Chapter 2

1951-1960 AN INTERNATIONAL ‘RALLY OF THE TESTS’

Although the Second World War had ended in August 1945, it took places, not only in the Monte ‘classic,’ but in events like the Dutch Tulip, ages for anything like normal life to be re-established throughout and the Lisbon events too. Although there were still signs of special the world. For the vanquished nations – Germany, Italy, Japan and stages being invented, and refined, it was clear that the trend was to set their erstwhile supporters – the problem was not only to rebuild their more challenges all along a lengthy and sometimes arduous route. countries’ shattered infrastructure, but to get their economies back on a Accordingly, for the revival of the RAC Rally, it was decided to sensible, peaceful, basis – and to pay off many debts. There was utterly make it an ‘International’ event – which would allow competitors no way that normal motor sporting activities could be resumed at first. from other countries to visit the UK to compete – and although For the winners – notably the United States, the Soviet Union, and the established format of offering multiple starting points would Great Britain – the first priority was to wind down the huge military be retained, there would also be a multiplicity of different driving activity and financial expense which had dominated the previous six challenges at many places on the common route. These would years, then to look after the rehabilitation of the ‘loser’ nations, while sometimes be sprints or time trials on racing circuits, speed hillclimbs trying to rebuild their own peacetime economies. In the case of Britain, on established venues, manoeuvring tests, often at remote locations, or huge and persisting debts had to be paid off, or financed, normal peacetime activities had to be resumed, and adequate new long-term supplies of staples such as food and fuel had to be ensured. This process was going to take years, especially as the United States’ ‘Lend Lease’ programme was abruptly disbanded in 1945/1946. Great Britain, for sure, was hugely in debt to the rest of the world, its industries were instructed to ‘Export or Die,’ and some aspects of rationing would persist until the early 1950s. As far as British motorsport (and in particular) was concerned, the major problem was fuel supply. Strict rationing was in force from 1945, private motoring was banned for a time in 1948, and it was not until 1950 that rationing was completely abandoned. The Motor Cycling Club (MCC) then jumped the gun by organising a long- distance national rally later in that year, but it was not until 1951 that the RAC could arrange to revive the RAC Rally. With 12 years in which to mull over the record of the original events, and after considering all the lobbying which had taken place since then, the club actually raised its eyes and watched what was happening overseas. Not only had European rallying re-started before NUB 120, a Jaguar XK120 which went on to become a legendary rally they could even consider it (the first postwar was machine, was driven to victory in the first postwar RAC Rally by held in 1949, for instance), but there had been a big demand for starting Ian Appleyard.

27 THE GREAT BRITISH RALLY

When Ford announced their imminent withdrawal from World Championship rallying, they staged this mass team photoshoot of Escorts before the start of the 1979 RAC Rally. would win the event in WTW 569S, would be second in POO 504R, and would be fourth in GVX 488T.

than the ‘usual’ order re-asserted itself, with Hannu Mikkola’s Escort had been demonstrated out in the forests, in the mud, on the ice, and setting fastest on 11 of the next 15 stages. Waldegård and Airikkala very occasionally in some snow, of the northern section of this event. both crashed their cars, but kept going, while ( Hannu Mikkola, for sure, looked to be unstoppable (the fact that his Sunbeam-Lotus), (Saab, accident) and Markku Alén car had not suffered a single puncture must have been a factor), for (Stratos, accident) all fell away. Only (driving a 180bhp he already led team-mate Ari Vatanen by more than five minutes, and Group 2 Datsun 160J) seemed to keep in touch, and before long there Russell Brookes by nine minutes. There was no question, nor any need, were seven Escort RS1800s (six of them works machines) in the Top for Ford to consider applying any team orders, for Mikkola’s nearest Ten. non-Escort rival, Tony Pond in his last drive in a Talbot Sunbeam- As far as the enormous crowds were concerned, it was the five Lotus, might have been fourth, but was ten minutes adrift. Roger TR7 V8s which were the most disappointing of all, for they rarely Clark, although knowing that he would soon bid his beloved Escorts seemed to be competitive, even on tarmac: they suffered badly from goodbye, was motoring happily along in a car which carried the same punctures, and mechanical niggles, and were often heckled by some registration number as that which he took to win in 1976, was in eighth of the spectators who had seen this team’s traumas all before. Their place, seemingly happy that he was no longer in the publicity spotlight. description as the ‘BRMs of rallying’ in Autocar’s rally report said no John Taylor, as grimly determined as ever, was struggling to carry on more, and no less than they deserved. despite a painful back injury (a re-occurrence of the injuries sustained Even after a mere 20 stages or so, it no longer looked as if any in his earlier steeplechasing career days), while Malcolm Wilson was works Escort could be matched by any of its serious rivals, and for the up in fifth place, in a privately-prepared Escort RS. media, and for the most knowledgeable spectators the challenge was Unhappily, most of Ford’s hard-luck stories seemed to be inflicted to pick which of the multi-liveried Escorts was going to get closer to on Björn Waldegård’s brand-new car, for the Swede had spun on Hannu Mikkola, let alone overtake him. Conditions, in any case, were the first special stage of all (Knowsley Safari Park, near Liverpool), rugged enough, and fewer than one hundred runners would return to damaging the bodywork, and deranging his back axle, after which he Chester for the overnight halt. seemed to pick up a series of time-absorbing punctures – ten in all Back there, the Leaderboard reinforced the impression which during the event, five of which necessitated wheel changes in mid-

