Legendary former World Rally Championship co-driver Terry Harryman has passed away, aged 87.
The Northern Ireland navigator won six WRC events and took nine podiums alongside Ari Vatanen in one of the standout partnerships of the sport’s fast, exciting but dangerous Group B era in the 1980s.
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Their first win together was Safari Rally Kenya in 1983 in an Opel, with victories in Italy, Finland and GB the following year after switching to the iconic Peugeot 205.
Finland’s Vatanen and Harryman were in title contention in 1985 after wins in Monte Carlo and Sweden but a heavy accident at Rally Argentina left both men injured and ended their charge.
Outside of the WRC, Harryman won the Circuit of Ireland in 1962 alongside Ronnie McCartney and again with the late Paddy Hopkirk three years later.
Harryman guided Michele Mouton to the German Rally Championship title in 1986 and won the Dutch and Irish titles with Mark Lovell.
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He also navigated at the Dakar Rally and his five-decade long career came to an end in 2003 when he retired.
Harryman is widely remembered for his “dear, God” comment before going back to calmly reading his pace notes, when Vatanen almost crashed when he clipped a wall at the Manx Rally in 1983.
Five-time WRC winner Kris Meeke and current top-level drivers Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong have been among those to pay tribute to fellow NI competitor Harryman.
His rallying legacy lives on through his son, Allan, who is a co-driver in the WRC and in various rallies around the world.
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