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1986 World Rally Championship
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The 1986 World Rally Championship was the 14th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 13 rallies, including all twelve venues of the previous season as well as the addition of the Olympus Rally. This marked the return of the WRC to the United States and North America, as well as the first world rally to be held on the western side of the continent. The December rally would also be the only WRC event to feature Group B competition in the United States.
The 1986 season was notable for being the last World Rally Championship season driven with the popular Group B rally cars, which were banned after the fatal crashes at the Rally Portugal, where three spectators were killed and more than 30 injured, and at the Tour de Corse, where Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto died in a fireball accident. This was the year where Group B (first introduced in 1982) was at its peak, and the 1986 season saw some of the most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built, some of which were mid-engined, like the Lancia Delta S4 and the Ford RS200. The drivers' championship was won by Peugeot's Juha Kankkunen, followed by two other "Flying Finns", Lancia's Markku Alén and Kankkunen's teammate Timo Salonen. The manufacturers' title was taken by Peugeot, after a close battle with the Martini-sponsored Lancia team.[1]
Summary
[edit]
The season began with the Monte Carlo Rally and Henri Toivonen took the win with his Lancia Delta S4, making himself the favourite for the title. At the International Swedish Rally in wintery snow and ice, Toivonen had to retire due to an engine failure and Juha Kankkunen won the event with his Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2, ahead of Toivonen's teammate Markku Alén. At the next rally in Portugal, Joaquim Santos lost control of his Ford RS200 and plunged into the crowd, killing three spectators and injuring more than 30.[2] All the factory team drivers decided to withdraw from the race, giving the win to home country's relatively unknown driver, Joaquim Moutinho.
After veteran Swede Björn Waldegård's triumph at the extremely arduous and difficult Safari Rally in Kenya driving a Toyota Celica TCT over Alén and his Lancia 037 Evo (which was the S4's predecessor and used only by Lancia for the Safari Rally; the S4 was not used for the Safari Rally due to Lancia determining that it was too new and not developed enough for that rally), another fatal accident at the Tour de Corse on the French island of Corsica would change the course of rallying. Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto in their Lancia went off the side of the road, plunged down a ravine and landed on its roof. The aluminium fuel tank underneath the driver's seat was ruptured by the trees and exploded. Toivonen and Cresto had no time to get out and both men burned to death in their seats. The accident had no witnesses close enough to clearly see the accident.[3]
This caused Jean-Marie Balestre and the FISA to immediately freeze the development of the Group B cars and ban them from competing for the 1987 season. Audi and Ford decided to withdraw from competing, while other teams continued with their Group B models until the end of the season. Peugeot boss Jean Todt was outraged over the ban and pursued legal action against the federation.[4] After Lancia's remaining car retirement, the Tour de Corse was eventually won by Peugeot's Bruno Saby, which marked his career-first WRC victory. The Acropolis Rally in Greece and the New Zealand Rally were won consecutively by Kankkunen; and the third driver to take his debut win during the season was Lancia's Miki Biasion, who edged out teammate Alén to win the Rally Argentina.
Finnish drivers finished first, second and third in the Jyväskylä Rally (otherwise known as the Finnish Rally, the fastest race of the year), with Salonen and Kankkunen giving Peugeot a 1-2 result, with Alén coming in third for Lancia. This was not much of a surprise, as this rally had only ever been won by Finnish and Swedish drivers until 1990. The Ivory Coast Rally, which was considered to be the most demanding, gruelling and certainly the most attrition-filled rally of the year (a rally where drivers had an unbelievable one in ten chance of finishing) was skipped by all of the Group B teams except Toyota, and was won by Waldegård in his Celica, completing his World Championship African rally sweep. The season included more controversy when the organizers of the Rallye Sanremo disqualified the entire Peugeot team from the event due to illegal side skirts. However, the cars were proven legal by the FIA, and the Italian organizers were blamed for not allowing French Peugeots to take the win ahead of the Italian Lancias. Eventually, the FISA annulled the results of the whole event. Peugeot then became the manufacturers' champions, but Kankkunen was not sure about his title over Alén until three weeks after the season ended, at the RAC Rally in the United Kingdom, specifically Wales and England. Salonen won this race, with Alen finishing second and Kankkunen third, this was enough for Kankkunen to take the Driver's Championship. The last WRC round of the year was the first Olympus Rally in the state of Washington in the northwest United States, which Alén won, with Kankkunen finishing second.[5]
1986 marked the only season in which the FIA issued the World Championship for Drivers of Group A Cars. Swede Kenneth Eriksson, driving a Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V took the title ahead of Austrian Rudi Stohl in his Audi Coupé Quattro, a lower powered version of the Group B Quattros. This championship became unnecessary in future years due to the elimination of Group B cars. From 1987 onwards, Group A cars would be the vehicles used by drivers competing for the main World Rally Championship for Drivers.
