One to Buy: ex-works 1984 Lancia LC2
Having successfully campaigned the Group 6 LC1 during 1982, the Martini-backed Lancia squad created their first Group C car for the 1983 season.
The resultant LC2 would take the challenge to Porsche’s awesome 956 which had gone up against the LC1 during the crossover 1982 campaign when cars from both Group C and Group 6 were permitted to compete against one another.
That year, Porsche’s Jacky Ickx had pipped Lancia’s Riccardo Patrese to the Drivers’ title and although Lancia were not eligible to score points in the Manufacturers contest (which was only open to Group C machinery), the LC1 had taken victory at three of eight rounds.
With this in mind, much was expected from the new LC2 which continued a trend set by its predecessor of having been the quickest car in terms of single lap pace. However, the factory Porsche squad, now backed by hordes of privateer 956s, proved too strong as poor reliability blighted Lancia’s challenge.
Extensive aerodynamic and mechanical revisions were made to the LC2 for 1984, but although the Lancias routinely grabbed pole position, they were once again unable to match the Porsche’s robustness. As it transpired, the only Lancia victory came after a mid-season hiatus at the Kyalami 1000km end-of-year finale when Riccardo Patrese and Bob Wollek took the chequered flag in chassis 0005.
On June 9th that very car will be going under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Le Mans sale.
In addition to its victorious outing at Kyalami, chassis 0005 qualified on pole for the 1984 Le Mans 24 Hours where it also set the fastest lap before ultimately crossing the line eighth. Le Mans was the car’s second pole position after it had gone quickest for the Silverstone 1000km four weeks prior.
Chassis 0005 raced on into 1985 when it most notably took pole again at Silverstone and bagged the final podium spot. The car also recorded a seventh place finish at Le Mans.
Today, chassis 0005 is presented in outstanding condition having been maintained by United Autosports in recent years.
Reprinted below is RM Sotheby’s description for this fabulous ex-works Lancia Group C car:
Chassis No.: 0005
Estimate: €2.4m - €2.4m
Secured pole position and fastest lap at the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans, eventually finishing 8th overall
Consequently campaigned in 1985 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 7th overall
Overall winner of the 1984 Kyalami 1000 Kilometres, the penultimate round of the 1984 World Sportscar Championship (WSC) season
One of only nine LC2 chassis constructed for the WSC seasons 1983 to 1986
Entered in six WSC events in 1984, and a further three in 1985
The most fascinating period history of any LC2 offered at auction in recent years
Prepped by United Autosports and ideally suited to Historic Group C events
Throughout the history of international sportscar racing, few eras are remembered as fondly as Group C, which prevailed from 1982 until 1992. Similarly, few Group C cars evoke such emotion as the Lancia LC2––a glorious blend of Dallara-led chassis design and construction, and spectacularly powerful Ferrari V-8 turbocharged engines developed by Maranello design guru, Nicola Materazzi.
Remarkably, just nine chassis were produced across the four-year LC2 programme. This car––chassis 0005––made its race debut at the 1984 Monza 1000 Kilometres, then the opening round of the World Sportscar Championship (WSC). Drivers Riccardo Patrese and Bob Wollek qualified 4th before a fire around two-thirds distance ushered the car into retirement. The race was dominated by the Rothmans Porsche team, with the sister LC2 of Mauro Baldi and Paolo Barilla finishing a distant 3rd.
After an encouraging pole position at the Silverstone 1000 Kilometres in mid-May––albeit one followed by another retirement––chassis 0005 was entered for Le Mans. The promising Formula 2 driver Alessandro Nannini was paired with Wollek on this occasion. A blistering lap from the Italian secured the car’s second pole position in two races, his effort more than three seconds clear of teammates Baldi, Barilla, and Hans Heyer, and almost nine seconds faster than the 3rd-placed Joest Porsche. A series of minor problems restricted chassis 0005 to an 8th-place finish, and the small consolation of being first non-Porsche home.
That year’s WSC season continued with chassis 0005 qualifying 11th for the Brands Hatch 1000 Kilometres—only to withdraw from the race with engine failure—and finishing 3rd at Imola. The car’s season ended on a high with victory in the Kyalami 1000 Kilometres, courtesy of Patrese and Nannini. Lancia took 2nd place in the Teams’ Championship at the year’s end.
Duly upgraded, chassis 0005 was retained by Lancia’s Works outfit for 1985, and this car's WSC season commenced at Monza. Wollek and Baldi qualified the car 2nd to teammates Patrese and Nannini, although an altercation with Surer’s winning Porsche regrettably heralded the Franco-Italian pair’s retirement in that race.
Once again, chassis 0005 took pole position for the third round of the Championship at Silverstone courtesy of Patrese and Nannini. Lancia’s run of three poles in three races underlined their greatly improved pace. However, the race told a familiar story, with the Works Porsches once again prevailing, and chassis 0005 salvaging a valiant 3rd place at the flag. Appropriately, the car’s WSC swansong would be at Le Mans, where it was driven by Baldi and four-time victor, Henri Pescarolo. Having qualified 6th, the pair drove a measured race to finish 7th overall; Porsche once again secured the first five places, ahead of the sister LC2 in 6th.
Following the conclusion of its competitive career, chassis 0005 remained in a private collection until its acquisition by the vendor in 2016. During their ownership, it has been maintained by World Endurance Championship team, United Autosports. Boasting spectacular performance, a fascinating race history, and arguably the most evocative of all racing liveries, chassis 0005 perfectly encapsulates the magic of Group C racing. As such, it would undoubtedly be the star of any collection—or indeed any race, or demonstration—in which it was to feature.
Lancia LC1 #0005 Results
24 April 1984 Monza 1000km (#4) Patrese / Wollek - Grid 4th + Race DNF
13 May 1984 Silverstone 1000km (#4) Patrese / Wollek - Grid 1st + Race DNF
16/17 June 1984 Le Mans 24 Hours (#4) Wollek / Nannini - Grid 1st + Race 8th
1 July 1984 DRM Norisring (#4) Nannini - Grid 2nd + Race DNF
1 July 1984 Norisring Trophy (#4) Nannini - Grid 2nd + Race 8th
29 July 1984 Brands Hatch 1000km (#6) Martini / Barilla / Wollek - Grid 11th + Race DNS
3 November 1984 Kyalami 1000km (#4) Patrese / Nannini - Grid 2nd + Race 1st
28 April 1985 Monza 1000km (#5) Wollek / Baldi - Grid 2nd + Race DNF
12 May 1985 Silverstone 1000km (#4) Patrese / Nannini - Grid 1st + Race 3rd
15/16 June 1985 Le Mans 24 Hours (#5) Pescarolo / Baldi - Grid 6th + Race 7th
29 June 1985 DRM Norisring (#4) Nannini - Grid 3rd + Race 8th
30 June 1985 Norisring Trophy (#4) Nannini - Grid 8th + Race 6th
