VIN: the Martini Racing / Grifone Lancia Delta S4 Evoluzione chassis 221
History of chassis 221
Chassis 221 was one of five Delta S4 Evoluziones that appeared in competition during the 1985 season.
221’s only event that year was the end-of-season Bettega Memorial which was a non-championship knockout competition that took place over December 9th and 10th on a mixed gravel and tarmac 1.3km circuit outside the Bologna Motor Show exhibition hall. It was organised in honour of Attilio Bettega who had lost his life seven months prior in a fatal accident while behind the wheel of a works Lancia 037 on the Tour de Corse.
Markku Alen took the wheel of chassis 221 at the Bettega Memorial; it had been equipped with special ultra short ratios to reflect the very tight nature of the track.
Alen beat Jean Ragnotti’s Renault by 15.21 seconds in the quarter final. Despite 221’s engine cutting out at low revs, Alen then pipped Tony Pond’s Metro 6R4 by just 0.68 of a second in the semi final. Unfortunately, the same issue affected chassis 221 in the final and Peugeot’s ‘85 World Champion, Timo Salonen, won by 6.51 seconds.
The Bettega Memorial was the only time chassis 221 ran as a works Martini entry.
For 1986 it was supplied to the Esso-backed Grifone team for Fabrizio Tabaton to drive.
Tabaton used chassis 221 for his first four European Rally Championship events of 1986, during which he was navigated by Luciano Tedeschini.
Together, Tabaton and Tedeschini won the Rally Costa Brava. They subsequently led the Rally Costa Blanca before dropping out with electrical trouble.
On the Rallye de Garrigues-Languedoc-Roussillon, 221 blew its engine on the first day.
Chassis 221’s final outing for the Grifone team saw Tabaton struggle on incorrect tyres during the Rally Costa Smerelada, but he still managed to bag fourth spot.
Afterwards, Tabaton variously drove chassis 203, 207, 209 and 224 during the rest of the ‘86 season. Meanwhile, chassis 221 served as his backup vehicle for the Rallye dell’Isola Elba, Rali Vinho da Madeira, Halkidiki Rally and Rallye d’Antibes.
Following a year on the sidelines, chassis 221 was prepared by Jolly Club for Uruguayan driver, Gustavo Trelles, for an attack on the 1988 Spanish Gravel Championship. Now in Marlboro livery, Trelles drove chassis 221 to four wins and two second places en route to becoming the 1988 champion.
Notable History
Martini Racing
Registered A6 37567
09/12/1985 IND Bettega Memorial (M. Alen) 2nd oa, 2nd B12 class (#2)
Grifone Esso
Registered TO 77894E
21/02/1986 ERC Rally Costa Brava (F. Tabaton / L. Tedeschini) 1st oa, 1st B12 class (#1)
21/03/1986 ERC Rally Costa Blanca (F. Tabaton / L. Tedeschini) DNF (#1)
03/04/1986 ERC Rallye de Garrigues - Languedoc-Roussillon (F. Tabaton / L. Tedeschini) DNF (#1)
16/04/1986 ERC Rally Costa Smerelda (F. Tabaton / L. Tedeschini) 4th oa, 4th ERC class (#4)
Lancia Espana Marlboro (Jolly Club)
19/03/1988 ESP Rally de Tierra de Lloret de Mar (G. Trelles / D. Muzio) DNF suspension (#4)
30/04/1988 ESP Rally RACE Costa Calida (G. Trelles / D. Muzio) 1st oa, 1st ESP class (#4)
29/05/1988 ESP Rally RACE La Rioja (G. Trelles / P. Garcia) 2nd oa, 2nd ESP class (#4)
18/06/1988 ESP Rally RACE Aviles (G. Trelles / D. Muzio) 2nd oa, 2nd ESP class (#4)
24/09/1988 ESP Rally RACE Toledo (G. Trelels / M. Ortiz-Tallo) 1st oa, 1st ESP class (#4)
24/10/1988 ESP Rally RACE Balaguer (G. Trelles / P. Garcia) 1st oa, 1st ESP class (#4)
26/11/1988 ESP Rally RACE Madrid (G. Trelles / M. Ortiz-Tallo) 1st oa, 1st ESP class (#4)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Lancia - https://www.lancia.com & unattributed
