At the begining of the 1980’s rallies were very popular. The highest class was the WRC Group A. But its “drawback” stemmed from a lot of regulations. Minimum mass, minimum engine displacement, maximum power, tire width and so on. The list was very long. In order to be allowed to use their car in the competitions, the producer had to manufacture 5000 units of the specific car. All of this caused rallies not to change that much from year to year because the manufacturer didn’t want to create fresh 5000 units with slightly different specification each year. That was a time when an idea was born. An idea of creating something new, that will incorporate all of the good features from the Group A and add a lot of more good stuff. That’s where an idea of creating Group B came from. An ideal rally group that pushes car development as far as possible. And it happened in 1982. The mighty Group B is born. The point of creating it was to add fast cars into rallye. And we are talking about formula 1 fast cars. So now we are in 1982. Here are the new regulations created for Group B: minimum mass calculated by engine displacement, minimum tire width calculated by engine displacement, the car had to have 2 seats and not be open roofed. And that’s all. Those are the rules. All of them fitted one A4 page. No limitations in terms of the power. Moreover to get the homologation of the new car the manufacturer needed to manufacture only 200 units compared to 5000 units in the Group A.
All this meant that manufacturers rushed to produce cars to the Group B. The first such car was Lancia 037. In the last, enhanced version, this car had 330HP, rear-wheel drive, weighed only 1170 kg and accelerated to 220 km/h.
In the first year of Group B, in addition to Lancia, Audi Quattro also started. The rally version had a power of 450 km and accelerated to 100 km / h in 3.5 seconds a the maximum speed was over 230 km / h.
In subsequent years, Group B attracted more producers. Every next car was better, had more power and was faster than the previous one. This led to the moment where the car power reached 600 HP and average speeds along gravel roads were often over 200 km / h. Most cars had 4-wheel drive back then. One of the Group B drivers, Bjorn Waldegard, once said, "The cars were so quick, your brain could not react in time" it was just too much.
The twilight of Group B started in 1985. When one of the drivers lost control of the car and with the speed of over 100 km / h hit the crowd of fans. 30 people were injured and 3 people died. It was not the first accident involving spectators. It happened quite often to the extent that mechanics found body parts like fingers in cars during servicing. But the 1985 accident was the first with deadly spectators. In the same year, Lancia's team with driver Henri Toivonen in Lancia Delta s4, which had a 558 HP engine, fell off the road during one of the rallies and immediately burst into flames. Extinguishing teams appearing on the spot found only the metal skeleton of the car. It was also not the first death of the driver. In total, three people, drivers or pilots were killed on board of the cars. After the Toivonena accident, the FIA decided to close group B because it was simply too dangerous.
Footage showing how Group B cars run over the courses:
1) What do you think about an idea of Group B?
2) Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
Comments
2. I think that rallies are just not safe for spectators. When dealing with such speed + uneven road surface you should take precautions(like distance and fences). You cannot blame neither driver neither car in this tragedy. I think that closing group B wasn’t necessary, that didn’t make rallies much safer...
3. Standing in the crowd in the edge of rally road just to witness a car for a second as it drives through risking your life? Let me think... No.
2) I don't know, it's hard to say. Too many accidents have occurred and apparently the safety issue could not be resolved except by closing group b.
3) Sure it would be cool but the vision of being swept by a car would effectively scares me away.
2. I think so. The new generation of cars that was supposed to come in after 1985 was completely crazy. For example, the Lancia Delta S4 was a car that was faster than F1 cars in terms of performance. The cars have become too fast. Changes were needed to improve security.
3. Of course, but I'd rather choose a safe place. Rallying is not a joke, something can happen at any moment.
group b's made their mark on the world of rally in the 1980s and became very dangerous with their increasing strength. For example, when he was using the 205 turbo 16 for the first time, he found that it was very difficult to keep the car on the road. Besides, markku alen said that when testing the lancia delta s4, he was not able to be the boss of his car, he was able to escape from gold at any moment. The events that prepare the end of the group bs, which are a rally monster with a light, fiber casing and over 400 horsepower, can be listed as follows.
- The death of Atilio Bettega in a lancia stratos in the 1985 Corsica Rally.
- 1986 portraits rally, johaim santos' s ford rs 200 and the sintra stage of the famous sine dive and the death of 6 people.
- In 1986 Corsica Rally, Henry Toivonen and his assistant driver, Sergio Cresto, burned to death with the Lancia delta S4.
At the end of the 1986 season, 2000 cc and above group b's were banned by the fia, while some group b cars such as citroen visa 1000 tracks were joined with the restricted powers. monster group b's also appeared in the rallycross with this ban
2) Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
I don't know, it's hard to say. There were a lot of accidents and security problems, so it is normal to see them closed.
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
It would be fun, but there is no risk of crushing at any time.
See, apart from regular injuries related to car crashes and exhaustion you get a risk of dying due to starvation or dehydration, which is way more plausible in the midst of a desert. And you are more than ever dependent on your car. One faulty transmission -- and you are literally dead. In the most non spectacular way ever.