Calendar
[edit]| Rd. | Start date | Finish date | Rally | Rally headquarters | Surface | Stages | Distance | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 January | 24 January |  54th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo
|
Monte Carlo | Mixed | 36 | 881.20 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 2 | 14 February | 16 February |  36th International Swedish Rally
|
Karlstad, Värmland County | Snow | 30 | 556.79 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 3 | 5 March | 8 March |  20th Rallye de Portugal - Vinho do Porto
|
Estoril, Lisbon | Mixed | 48 | 703.50 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 4 | 29 March | 2 April |  34th Marlboro Safari Rally
|
Nairobi | Gravel | N/A | 4190 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 5 | 1 May | 3 May |  30th Tour de Corse - Rallye de France
|
Ajaccio, Corsica | Tarmac | 30 | 1122.34 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 6 | 2 June | 4 June |  33rd Bosch Acropolis Rally
|
Athens | Gravel | 46 | 689.92 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 7 | 5 July | 8 July |  17th AWA Clarion Rally of New Zealand
|
Auckland | Gravel | 35 | 597.76 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 8 | 6 August | 9 August |  6th Marlboro Rally of Argentina
|
Buenos Aires | Gravel | 27 | 624.35 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 9 | 5 September | 7 September |  36th Rally of the 1000 Lakes
|
Jyväskylä, Central Finland | Gravel | 48 | 389.97 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 10 | 24 September | 27 September |  18th Rallye Cote d'Ivoire
|
Yamoussoukro | Gravel | N/A | 3763 km | Drivers only |
| 11 | 13 October | 17 October |  28th Rallye Sanremo
|
Sanremo, Liguria | Mixed | 40 | 532.60 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 12 | 16 November | 19 November |  42nd Lombard RAC Rally
|
Bath, Somerset | Gravel | 45 | 515.04 km | Drivers & Manufacturers |
| 13 | 4 December | 7 December |  14th Toyota Olympus Rally
|
Tacoma, Washington | Gravel | 40 | 540.65 km | Drivers only |
| Sources:[6][7] | ||||||||
Teams and drivers
[edit]
- Lancia ran out of time to build the safari version of the Delta S4
Events
[edit]Map
[edit]
| |||
| Black = Tarmac | Brown = Gravel | Blue = Snow/ice | Red = Mixed surface |
|---|---|---|---|
Schedule and results
[edit]Standings
[edit]Drivers' championship
[edit]
Manufacturers' championship
[edit]| Rank | Manufacturers | Event | Total points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MON |
SWE |
POR |
KEN |
FRA |
GRC |
NZL |
ARG |
FIN |
ITA |
GBR | |||
| 1 | Peugeot
|
17 | 20 | - | (10) | 20 | 20 | 20 | (14) | 20 | * | 20 | 137 |
| 2 | Lancia
|
20 | 17 | - | (14) | - | 17 | 17 | 20 | 14 | * | 17 | 122 |
| 3 |  Volkswagen
|
9 | 10 | - | - | 9 | 11 | 12 | 14 | - | * | - | 65 |
| 4 | Audi
|
14 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | - | 29 |
| 5 | Ford
|
- | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | 10 | 24 |
| 6 |  Toyota
|
- | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | * | - | 20 |
| 7 | Renault
|
- | - | - | - | 14 | - | - | - | - | * | - | 14 |
| 8 | Subaru
|
- | - | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | * | - | 13 |
| 9 | Austin Rover
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | * | 8 | 12 |
| 10 | Citroën
|
- | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | - | 10 |
| 11 | Mazda
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | 9 | 9 |
| 12 | Opel
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | * | - | 5 |
| * - Note: FISA annulled the results for the Sanremo Rally | |||||||||||||
Pointscoring systems
[edit]Drivers' championship
[edit]| Points awarded by finish | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Manufacturers' championship
[edit]| Points awarded by overall finish | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Points awarded by group finish | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
References
[edit]- ^ "FIA World Rally Championship 1986". RallyBase. Archived from the original on 6 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ Noakes, Andrew. "Group Therapy". PistonHeads.com. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ Maruszewska, Witolda. "Henri Toivonen biography". Post 14. Archived from the original on 31 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ "Who is... Jean Todt?". Grandprix.com. Archived from the original on 18 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- ^ Biewer, Chris. "1986 World Rally Championship Summary". Rallye-Info.com. Archived from the original on 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ "WRC 1986". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "1986 WRC calendar". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ a b Event not included in the Manufacturers' Championship
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1986 in World Rally Championship.