104 1981-1986: TURBOCHARGING, FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE, AND with their old individualistic secret route policies direction, or adjust Results to the pressure from the sport. Many errors were made which put the Event held: 24-28 November 1985. 11th and final round of organisers at a distance from regular competitors, and journalists were Manufacturers’ and 12th and final round of Drivers’ championships. angry at indifference to their grievances. However, FISA had already Start/Finish: Nottingham. Overnight halts: Nottingham and Carlisle. pledged its consent to continue secret routes for the 1986 RAC. 155 starters, 62 finishers. THE PERILS OF SECRET ROUTES BY 65 stages but two cancelled – 547 miles (total 2179 miles). WALTER RÖHRL asked if we would go to the RAC Rally, as it was a good General classification Group Penalties chance to get more experience of its new transmission (h:m:s) development. My regular co-driver Christian Geistdorfer was 1 Toivonen/Wilson Delta S4 GB 9:32:05 not at all happy about going, so I went with the British co- 2 Alén/Kivimaki S4 GB 9:33:01 driver Phil Short. Just to have someone with you who knew 3 Pond/Arthur MG Metro 6R4 GB 9:34:32 each stage was a great help; it was something to make my life safer. I had not been to England to compete on the RAC 4 Eklund/Cederberg GB 9:58:35 since 1979, and in recent years had tried to avoid going to the 5 Kankkunen/Gallagher Celica GB 10:10:53 event. The first time I came to the RAC (in 1973) secret route Twin-cam Turbo rallying seemed the only right system of rallying, but I lost 6 McRae/Grindrod Manta 400 GB 10:16:01 my opinion when other people knew the stages from national championship events. I had been lucky that championships 7 Kaby/Gormley 240RS GB 10:24:08 in other years had been decided before I had to go to the RAC 8 Brookes/Broad Opel Manta 400 GB 10:25:50 Rally! 9 Millen/Rainbow Mazda RX7 GB 10:29:39 Once we started the rally I chose a reliable speed, rather 10 Carlsson/Melander Mazda RX7 GB 10:29:57 than take risks, but we had various troubles in the opening stages when a front strut broke, a turbo pipe came off, and 12 Wood/Nicholson GT/E GA 10:43:18 then with the gearbox itself. On one longer stage we were 21 Wiggins/Shepherd Vauxhall Astra GT/E GN 11:42:07 about 5km into the stage when the gearlever came off in my hand, and the car was stuck in first gear. Phil sorted through Leaders: Alén stages 1-12, Mikkola 13-20, Alén 21-53, Toivonen 54-65. his carry-on bag and eventually produced a screwdriver. We inserted this in the gearlever hole and operated the gearbox 1986: Group B cars – last event in Europe with this to the end of the stage! It wouldn’t be like this for a long while. The super-strong Group We did not find too many problems with the secret stages, B Supercars provided an amazingly close event in which seconds but the corner where I eventually went off was very tricky. separated the leading positions right to the end. The lead changed no It didn’t look very difficult when we approached it. About 50 fewer than seven times involving five different drivers at the wheel of metres into the corner I realised it was a sharp tightening three different makes of car. “I can’t remember having had to drive bend; I thought I could still make it safely, but the left rear flat-out from start to finish before,” said the usually slow-starting wheel had already slid into the ditch. When I pressed the Timo Salonen, while his future boss, Achim Warmbold of Mazda, said pedal to get the power on, the car was already going sideways, “I don’t think cars in future will ever stand being driven flat-out like then it hit a tree stump. It began to roll over and over down these Supercars”. As testimony to the special challenge of driving these the hillside at about 80km/h. I thought we would never stop. cars, this was the first time drivers did not have to drive all through When the car came to rest Phil and I got out, and I considered the night. Only a third of the stages were held in darkness. Mazda cars we were fortunate not to have been hurt seriously, though my won the and categories. Entries included two works neck was aching from a previous injury sustained during my Lancia Delta S4s, three works 205 Turbo 16s, four works Ford accident at Sanremo in 1984. Despite rolling over some eight RS200, and five MG Metro 6R4s. It was a splendid farewell to these or ten times, the car’s antenna was still working and I radioed remarkable cars in Europe. for help. Hannu was first to answer. He asked me if it was the The night before the start Lancia threatened its second driver corner a mile and half before the finish. I said yes, and he said Mikael Ericsson, Alén’s team-mate, that he would be out of a job next he knew the corner, because he had been off there some years year. It certainly stirred the young Swede into action and he was in before … the lead by half way. Rally leader after stage 1 was Stig Blomqvist in a Ford RS200 before Kankkunen’s Peugeot went ahead. A second-day

