Manfred Stohl
An Austrian rally driver whose consistent, underdog performances in privateer cars made him a fan favorite on the WRC circuit for nearly two decades.
Born 1972 (age 54)·Austrian rally driver·Birthday: July 7·Generation X
Biography
Manfred Stohl emerged from the Austrian rally scene not as a factory team star, but as a persistent and skilled independent. His World Rally Championship career, stretching from the early 1990s into the late 2000s, was defined by operating his own team, often with co-driver Ilka Minor. Stohl became synonymous with the privateer spirit, frequently outperforming expectations in cars like the Peugeot 307 WRC and the OMV-backed Citroëns. His driving was marked by clever point-scoring consistency rather than outright wins, securing a memorable podium at the 2006 Rally Japan. Stohl's legacy is that of the ultimate 'grey import' racer, proving that with enough grit and talent, a driver could carve out a long and respected career against the might of manufacturer super-teams.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Manfred was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Manfred Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Manfred's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Achieved a career-best second-place finish at the 2006 Rally Japan driving a Peugeot 307 WRC.
- Competed in over 100 World Rally Championship events as a privateer entry across a 17-year span.
- Scored points in the WRC drivers' championship for seven consecutive seasons from 2002 to 2008.
- Won multiple Austrian national rally championships before his full-time WRC commitment.
Did You Know?
His father, also named Manfred Stohl, was a successful rally driver and founded the family-run Stohl Racing team.
He is an avid drummer and has played in a rock band.
Stohl's distinctive blue and white OMV-liveried cars were a constant visual signature in the WRC paddock.
“I built my own car and fought the factory teams with it.”