- FIA World Rally Championship 1986 at ewrc-results.com
- Season 1986 at juwra.com
1986 World Rally Championship
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Season Overview
Summary
The 1986 World Rally Championship was the 14th season of the FIA World Rally Championship, consisting of 13 rounds across diverse terrains worldwide, including the debut of the Olympus Rally in the United States as the series' first event in North America.[3][4] Peugeot Talbot Sport dominated the season with the 205 T16 E2, securing both the drivers' championship for Finnish driver Juha Kankkunen in his first title win and the manufacturers' championship for the team.[1][4] Lancia mounted a strong challenge with the Delta S4, particularly in European events, while Peugeot's 205 T16 E2 achieved multiple victories on the continent, underscoring the intense manufacturer rivalry in the final year of Group B regulations.[5] The season marked the end of the controversial Group B era due to escalating safety concerns, exacerbated by tragic incidents including the deaths of three spectators struck by a Ford RS200 at Rally Portugal and the fatal crash of Lancia driver Henri Toivonen and co-driver Sergio Cresto in a fiery accident at Tour de Corse.[2][6] These events prompted the FIA to ban Group B cars effective 1987, shifting the focus to Group A regulations. A separate Group A drivers' championship ran in 1986, won by Kenneth Eriksson with a Volkswagen Golf; Group A became the premier category from 1987 onward.[3][7]Calendar
The 1986 World Rally Championship featured a schedule of 13 rallies, running from late January to early December and covering diverse terrains across Europe, Africa, South America, Oceania, and North America. These events were all eligible for scoring in both the FIA Drivers' and Manufacturers' World Championships, with points awarded based on finishing positions under the prevailing Group B regulations.[1] A notable addition to the calendar was the Olympus Rally, which served as the series' sole round in North America and represented the final appearance of Group B cars in a WRC event on the continent before the category's ban at the end of the season.[8] The full schedule is as follows:| Round | Rally Name | Dates | Location | Surface |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo | January 18–24 | Monaco/France/Italy | Asphalt |
| 2 | International Swedish Rally | February 14–16 | Sweden | Snow |
| 3 | Rally de Portugal Vinho do Porto | March 5–8 | Portugal | Gravel/mixed |
| 4 | Marlboro Safari Rally | March 29–April 2 | Kenya | Gravel |
| 5 | Tour de Corse - Rallye de France | May 1–3 | Corsica, France | Asphalt |
| 6 | Acropolis Rally | June 2–4 | Greece | Gravel |
| 7 | Rally New Zealand | July 5–8 | New Zealand | Gravel |
| 8 | Codasur Rally of Argentina | August 6–9 | Argentina | Gravel |
| 9 | 1000 Lakes Rally | September 5–7 | Finland | Gravel |
| 10 | Rallye Côte d'Ivoire Total | September 24–27 | Ivory Coast | Gravel |
| 11 | Rallye Sanremo | October 13–17 | Italy | Asphalt/Gravel |
| 12 | Lombard RAC Rally | November 16–19 | Great Britain | Gravel |
| 13 | Olympus Rally USA | December 4–7 | United States | Gravel |
Regulatory Context
The 1986 World Rally Championship operated under the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) regulations, particularly the Group B category, which permitted highly modified silhouette rally cars derived from production models. These vehicles were allowed significant engineering freedom, including turbocharged or supercharged engines producing up to approximately 450 horsepower, while requiring manufacturers to homologate at least 200 road-legal versions within a 12-month period to qualify for competition. This lower homologation threshold, reduced from the 400 units mandated in the prior Group 4 rules, encouraged innovation and led to the development of extreme performance machines.[9][10] Prominent Group B entrants included the Peugeot 205 T16 E2, a mid-engine turbocharged rally car that dominated early in the season; the Lancia Delta S4, featuring a twin-charged (supercharger and turbo) 1.8-liter engine for rapid throttle response; and the Audi Quattro S1 E2, with its all-wheel-drive system and turbocharged powerplant exceeding 400 horsepower. These cars exemplified the era's emphasis on raw power and advanced drivetrains, often achieving speeds over 200 km/h on gravel and tarmac stages. However, the lack of stringent power limits and the focus on lightweight construction amplified safety risks, as the vehicles' high performance strained both driver control and event infrastructure.