125 2003-2012: HOME, IS WALES

Even the winner Grönholm made a spin, as did Solberg, which cost went off the road on the next stage, and Mölder retook the lead to the him any chance to challenge Stohl for second. Jari-Matti Latvala finish. He was the youngest driver to win a JWRC round. Misfortunes finished fourth, giving the Stobart team its best overall result of the followed the other championship contenders. Jozef Béreš had a broken season. Three Škodas finished in the top ten places while the fourth car, gearbox while Urmo Aava broke his steering. Finally, both Sandell and driven by , went off the road and damaged its engine. Per-Gunnar Andersson were stuck far off the road, and had to wait for 17-year-old went off the road twice, and was not rescue. Then SupeRally stepped in. The championship title would not among the finishers. His fellow Norwegian Mads Østberg crashed be decided by speed over the stages, but ultimately by rescue vehicles early on, but eventually reached the finish through use of SupeRally getting broken rally cars back to Cardiff before results were announced. penalties. All six registered teams came to Britain for the final round, In the end, Sandell’s car was transported to Cardiff with an hour to the main anxiety in the air being the indecision about the detailed spare. Sandell said “My worry was the breakdown truck bringing our technical rules for 2007. So much waited to happen in 2007. This car to the finish was itself going to break down on the way …!” expectancy was highlighted by the appearance here of Alister McRae In 2006, MMSP closed its Mitsubishi World Championship operation in one of the new cars in the form of a Toyota Corolla. based in Rugby, Markko Martin announced, on Estonian national On the car’s first event outside South Africa, this was essentially an television, his retirement from professional rallying, and it was the end opportunity to learn more about the development potential of the car of the line for the Citroën Xsara WRC. and the formula, even if it had to compete within the category. After a cautious start, the team removed power-sapping baffles, and made P-G Andersson three best stage times on the final day. In the end a ball joint bolt failed, ( and the car went off the road on the final stage! Swift S1600) The highest placed car on the event was Juho threw away Hänninen’s PH Sport Citroën C2. The final battle for the Junior WRC his chance title was incredible. Six drivers were still able to win the title. Leaders of another on the event were , until he had four punctures on stage 3, Junior WRC and Kris Meeke, till he went off the road. Wilks again took the lead title with this until he landed heavily and smashed the transmission casing. 19-year- last morning old Estonian Jaan Mölder, was out of the title race, led till he punctured accident. a tyre on the first stage of the final day; took over, but

François Duval’s eighth place Fabia WRC on his final works drive for Škoda Motorsport.

181 Hardly the most attractive area of ’ native Wales, the Slate Mountain stage near Blenau Ffestiniog was publicised as “the perfect spot to watch your rally heroes,” but the weather had other ideas!

More waterproof testing for Hyundai! Andreas Mikkelsen finished 1.5 second behind his team-mate .

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