Lancia Motor Club

Spotted this in Motorsport News last week.

When Jari-Matti Latvala won the New Zealand rally a couple of weeks back in a Focus it meant Ford has become the most
successful manufacturer in the history of the World Championship. They now have 75 wins, one more than Lancia's 74 , the benchmark that has stood since '92.

Ford's first win came on the 1000 Lakes in '73 in an Escort RS1600. Various versions of the Escort scored 31 wins, rather surprisingly
the Focus has 43 and the Sierra Cosworth just the one.

Sadly, as we all know the chances of Lancia ever being in the position to regain the record are probably nil.

Steve

Its even more if you include the pre WRC MK1 Escort victories

Wouldn't this bring in the early Fulvia victories for Lancia as well?

I make it twenty five international wins for the old Twin Cam Escort (pre RS) between Jan 1968 and Dec 1970. Not sure how that compares with Fulvia but would guess its more.

If its a count up between Lancia and Ford, surely Lancia's "rallying" pedigree goes back way beyond Fulvia???

Tim

I feel a long story coming on.

Chiron won the Monte in '54 in an Aurelia. And I pressume all the Fulvia (and Flavia??) victories in the '60's and 70's don't count?

I suspect it will come down to the use of the term "World Championship" which started in 1973 (as opposed to international rally victories since time immemorial), so wouldn't actually include any Fulvia victories (none in 1973 - then the Stratos' came in). Is this the same as International Rally Wins? Definition and intention: of course Ford would like to kid us with with a statement " the most successful rally manufacturer ever" when what they mean is "the most successful rally manufacturer wince the WRC started in 1973".

Pedantry matters :D

Grand Prix racing is going through this with all sorts of dubious claims being made about "60 years of F1".

I ought to say I don't know what the victory count is since time immemorial, so for simplicity I'll stick to Lancia are the best!

Rally New Zealand Mark Tapper :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MleuPXWotcI

... *warning* there is a bit of swearing at the end but it made me laugh .... should cheer everyone up ...:)

Neil is dead right, somehow Lancia wins are just so much more justified. BTW Chiron's win on the 54 'Monte was not settled until months after the event as a protest was lodged by fellow competitor Houel driving a Alfa Romeo who insisted the Aurelia was non homologated. The complaint centered around the declared chassis/engine size and number of seats of the new GT of which not enough had been built. It was heard first by the ACM who eventually declared the car legal, but Houel was not happy and pursued the case with the FIA who four months later declared the result as final.

Ford did quite well in the early years of the Rallye Monte carlo, Sydney Allard, first winner in a car of his own manufacture used a Ford V8 to win in 52 then in 53 out of an incredible 404 starters, inventor of the speed camera Gatsonides won behind the wheel of a cumbersome Zephyr. Rumour has it he practised the route thirty two times and the engine of his car was changed at some point during the rally.

In 1925 a Lancia was second, driven by a woman, Mm Mertens, a Lancia was 29th in 1927, a Lambda 17th in 1928, in 1929 Lancias finished 10/11, 1931 the field was split but a Lambda finished 14th, in 1933 the best they could do was 59th, in 1935 Ford took ten of the top twenty two places. In 1936 a Ford won, the best Lancia was 49th. A Ford won again in 1938 but Lancia finished equal 8th/9th and 10th. In 1939 five Fords finished in the top ten, a Lancia finished 25rd. This is hard work! After the war in 1949 a Di-LAMBDA finished 32nd.