1983 World Rally Championship

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The 1983 World Rally Championship was the 11th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 12 rallies. By this time, the schedule format had become generally stable, with only one or two changes to venues year to year. 1983 brought the return of Argentina to the schedule in place of Brazil. Audi's Hannu Mikkola beat the defending world champion Walter Röhrl and his Lancia teammate Markku Alén to the drivers' title. Lancia captured the manufacturers' title from Audi by just two points.

Summary[]

An ex-Bettega Lancia 037 Rally

German Walter Röhrl, champion of the previous year despite his manufacturer's failed bid to capture the title, was tapped to drive for the Martini Racing team along with Finn Markku Alén in the new Lancia Rally 037 car. Audi Sport meanwhile carried forward from its successful title run in 1982 led by the same pair of drivers, Finn Hannu Mikkola and Frenchwoman Michèle Mouton, equipped with the Quattro A1 (later in the season upgrading to the A2 model). The team also future champion Swede Stig Blomqvist. tapped former champion Finn Ari Vatanen and fellow countryman Henri Toivonen to drive the Ascona 400 during the season.

An ex-Mikkola Audi Quattro A2

Competition was fierce both for drivers and manufacturers. The works battle quickly centered on the Audi and Lancia, and over the course of the season the two cars won 10 of the 12 events and sit on 30 of the year's 36 podium positions. Lancia emerged on top, returning the manufacturer to glory for the first time since the company seized three consecutive titles in the mid-1970s, despite deciding not to participate in last two events. Audi's performance was impressive and the car was improved in the second half of the season, winning three of the final four events to nearly catch the Italian maker (who, of course, withdrew from two last events, leaving Audi with little competition).

Driver competition was no less intense, with both of the Martini team-mates scoring well through the season. They were outpaced by Mikkola, who was able to garner four wins and seven podiums to take the title by a healthy margin in the end. While Mikkola appeared in all events, Röhrl and Alén only appeared in six and seven events respectively, which gave Mikkola clear path to the title. Martini teammate Blomqvist was impressive, finally winning in the last event of the year to place fourth overall, but Mouton's season was a disappointment, her fifth-place finish well off the pace. The Rothmans team meanwhile suffered an unimpressive season, the lone highlight being Vatanen's win in Kenya. This was the team's only podium finish, and Ari himself finished a distant sixth place on the year.

As with previous seasons, while all 12 events were calculated for tallying the drivers' scores, only 10 of the events applied to the championship for manufacturers. The two events in 1983 that applied only to driver standings were Sweden and the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire.

Teams and drivers[]

Team Constructor Car Tyre Drivers Rounds
Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 P Germany Walter Röhrl 1, 3, 5–7, 10
Finland Markku Alén 1, 3, 5–6, 8–10
France Jean-Claude Andruet 1, 5
Italy 3, 8
Italy Attilio Bettega 5–7, 10
Argentina Francisco Mayorga 8
Finland Pentti Airikkala 9
Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1
Quattro A2
M
P
Finland Hannu Mikkola All
France Michèle Mouton 1–10, 12
Sweden Stig Blomqvist 1–3, 6–10, 12
Finland 2, 9, 11–12
Austria Franz Wittmann 3, 6
Kenya Vic Preston Jr 4
Kenya Shekhar Mehta 8
Argentina Rubén Luis di Palma 8
Sweden Per Eklund 9
France Bernard Darniche 10
United States John Buffum 12
Germany Rothmans Opel Rally Team Opel Ascona 400
Manta 400
M Finland Ari Vatanen 1–2, 4, 6, 9–10, 12
Finland Henri Toivonen 1, 6, 9–10, 12
France Guy Frequelin 1, 5
Finland Rauno Aaltonen 4
United Kingdom Jimmy McRae 6, 12
United Kingdom 12
United Kingdom 12
United Kingdom 12
United Kingdom 12
France Renault Elf Renault 5 Turbo M France Jean Ragnotti 1, 5–6
France Jean-Luc Thérier 1, 3, 5
France Bruno Saby 1, 5
France 1
France 1, 5
France 1
Portugal 3
France 5
France 5
Japan Team Nissan Europe Nissan 240RS D Finland Timo Salonen 1, 3–4, 6–7, 9, 12
United Kingdom 3
Kenya Shekhar Mehta 4, 6–7
Kenya Mike Kirkland 4
Kenya 4
United Kingdom Tony Pond 5
Greece 6
New Zealand 7
Finland 9
Finland 12
United Kingdom Automobiles Talbot Talbot Sunbeam Lotus M United Kingdom 1
Spain 3
United States Jon Woodner 12
United Kingdom 12
France 12
United Kingdom 12
France Citroën Compétitions Citroën Visa M France 1, 3, 6, 12
France 1, 3, 5–6, 9–10, 12
France 1–3, 5–6, 12
Portugal Francisco Romãozinho 3
France 3, 6, 12
France 3, 6, 12
France 3, 5–6, 9
Portugal 3
Japan Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer 2000 Turbo Y Austria 3, 9
Finland Harri Toivonen 9, 12
France Peugeot Sport Peugeot 504 Pick-up V6 M Kenya 4
Kenya 4
France BMW Motul BMW M1 P France Bernard Béguin 5
Italy Jolly Club Lancia Rally 037 P Italy 5, 10
Italy Miki Biasion 10
Italy 10
Japan Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica TCT P Sweden Björn Waldegård 9, 11–12
Finland Juha Kankkunen 9, 11–12
Sweden Per Eklund 11–12
Italy Pro Motor Sport Ferrari 308 GTB M Sweden Björn Waldegård 10
Italy 10
Italy 10
United Kingdom GM Dealer Sport Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR M United Kingdom Russell Brookes 12
United Kingdom 12
United Kingdom 12

