Bruno Thiry

Bruno Thiry (born 8 October 1962) is a Belgian rally driver. He was born in St. Vith, Liège Province.

He began his career as an amateur in 1981, driving a Simca, and quickly became very successful in the Belgian Rally Championship. From 1991 to 1993, he joined the GME team that contested only in some selected World Rally Championship (WRC) events and in non-WRC events. In 1992, he managed his first podium finish for him on the final running of the notorious Rallye Côte d'Ivoire and finished second in an ex-works Opel Kadett GSI. The following year saw Thiry win some WRC events in an Opel Astra in the F2 category and brought GME its first manufacturer's title of the inaugural FIA 2-Litre World Cup in 1993. 1994, the year saw Thiry join the Ford team to contest the WRC, driving a Ford Escort RS Cosworth. In these years, he managed several third places; in the RAC Rally in 1994 and in Rally San Remo and the Rally Catalunya in 1996. He finished fifth overall in the WRC standings in 1994.

In 1997, he won the Rally of the Azores in a privately entered Escort Cosworth. The following year saw Thiry continue with Ford and he contested thirteen events with the exception of the Safari Rally and Rally Portugal due to an accident that caused Thiry two broken ribs and he was replaced by Ari Vatanen as the second driver for the team. Then in 1999 he campaigned a Subaru Impreza in his role as third driver for the Subaru World Rally Team.

2001 saw Thiry joined the Škoda Motorsport team and he had a disappointing year in the Octavia WRC. His highest placings that year were eighth place in the Monte Carlo Rally, the Cyprus Rally and Rally Great Britain.

In 2002 and 2003, the Peugeot 206 WRC was Thiry's vehicle of choice. He won the Ypres Rally both years, and became European Champion in 2003 after five victories. In 2004, he was runner-up in a Citroën C2 S1600.

Since 2005, Thiry has more or less retired from motorsport and only occasionally competes on events. A notable recent result was a second place on the Rally of Condroz in 2006, driving a Peugeot 307 WRC. His co-driver for most of his rallying career was fellow-Belgian Stéphane Prévot.

WRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Points 1989 Bruno Thiry Audi 90 Quattro SWE MON POR KEN FRA GRC13 NZL ARG FIN AUS ITA CIV GBR - 0 1991 Opel Team Belgium Opel Kadett GSI 16V MON SWE POR KEN FRARet GRE NZL ARG FIN AUS ITA12 CIV ESP - 0 1992 Opel Team Belgium Opel Calibra 16V MON SWE POR KEN FRARet GRC NZL ARG FIN AUS ITA9 17th 17 Opel Kadett GSI CIV2 ESP GBR 1993 Opel Team Belgium Opel Astra GSi 16V MON8 SWE POR10 KEN FRARet GRCRet ARG NZL FIN18 AUS ITA5 ESP7 GBR 17th 16 1994 Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Escort RS Cosworth MON6 PORRet KEN FRA6 GRE ARG4 NZL FINRet ITA4 GBR3 5th 44 1995 R.A.S. Ford Ford Escort RS Cosworth MON5 SWE6 POR6 FRARet NZLRet AUS6 ESPRet GBR5 6th 34 1996 Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Escort RS Cosworth SWE KEN IDN GRE6 ARG5 FIN11 AUS6 ITA3 ESP3 6th 44 1997 Seat Sport Seat Ibiza GTi 16V MON SWE KEN POR ESPRet FRA ARG GRE NZL FIN IDN ITA AUS - 0 Gazprom Rally Team Ford Escort WRC GBRRet 1998 Ford Motor Co Ford Escort WRC MON6 SWE8 KEN POR ESPRet FRA5 ARGRet GRCRet NZLRet FIN10 ITA6 AUS7 GBR3 9th 8 1999 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC99 MON5 SWE10 POR6 ESP7 FRARet ARG GRC NZL FIN CHN ITA AUS 14th 6 Subaru Impreza WRC98 KENRet Škoda Motorsport Škoda Octavia WRC GBR4 2000 H.F. Grifone SRL Toyota Corolla WRC MON5 SWE KEN POR ESP ARG GRC NZL FIN CYP FRA ITA AUS GBR 18th 2 2001 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Octavia WRC Evo2 MON8 SWE10 PORRet ESP10 ARGRet CYP8 GRE10 KENRet FIN18 NZL ITA13 FRARet AUS GBR8 - 0 2002 Peugeot Bastos Racing Peugeot 206 WRC MON11 SWE FRARet ESPRet CYPRet ARG GRE12 KEN FIN GER5 ITA13 NZL AUS GBR 16th 2