[11] Safety concerns escalated throughout the season due to the cars' excessive speeds and the challenges of crowd control on public roads. A tragic incident occurred during the 1986 Rally de Portugal when Portuguese driver Joaquim Santos lost control of his Ford RS200 on the opening stage near Sintra, veering into spectators and killing three people—a woman and two children—while injuring around 30 others. This crash highlighted vulnerabilities in stage safety and spectator management. Weeks later, on May 2, 1986, during the Tour de Corse, Finnish driver Henri Toivonen and his American co-driver Sergio Cresto perished in a fiery accident in their Lancia Delta S4 while leading the event; the car left the road at high speed, exploded on impact, and was completely destroyed, underscoring the dangers of fuel system vulnerabilities in high-impact crashes.[2][12][13] In response, FISA president Jean-Marie Balestre announced the immediate abolition of Group B on May 2, 1986, following the Tour de Corse tragedy, with the ban taking full effect at the end of the 1986 season to allow completion of the championship calendar. The decision cited the category's inherent dangers, including uncontrollable speeds and inadequate safety measures, prompting a shift to Group A regulations for 1987, which emphasized production-based cars with higher homologation numbers (at least 5,000 units) and stricter modifications to prioritize reliability and safety. Additionally, FISA imposed interim restrictions, such as bans on certain aerodynamic aids, to mitigate risks for the remaining events.[10][14] Other procedural rules included awarding championship points from 11 of the 13 scheduled events, excluding those invalidated due to irregularities. Notably, the Rallye Sanremo results were fully annulled by FISA in December 1986 after disqualifying the entire Peugeot team for technical infringements involving protective flanges on their fuel tanks, which were deemed illegal aerodynamic devices by local stewards; this reversal stemmed from procedural flaws in the initial exclusion, nullifying all points from the round.[15][11]Participants
Teams and Manufacturers
Peugeot Talbot Sport served as the primary factory team for the 1986 season, fielding the Peugeot 205 T16 E2, an evolved version of the Group B rally car homologated in May 1985 with aerodynamic enhancements and mechanical improvements for enhanced reliability on high-speed stages. To meet the homologation requirements of producing 200 road-legal versions, Peugeot built 200 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 road cars.[16] The team, led by principal Jean Todt, initially relied on defending champion Timo Salonen as its lead driver, while Ari Vatanen was sidelined early due to severe injuries sustained in a 1985 Rally Argentina crash that required months of recovery.[17][18] Peugeot's strategy emphasized European gravel events, leveraging the 205 T16 E2's mid-engine layout and turbocharged power to prioritize consistency over raw speed amid tightening Group B regulations.[19] Martini Lancia Racing operated as Lancia's official squad, entering the Delta S4 Group B car, a mid-engine, all-wheel-drive prototype with dual supercharger-turbocharger setup producing up to 550 horsepower.[20] Under team manager Cesare Fiorio, the effort focused on asphalt rallies such as the Monte Carlo and Sanremo, where the Delta S4's handling and power delivery excelled on tarmac surfaces.[21] The team built 200 road-going versions for homologation, enabling competitive entries despite the era's escalating safety concerns.[22] Audi Sport maintained a reduced factory presence following its dominant 1982-1984 campaigns, deploying the Quattro S1 E2, a short-wheelbase evolution of the original Quattro with refined turbocharging and suspension for better agility.[23] Walter Röhrl served as the key driver, with the team's limited program reflecting a strategic shift toward development rather than full-season commitment amid Group B's controversies.