · Mercedes-Benz 220 SE

Andersson’s drive was marked by near-perfect time control and exceptional composure under pressure, securing a well-earned win for Volvo.

Navigation & Challenges

The 1961 Tulip Rally demanded an elite level of discipline and coordination — with success depending as much on the co-driver’s accuracy as the driver’s pace.

Tulip Diagrams: Complex symbol-based instructions made even minor errors costly.
Variable Weather: Rain, fog, and even sleet disrupted visibility and grip across different regions.
Fatigue Management: Long, consecutive legs with few breaks pushed crews mentally and physically.

← Previous Event 1961 Österreichische Alpenfahrt (Austrian Alpine Rally)

Back to Events Index

1961 Acropolis Rally Next Event →

Watch rallies anywhere — bypass region blocks with NordVPN.

Fast servers for HD streams Servers in 60+ countries 30-day money-back

Unblock coverage — Save up to 77% + 3 months free

Sponsored link. Using our partner links helps support Compromised Internals at no extra cost to you.