VIN: the Martini Racing / Grifone Lancia Delta S4 Evoluzione chassis 207
History of chassis 207
Alongside chassis 202, chassis 207 was one of the S4 Evoluziones that Lancia used for the model’s WRC debut on the 897km all-gravel 1985 RAC Rally which took place between November 24th and 28th. Both Martini-backed cars were in 430bhp gravel trim as seen at the Algarve Rally a few weeks prior.
Chassis 207 was allocated to Markku Alen / Ilkka Kivimaki while 207 was on hand for Henri Toivonen / Neil Wilson.
Despite some niggly compressor issues, the Lancias began to dominate from the off with Alen leading Toivonen and Peugeot’s Timo Salonen back in third. However, both S4s then began to suffer more serious supercharger issues; Alen dropped to third and Toivonen to fifth. The Audis and Peugeots then encountered there own problems, at which point the Lancias began setting fastest stage times again, even though the cars were experiencing intermittent electrical issues.
Alen subsequently re-took the lead and although he later span off in Kielder Forest, continued to pull away from the chasing pack led by Toivonen who had had a gentle roll on the Killburn stage. Unfortunately, when Alen slid into a ditch, he lost five minutes and dropped to third. He eventually passed Tony Pond’s Metro 6R4 to take the runners’ up spot behind his team-mate.
Chassis 207 did not appear again until seven months later, by which time it had been re-registered TO 76797E (from A6 37352). It contested the 411km all-tarmac Ypres 24 Hour Rally in Belgium which was a round of the European Rally Championship (June 27th to 29th).
Fabrizio Tabaton and Luigi Tedeschini were given the nod to drive for the works team as Martini regular Miki Biasion would contest the WRC level New Zealand Rally a few days later instead. Tabaton had a slight off on stage two, but after the Metro 6R4 of Marc Duez suffered a puncture, chassis 207 led overnight (when a new gearbox was fitted). It then looked as though Tabaton would cruise to victory as his rivals encounered trouble, but with eight stages to go, the S4 went off the road which damaged the radiator and ultimately cooked the engine.
For its final two ERC outings of 1986, chassis 207 was run by Grifone and appeared in the team’s famous black and gold livery with backing from Esso.
The 332km all-gravel Halkidiki Rally (August 26th to 28th) got off to a bad start when a spectator’s car ran into the back of 207 which damaged the exhaust before the first stage. Nevertheless, Tabaton and Tedeschini led from the off and quickly pulled a substantial gap on the chasing pack of Audi Quattros. By the end of the day, the Lancia was six minutes clear of the rest of the field and Tabaton continued to extend his lead, eventually finishing over 13 minutes clear of his nearest rival.
Chassis 207’s last appearance came at the all-tarmac 403km Rallye d’Antibes (October 9th to 12th). Tabaton was pipped to victory by Didier Auriol’s Metro 6R4 on the opening stage. Then, less than a kilometre into the second stage, Tabaton failed to notice the road dropped away at its edge and chassis 207 went flying off into a ditch. Although the damage was slight, a crane was needed to get the car out and chassis 207’s period career came to a close.
Notable History
Lancia Martini
Registered A6 37352
24/11/1985 WRC RAC Rally (M. Alen / I. Kivimaki) 2nd oa, 2nd B12 class (#3)
Re-registered TO 76797E
27/06/1986 ERC Ypres 24 Hour Rally (F. Tabaton / L. Tedeschini) DNF(#2)
Grifone Esso
26/08/1986 ERC Halkidiki Rally (F. Tabaton / L. Tedeschini) 1st oa, 1st B13 class (#1)
09/10/1986 ERC Rallye d'Antibes (F. Tabaton / L. Tedeschini) DNF (#1)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