[19] Toyota Team Europe entered the rear-wheel-drive Celica Twin Cam Turbo (TCT) in Group B, optimizing the 2.1-liter turbocharged engine for African events like the Safari Rally, where its lightweight chassis and high torque suited dusty, high-speed conditions.[24] The team, based in Germany, produced homologation specials with up to 380 horsepower, targeting reliability in endurance tests over outright European dominance.[25] Ford's RS200 saw action primarily through privateer teams, as official factory support was minimal; the mid-engine, all-wheel-drive Group B car, homologated with 200 units, featured a Cosworth BDT turbo engine but suffered from reliability issues in its debut season.[22] Private entries emphasized the car's potential on mixed surfaces, though development lagged behind rivals.[26] Volkswagen Motorsport competed in the new Group A category with the Golf GTI 16V, a front-wheel-drive hot hatch homologated in March 1986 with a 1.8-liter DOHC engine producing approximately 200 horsepower in rally trim.[27] The team focused on cost-effective entries for production-based racing, marking an early step in Volkswagen's rally involvement beyond Group B excesses.[28]Drivers and Co-Drivers
Juha Kankkunen, a Finnish driver competing for Peugeot, secured his first World Rally Championship title in 1986 at the age of 27, becoming the youngest champion in series history up to that point.[4][29] Paired with longtime co-driver Juha Piironen, also from Finland, Kankkunen demonstrated consistent performance across diverse terrains, clinching victories in the Swedish Rally, Acropolis Rally, and Rally New Zealand, which were pivotal to his championship success.[4][30] His calm driving style and adaptability helped Peugeot dominate the season despite the intense competition in the Group B era.[31] Markku Alén, another Finnish driver aligned with Lancia, finished as runner-up in the 1986 drivers' standings, showcasing his expertise as an asphalt specialist with a career spanning multiple manufacturers including Fiat and Subaru.[4][32] Alongside co-driver Ilkka Kivimäki, Alén achieved key wins in the Rally Sanremo and Olympus Rally, contributing significantly to Lancia's strong campaign before a controversial points deduction from Sanremo affected the final standings.[4] His aggressive "maximum attack" approach made him a formidable contender on tarmac surfaces throughout the season.[32] Timo Salonen, the defending champion from 1985 and driving for Peugeot, played a crucial supporting role in his team's title defense while pursuing his own successes.[4][33] With experienced Finnish co-driver Seppo Harjanne, Salonen, known for his relaxed demeanor despite his speed, won the 1000 Lakes Rally and RAC Rally, leveraging his prior Group B experience to secure third place overall.[4][34] These victories highlighted his prowess on gravel, building on his 1985 title with the Peugeot 205 T16.[33] Among other notable participants, Henri Toivonen, a promising Finnish talent from the renowned Toivonen rallying family, drove for Lancia with American co-driver Sergio Cresto, winning the Monte Carlo Rally early in the season.[4][35] Tragically, both perished in a fiery crash during the Tour de Corse on May 2, 1986, while leading the event, an incident that contributed to the end of Group B regulations.[4][35] Veteran Swedish driver Björn Waldegård, a 1979 world champion and Toyota representative, excelled as an African rallies expert, partnering with British co-driver Fred Gallagher to win the Safari Rally and Rally Côte d'Ivoire.[4][36] Italian driver Miki Biasion, competing for Lancia with co-driver Tiziano Siviero, marked his breakthrough with a victory in the Rally Argentina, establishing himself as a rising star in the series.[4][37] In the parallel Group A category, Swedish driver Kenneth Eriksson claimed the inaugural and only world championship title for the class, piloting a Volkswagen Golf GTi 16V to success against strong opposition from Audi and Renault teams.[38][39] His achievement underscored the competitiveness of front-wheel-drive cars in the production-based group during the 1986 season.[40]Event Results
Schedule and Winners
The 1986 World Rally Championship featured 13 rounds, spanning from January to December, showcasing intense competition among Group B cars before the category's ban at season's end.[4]| Round | Rally Name | Dates | Winner (Driver/Co-Driver) | Car | Key Stats/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo | 18–24 January | Henri Toivonen / Sergio Cresto | Lancia Delta S4 | Won by 4:04 over Timo Salonen; total time 10:11:24.[4][41] |
