History 1970s

1979 Tap Rallye Internacional do Brasil (Brazil)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1979 Tap Rallye Internacional do Brasil

Date: September 1979

Host Country: Brazil

Surface: Gravel

Total Distance: ~1,400 km

Total Starters: Approx. 50 crews

Total Finishers: N/A

The 1979 Tap Rallye Internacional do Brasil was part of South America’s growing motorsport presence, featuring long gravel stages through Brazil’s varied terrain. Jim Clark, driving for Volkswagen, delivered a focused and consistent performance across difficult road conditions to claim an impressive win, fending off both local and international challengers.

Route

Interior Farm Roads: Dry, fast, and dusty—with sharp ruts and loose stones at high speed.
Mountain Slopes: Rough uphill and downhill sectors required careful gearwork and braking technique.
Jungle Sections: Dense vegetation, tight curves, and variable visibility made these stages unpredictable.

The rally took place primarily in southeastern Brazil, with stages near São Paulo and Minas Gerais, combining wide red-earth roads and narrow jungle tracks.

Springtime conditions brought warm temperatures and dry terrain, though late-afternoon storms were known to complicate later stages.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Jim Clark · Volkswagen
2nd Place
Paulo Gomes · Chevrolet Opala
3rd Place
Alcides Diniz · Fiat 147

Clark’s consistency and focus allowed him to avoid mechanical setbacks while others faltered—his pace through the middle sectors gave him the edge on accumulated time.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Red Clay Dust: Reduced visibility and made braking less predictable—especially late in the day.
  • Mechanical Preservation: Suspension damage and overheating were major issues for less prepared teams.
  • Local Terrain Knowledge: Helped Brazilian drivers navigate deceptive corners and tricky surface transitions.

The 1979 Tap Rallye Internacional do Brasil highlighted South America’s potential for high-level rallying—Jim Clark’s steady hand and Volkswagen’s rugged setup proved a winning combination on Brazil’s demanding roads.

← Previous Event 1979 Critérium Molson du Québec (Canada)
Back to Events Index
1979 Rallye Sanremo (Italy) 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.