Rally legend Sobiesław Zasada returns to Argentina 59 years after his 1967 win
At 96, Polish rally legend Sobiesław Zasada is back in Argentina, taking on the XXIII Gran Premio Argentino Histórico as co-driver in a Porsche 911 Dakar wearing a tribute livery.
- 96
- 148
- 59
- more than 3,000 km
What Happened
Now 96 years old, Sobiesław Zasada has returned to Argentina as a special guest of the XXIII Gran Premio Argentino Histórico, a historic rally celebrating Argentina's road-racing heritage. Almost 60 years after his name was written into the country's rallying history, he tackled the challenging roads once more, this time as co-driver in a Porsche 911 Dakar. The car's special livery paid tribute to the Porsche 911 that carried Zasada to victory in 1967, complete with the original race number, 405. To mark his return and that 1967 victory, a replica of his 'Porschito' was presented during the visit, alongside the tribute livery on the modern 911 Dakar.
Sobiesław Zasada is born in Poland.
A shoulder injury ends his hopes of competing in the javelin at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, and he begins his motor racing career later that year.
He wins the more than 3,000-kilometre Gran Premio Internacional de Turismo in Argentina, taking both Class C and overall victory.
With Marek Wachowski he competes for the Porsche works team in the London–Sydney Marathon, finishing first on the Australian leg and fourth overall after a route of more than 16,000 km.
At 96 he returns to Argentina as a special guest of the XXIII Gran Premio Argentino Histórico and as co-driver in a Porsche 911 Dakar.
In October 1967 Zasada travelled to Argentina for the more than 3,000-kilometre Gran Premio Internacional de Turismo, a route that crossed mountains, deserts and flooded plains and was regarded as one of the most demanding rallies of its time. Driving the red 911 he called 'Porschito', which bore the Kraków registration plate '25-15-KR', he prevailed against a field of nearly 400 entrants, including strong factory-backed competition. Zasada and his co-driver, engineer Jerzy Dobrzański, benefited from advanced equipment in their Porsche, including an intercom system that had not previously been used in an Argentinian competition, and he secured victory both in Class C and overall. The success also marked an important chapter in the Porsche 911's international rally history.
- Three-time European champion and eight-time national champion
- Won 148 rallies on five continents
- Competed in more than 40 countries
- Drove almost three million kilometres
- A former track-and-field athlete, writer and entrepreneur
“Welcoming Sobiesław is a celebration of the very essence of Porsche: enduring passion and an adventurous spirit that never fades.”
“Almost six decades after his great triumph, it is deeply moving to see that his affection for Porsche and his tireless determination remain undiminished.”
“The race took place 59 years ago, and if today it were exactly as it was at that moment, I would race it again, even at my current 96 years of age.”
Why this matters
The visit shows how Porsche's motorsport history is still used to tie the brand to Argentina's road-racing heritage: Zasada's 1967 win is marked with a tribute livery and a replica of his original car. It also puts a 96-year-old former champion back on the demanding roads where he made his name, with Porsche's official importer for Argentina and Uruguay and its local management framing the return as a celebration of enduring passion.
Terms in This Story
- rally
- A motorsport event in which crews race against the clock over a set route, often on closed public roads or unpaved tracks.
- co-driver
- The person who sits beside the driver in a rally car, reading pace notes and calling out the route ahead.
- livery
- The paintwork and graphic design applied to a racing car, often carrying numbers, colours and sponsor branding.
- works team
- A racing team run directly by a car manufacturer rather than by a private entrant.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.