| 2 | International Swedish Rally | 14–16 February | Juha Kankkunen / Juha Piironen | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | Total time 5:09:19; snow and ice conditions favored the Peugeot.[4] |
| 3 | Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto | 5–8 March | Joaquim Moutinho / Edgar Fortes | Renault 5 Turbo | Total time 7:50:44; marred by spectator incidents leading to multiple retirements.[4][2] |
| 4 | Marlboro Safari Rally | 29 March–2 April | Björn Waldegård / Fred Gallagher | Toyota Celica Twincam Turbo | Total time 5:06:00; grueling African event with only 16 finishers from 69 starters.[4] |
| 5 | Tour de Corse Rallye de France | 1–3 May | Bruno Saby / Jean-François Fauchille | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | Total time 11:52:44; Toivonen/Cresto fatal accident while leading on leg 2.[4] |
| 6 | Acropolis Rally | 2–4 June | Juha Kankkunen / Juha Piironen | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | Total time 7:20:01; Kankkunen's second win solidified his title bid.[4] |
| 7 | AWA Clarion Rally of New Zealand | 5–8 July | Juha Kankkunen / Juha Piironen | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | Total time 5:43:45; Kankkunen's third consecutive victory.[4] |
| 8 | Marlboro Rally of Argentina | 6–9 August | Miki Biasion / Tiziano Siviero | Lancia Delta S4 | Total time 6:36:26; gravel stages suited the Lancia.[4] |
| 9 | Rally of the 1000 Lakes | 5–7 September | Timo Salonen / Seppo Harjanne | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | Total time 3:32:45; high-speed Finnish forests.[4] |
| 10 | Rallye Côte d'Ivoire | 24–27 September | Björn Waldegård / Fred Gallagher | Toyota Celica Twincam Turbo | Total time 1:29:00; brutal marathon with 11 finishers from 49.[4] |
| 11 | Rallye Sanremo | 13–17 October | Markku Alén / Ilkka Kivimäki | Lancia Delta S4 | Total time 5:31:35; results annulled for championship points due to technical protests against Peugeots.[4][15] |
| 12 | Lombard RAC Rally | 16–19 November | Timo Salonen / Seppo Harjanne | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | Total time 5:21:11; foggy British forests.[4] |
| 13 | Toyota Olympus Rally | 4–7 December | Markku Alén / Ilkka Kivimäki | Lancia Delta S4 | Total time 5:28:10; drivers' points only, no manufacturers' points awarded; final Group B WRC event.[4][42] |
Key Performances and Incidents
Peugeot's 205 T16 E2 experienced initial challenges in the early rounds of the 1986 season, with reliability issues and suboptimal setups hindering performance in events like the Monte Carlo Rally.[43] However, the team achieved a remarkable turnaround by mid-season, as driver Juha Kankkunen secured victories in the Swedish Rally, Acropolis Rally, and Rally New Zealand, leveraging improved car handling and strategic adaptations to gravel and mixed surfaces.[44] These three wins propelled Peugeot to dominance, allowing Kankkunen to clinch the drivers' championship before the season finale, with the Sanremo Rally serving as a pivotal, albeit controversial, confirmation point.[42] Lancia demonstrated superior prowess on asphalt rallies, exemplified by Henri Toivonen's commanding victory at the Monte Carlo Rally, where the Delta S4's precise handling and turbocharged power outpaced rivals on the icy, narrow roads.[45] Following Toivonen's fatal accident later in the season, teammate Markku Alén mounted a strong recovery, stepping up to lead Lancia's efforts and securing key points that briefly positioned him at the top of the standings.[46] In the demanding African events, Björn Waldegård delivered standout performances for Toyota, winning both the Safari Rally and Rallye Côte d'Ivoire with the Celica Twincam Turbo, capitalizing on Group B regulations that permitted high-power, durable machinery ideally suited to the rallies' extreme rough terrain, dust, and unpredictable weather.[47][48] These triumphs highlighted Toyota's engineering focus on robustness over outright speed, enabling Waldegård to navigate breakdowns and mechanical stresses that felled competitors. The season was marred by significant controversies, including the disqualification of the entire Peugeot team from the Rallye Sanremo due to modifications on their fuel tanks—specifically, added side skirts and flanges deemed illegal aerodynamic aids by scrutineers, though Peugeot argued they were solely for protection against impacts and debris.