Armin Schwarz

Nationality: German

Active years: 1988–2005
Teams: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford, Škoda, Hyundai
Rallies: 119
World Championships: 0
Rally wins : 1
Podiums: 7
Stage wins: 100
Total points: 179
First rally: 1988 RAC Rally
First win: 1991 Rally Catalunya
Last rally: 2005 Rally Australia

Schwarz was born in Neustadt an der Aisch in Franken in 1963 and debuted in rallying in 1983. After having won the German Rally Championship for two years in a row, he made his debut in the World Rally Championship in 1988 and was signed by Toyota Team Europe, Toyota's factory WRC team, for the 1990 season.
Driving a Toyota Celica GT-Four, Schwarz led a world championship rally for the first time at the 1990 Rally Portugal, took his first podium finish at the 1991 Rally Australia and his first and only win at the 1991 Rally Catalunya.
In 1996, due to Toyota's 12-month ban from the WRC, Schwarz drove for the team in the European Rally Championship. He won the Manx International Rally and the Cyprus Rally and captured the overall title. Later that same year, he drove to victory in the RAC Rally, then part of the 2-Litre World Championship ("Formula 2").
In the 1999 season, after stints with Mitsubishi and Ford, Schwarz started his long partnership with the debuting Škoda works team. His best result with the team was third place at the 2001 Safari Rally. Schwarz retired from the world championship after the 2005 season, during which he took his first points finish in over a year at the season-ending Rally Australia.
Schwarz now lives in Austria and still participates in motorsport, not only as a driver but as a team manager for a Škoda rally team and as a TV commentator. He is married with two children.