"There was disbelief among the organisers that the Minis could have been so quick..."
Stuart Turner and Paddy Hopkirk: One of the best car-racing double acts of last century. Stuart Turner was team manager of the legendary BMC works team of the 1960s and Paddy Hopkirk was probably the best-known British rally driver in the world. "By the time the team came to the end of the event there was a certain amount of disbelief among the organisers, that the Group One Minis could have been so quick. The pressure then was such that I am sure they would have disqualified us for the colour of Paddy's socks if they could."
Stuart on the 1966 Monte Carlo disqualification incident. "I saw them counting the teeth on the gears and weighing the wheels, just to find something wrong. Of course, they found nothing so they decided to disqualify us on the now famous lighting infringement - the lights dipping onto the fogs." - Paddy on the 1966 Monte Carlo disqualification incident. "I believe that the best of any generation would be the best of any time. If Paddy was in his 20s now, he would be at the top. In the same way that if Stirling Moss was driving today he would be at the top, too." - Stuart on the best drivers of the last century. "Although rallying has changed out of all recognition, the costs haven't - even in 1966 the team was carrying 600 tyres for each car on the Monte. The budget was around £8000 which in those days, could buy you a fairly comfortable house." - Paddy on rallying today compared to the '60s.