[49] This annulment initially stripped Peugeot of points, boosting Lancia's championship hopes and intensifying rivalries, though Peugeot later successfully appealed the decision.[11] Earlier, the Rally Portugal saw a tragic incident when local driver Joaquim Santos lost control of his Ford Escort RS200, plowing into spectators and killing three—a woman and two children—while injuring over 30 others, which prompted the FIA to implement stricter crowd control measures and stage safety protocols across future events.[12][2][50] The most devastating incident occurred during the Tour de Corse when, on the fifth stage, Henri Toivonen and co-driver Sergio Cresto were killed instantly after their Lancia Delta S4 veered off a tight left-hand corner, plunged down an embankment, and erupted in a fireball due to the unprotected fuel cell rupturing on impact.[51] This accident, happening while Toivonen led the rally, triggered immediate FIA safety reviews, culminating in the abrupt ban of Group B cars at the end of the season to prioritize driver protection over performance extremes.[13][52]Championships
Drivers' Standings
The 1986 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers was clinched by Finland's Juha Kankkunen driving a Peugeot 205 T16 E2, who amassed 118 points to secure his maiden title in a season overshadowed by controversy. The pivotal moment came with the FIA's annulment of results from the Rallye Sanremo, which stripped points from rivals and handed Kankkunen the advantage he needed to hold off Lancia's Markku Alén by 14 points. This decision, stemming from Peugeot's disqualification for technical irregularities, ensured Kankkunen's consistency across the Group B-dominated field paid off, with three victories in the Swedish Rally, Acropolis Rally, and Rally New Zealand.[1][22] The final drivers' standings reflected the tight competition among Finnish talent, with Kankkunen's teammate Timo Salonen rounding out the podium despite fewer wins. Below is the top 10 in the championship:| Position | Driver | Nationality | Car | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juha Kankkunen | Finland | Peugeot 205 T16 E2 | 118 |
| 2 | Markku Alén | Finland | Lancia Delta S4 | 104 |
| 3 | Timo Salonen | Finland | Peugeot 205 T16 E2 | 63 |
| 4 | Björn Waldegård | Sweden | Toyota Celica TCT | 48 |
| 5 | Miki Biasion | Italy | Lancia Delta S4 | 47 |
| 6 | Lars-Erik Torph | Sweden | Toyota Celica TCT | 40 |
| 7 | Bruno Saby | France | Peugeot 205 T16 E2 | 38 |
| 8 | Mikael Ericsson | Sweden | Lancia Delta S4 | 28 |
| 9 | Kalle Grundel | Sweden | Ford RS200 | 26 |
| 10 | Kenneth Eriksson | Sweden | Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V | 25 |
Manufacturers' Standings
The Manufacturers' Championship in the 1986 World Rally Championship was determined by aggregating points from the best two finishing cars of each manufacturer across the season's 11 valid events, following the annulment of the Rallye Sanremo results. Only the seven highest-scoring rounds counted toward the final tally, emphasizing consistent performance amid the high-stakes Group B era. Peugeot clinched the title with their 205 T16, amassing 137 points through strong finishes in multiple rallies, including victories in Sweden, the Tour de Corse, the Acropolis Rally, the Rally New Zealand, the 1000 Lakes Rally, and the RAC Rally. This marked their second consecutive manufacturers' crown, underscoring the 205 T16's reliability and speed on diverse surfaces.[53] Lancia mounted a fierce challenge with the Delta S4, securing second place with 122 points, driven by consistent podiums and a win in the Tour de Corse. Volkswagen's production-based efforts earned third with 65 points, while Audi's Quattro evolution took fourth with 29 points, bolstered by solid results in events like the Acropolis Rally. The standings reflected the intense Group B competition, where technical innovations and driver talent propelled these manufacturers ahead of the field.[53][4]| Position | Manufacturer | Car Model | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peugeot | 205 T16 | 137 |
| 2 | Lancia | Delta S4 | 122 |
| 3 | Volkswagen | Golf | 65 |
| 4 | Audi | Quattro | 29 |