A Video Reminder That Rally Mechanics Are The Best In The Universe

We are well aware that rally drivers are the most versatile in existence, but we must also not forget that their mechanics are among the toughest, fastest and most resourceful in the car world.

This is the Audi Quattro A2 of Saeed Al-Hajri and Steve Bond on their way to a second-place finish in the 1988 Rothmans Rally Jordan. The car's gearbox needed to come out, and come out it did, on the side of the road, with no power tools, in not more than 15 minutes.

This video popped up on Motor Fanatics' Facebook earlier this month and the children of John Bevan, chief mechanic in this video chimed in to comment:

This video is from the 1988 Jordan Rally and there was only one cameraman taking all the footage and not once did he get in the way. The whole team was well organised to carry this out. The change was done on the side of the main Desert Highway outside of the main Team Hotel at approximately 7 PM after a full day in the desert stages. The car had just done over 50 kms flat out stuck in second gear. The team crew turned up with three in the Service van, Audi chase car had four crew members and a taxi bringing the remaining team. How do I know this?.............. My old man was the one Chief engineers of the team and was seem sharing a cigarette with some of the mechanics at the end (wearing the shortage with a Rothmans shirt). Some of the team are still in Motorsport today.

If you need me, I'll be futzing around with my old Volkswagen trying to get the turn signals to work for the next few hours. Wish me luck, I need it.