Events[]

Map[]

WRC-1983.png
Black = Tarmac Brown = Gravel Blue = Snow/Ice Red = Mixed Surface

Schedule and results[]

Round Rally name Stages Podium finishers
Rank Driver Co-driver Team Car Time
1 Monaco
Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo
(22–29 January 1983)
30 stages
709 km (441 mi)
Tarmac
1 West Germany Walter Röhrl West Germany Christian Geistdörfer Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 7:58:57
2 Finland Markku Alén Finland Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 8:05:59
3 Sweden Stig Blomqvist Sweden Björn Cederberg West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1 8:10:15
2 Sweden
Swedish Rally[1]
(11–13 February 1983)
24 stages
466 km (290 mi)
Snow/Ice
1 Finland Hannu Mikkola Sweden Arne Hertz West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1 4:28:47
2 Sweden Stig Blomqvist Sweden Björn Cederberg West Germany Audi Sport Audi 80 Quattro 4:29:34
3 Finland Finland West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1 4:32:51
3 Portugal
Rallye de Portugal
(2–5 March 1983)
40 stages
642 km (399 mi)
Gravel/Tarmac
1 Finland Hannu Mikkola Sweden Arne Hertz West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1 7:17:24
2 France Michèle Mouton Italy Fabrizia Pons West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1 7:18:19
3 West Germany Walter Röhrl West Germany Christian Geistdörfer Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 7:19:14
4 Kenya
Safari Rally
(30 March – 4 April 1983)
87 controls
5,035 km (3,129 mi)
Gravel
1 Finland Ari Vatanen United Kingdom West Germany Rothmans Opel Rally Team Opel Ascona 400 +3:96 pen
2 Finland Hannu Mikkola Sweden Arne Hertz West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1 +4:02 pen
3 France Michèle Mouton Italy Fabrizia Pons West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1 +4:55 pen
5 France
Tour de Corse
(5–7 May 1983)
28 stages
1,008 km (626 mi)
Tarmac
1 Finland Markku Alén Finland Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 12:43:38
2 West Germany Walter Röhrl West Germany Christian Geistdörfer Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 12:45:27
3 Italy Italy Italy Jolly Club Lancia Rally 037 12:50:08
6 Greece
Acropolis Rally Greece
(30 May – 2 June 1983)
45 stages
836 km (519 mi)
Gravel
1 West Germany Walter Röhrl West Germany Christian Geistdörfer Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 11:12:22
2 Finland Markku Alén Finland Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 11:18:42
3 Sweden Stig Blomqvist Sweden Björn Cederberg West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 11:26:18
7 New Zealand
Rally New Zealand
(25–28 June 1983)
33 stages
1,069 km (664 mi)
Gravel
1 West Germany Walter Röhrl West Germany Christian Geistdörfer Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 12:10:13
2 Finland Timo Salonen Finland Seppo Harjanne Japan Team Nissan Europe Nissan 240RS 12:26:11
3 Italy Attilio Bettega Italy Maurizio Perissinot Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 12:41:42
8 Argentina
Rally Argentina
(2–6 August 1983)
18 stages
1,274 km (792 mi)
Gravel
1 Finland Hannu Mikkola Sweden Arne Hertz West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:18:54
2 Sweden Stig Blomqvist Sweden Björn Cederberg West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:21:28
3 France Michèle Mouton Italy Fabrizia Pons West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:25:35
9 Finland
Rally Finland
(26–28 August 1983)
50 stages
473 km (294 mi)
Gravel
1 Finland Hannu Mikkola Sweden Arne Hertz West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 4:23:44
2 Sweden Stig Blomqvist Sweden Björn Cederberg West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 4:24:05
3 Finland Markku Alén Finland Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 4:24:33
10 Italy
Rallye Sanremo
(2–8 October 1983)
58 stages
775 km (482 mi)
Gravel/Tarmac
1 Finland Markku Alén Finland Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 8:50:17
2 West Germany Walter Röhrl West Germany Christian Geistdörfer Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 8:52:26
3 Italy Attilio Bettega Italy Maurizio Perissinot Italy Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 8:55:27
11 Ivory Coast
Rallye Côte d'Ivoire[1]
(25–30 October 1983)
54 controls
4,600 km (2,900 mi)
Gravel
1 Sweden Björn Waldegård Sweden Japan Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica TCT +5:18 pen
2 Finland Hannu Mikkola Sweden Arne Hertz West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 +5:29 pen
3 Sweden Per Eklund United Kingdom Japan Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica TCT +6:58 pen
12 United Kingdom
RAC Rally
(19–23 November 1983)
57 stages
790 km (490 mi)
Gravel/Tarmac
1 Sweden Stig Blomqvist Sweden Björn Cederberg United Kingdom Audi Sport UK Audi Quattro A2 8:50:28
2 Finland Hannu Mikkola Sweden Arne Hertz West Germany Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 9:00:21
3 United Kingdom Jimmy McRae United Kingdom West Germany Rothmans Opel Rally Team Opel Manta 400 9:12:19