2) It's hard to say. Of course safety rules were too little there but it could be good for technological development. But they should just regulate places where crowd can stand. Looking on the video it's very easy for accident and you have to be very stupid to get so close to speeding car.
3) Yes but not like the people on the video
In my opinoin for the viewers of the races, group B is very interestiung and fun. Also for car designers it was great time, but for people who was driving these cars I think it was hard becuse of safety.
2) Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
I think yes, I like racing, fast cars and competitions but group b was nat safe for participants so I think it was a good idea to close it.
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
Yes I would love to. It cloud be very risky, but for sure it would be very fun.
The whole idea was great, because I actually can’t name a sport discipline which would be as exciting as Group B. This was a definition of people pushing their physical and technological limits. When there are no serious restrictions and engineers are given a free hand to use their skills, miracles can happen.
2) Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
Well, as much as I think that this was the best thing that has ever happened to the motorsport I can’t say that I am surprised that it didn’t last long. Being as dangerous as it was, Group B caused way too many tragedies for people to let it be the way it is.
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
To be honest I have always dreamt of driving one of those cars – not just looking at them coming in my direction 200km/h. I guess, however, that this would be the best next thing.
I think that since the idea was adopted at the beginning, it had the right to exist. People wanted to see something crazy and dangerous. Unfortunately, not everything has been well refined.
2) Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
I believe that due to the many accidents more emphasis should have been placed on safety. I am not very familiar with the subject to determine whether this was the right move. It is a pity that this vision has not been developed.
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
I belong to people in whom car racing does not arouse great emotions. I would like to see such a spectacle but not at all costs.
2. It is difficult to assess it objectively. But I think it was a good idea because the producers focused mainly on the development of cars that have gained significantly in power. Unfortunately, this did not go hand in hand with the skills of drivers, which resulted in more and more accidents.
3. Definitely not.
I have heard quite a lot about Group B and to me it’s a pinnacle of rallying where you have basically no rules and car manufacturers could do whatever they came up with, simply awesome. Today there are so many regulations which yes, help with safety during events and drivers themselves but it really also kills the sport which is a bit shame. I think, FIA should find a perfect balance between the two, then the interest would rise again as it was in the 80s or 90s.
2) Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
I think that it was the best they could do. I love the idea of Group B but if more regulations were introduced to Group B after the accidents, it would no longer be Group B. The main idea of the group was to have rally monsters without any limits. Closing was the best thing because Group B is still considered as the best thing that ever happened to rallying and if it additional ideas where introduced to keep it alive which means introducing more restrictions it would lose all of its glory.
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
Sure thing.
2. I think they should leave them but I can understand the reasons for closure.
3. Of course, that would be a great experience.
Probably everyone would watch the GP if instead of hybrid V6 they were installing a mulit-turbo V12 there.
2. I think not. If there are people who want to watch it and start it.
3. I'd prefer not
I think it was an incredibly crazy idea. Nobody has ever tried such a profession before. I also think it was a very dangerous race. Every mistake ended in a dramatic accident. I would definitely not decide for such a rally.
2. Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
I think closing group B was a good idea. It was too dangerous. Especially since automotive technology has continued to evolve.
3. Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
I'd rather watch it on TV. I would feel safest then.
1) In my opinion it was a risky idea. My motto is "you will never know if you never try", so I think it was a good idea. On the other hand there were tragic accidents, people dies. But the risk is an element of rally so it depends of point of view.
2) I dont know, I can say that it was a right decision, because it was very dangerous not only for drivers but also for people who were watching this show.
3) I am not a big fan, so I would rather not, especially if it is so dangerous.
In my opinion it's crazy dangerous,Personally wouldn't risk my life for this kind of activity
2) Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
Yes I think it was good decision. Rallies are safer right now thanks to this decision.
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
As I said before I wouldn't want to be part of this. I think it's better idea to watch it live on internet or television.
I think that group B was okay. The experimental and crazy stuff always attracts people, so they could attend something new for them.
2) Do you think it was a good idea to close Group B in 1985?
Yes, sure, if not in 1985 it would be closed later for sure. The safety is one of the most important things in business or sport right now.
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
No, I cherish my life.
In my opinion, the idea of Group B interesting and spectacular, however manufacturers had to provide much better driver protection as well as organizers of Formula 1 had to provide viewer safety to prevent such victims.
2) Do you think it was good idea to close Group B in 1985?
As I mentioned above before opening such dangerous Group B they had to concentrate on a security of drivers and viewers, not only on show.
3) Would you like to stand in the crowd during the Group B rally and see it with your own eyes?
For sure not. I love my life too much.
3. From far away, standing behind a tree with a telezoom camera? Sure!
2. I don't think it was a good idea. I think we could see a lot of better cars in the future if group B was not closed.
3. This is a pity that I will not be able to see Group B rally. I would love to