Standings[]

Drivers' championship[]

Rank Driver Event Total
points
Monaco
MON
Sweden
SWE
Portugal
POR
Kenya
KEN
France
FRA
Greece
GRC
New Zealand
NZL
Argentina
ARG
Finland
FIN
Italy
ITA
Ivory Coast
CIV
United Kingdom
GBR
1 Finland Hannu Mikkola (10) 20 20 15 20 20 15 15 125
2 West Germany Walter Röhrl 20 12 15 20 20 15 102
3 Finland Markku Alén 15 10 20 15 8 12 20 100
4 Sweden Stig Blomqvist 12 15 12 15 15 20 89
5 France Michèle Mouton 10 15 12 12 4 53
6 Finland Ari Vatanen 8 6 20 10 44
7 Italy Attilio Bettega 10 8 12 12 42
8 Finland 12 4 10 26
9 Kenya Shekhar Mehta 6 10 10 26
10 Sweden Per Eklund 10 12 22
11 Sweden Björn Waldegård 20 20
12 Italy 8 12 20
13 Finland Timo Salonen 15 3 18
14 Finland Henri Toivonen 6 10 16
15 United Kingdom Jimmy McRae 3 12 15
16 Sweden Kalle Grundel 8 3 11
17 Kenya 10 10
France Alain Ambrosino 10 10
19 Finland Juha Kankkunen 6 4 10
20 France Bruno Saby 1 8 9
21 Kenya 8 8
New Zealand 8 8
Finland Pentti Airikkala 8 8
Italy Miki Biasion 8 8
Ivory Coast 8 8
United Kingdom Russell Brookes 8 8
27 Austria Franz Wittmann 4 4 8
28 Spain 6 6
West Germany 6 6
United Kingdom Tony Pond 6 6
New Zealand Possum Bourne 6 6
Austria 6 6
Italy Dario Cerrato 6 6
United States John Buffum �� 6 6
35 France Jean Ragnotti 4 4
Sweden 4 4
Kenya Manoj Shah 4 4
France 4 4
New Zealand 4 4
Argentina 4 4
41 France Jean-Claude Andruet 3 3
Sweden Mikael Ericsson 3 3
United Kingdom 3 3
Kenya 3 3
France 3 3
New Zealand 3 3
Argentina Jorge Recalde 3 3
Italy 3 3
49 Finland Mikael Sundström 1 2 3
50 France 2 2
Sweden 2 2
France 2 2
France 2 2
France 2 2
New Zealand 2 2
Argentina 2 2
Finland 2 2
France Bernard Darniche 2 2
59 Sweden 1 1
Belgium Marc Duez 1 1
France 1 1
France 1 1
Argentina 1 1
Italy 1 1
Sweden 1 1

Manufacturers' championship[]

Rank Manufacturers Event Total
points
Monaco
MON
Portugal
POR
Kenya
KEN
France
FRA
Greece
GRC
New Zealand
NZL
Argentina
ARG
Finland
FIN
Italy
ITA
United Kingdom
GBR
1 Italy Lancia 18 14 18 18 18 (10) 14 18 118
2 West Germany Audi 14 18 16 14 18 18 (6) 18 116
3 West Germany Opel 10 (9) 18 12 12 9 12 14 87
4 Japan Nissan 4 12 8 8 16 4 52
5 France Renault 6 10 11 27
6 Japan Toyota 10 8 6 24
7 Japan Subaru 13 13
8 United Kingdom British Leyland Cars 11 11
West Germany Volkswagen 11 11
10 France Peugeot 10 10
United Kingdom Vauxhall 10 10
12 Japan Mazda 9 9
Italy Alfa Romeo 9 9
14 France Citroën 2 5 2 9
15 United Kingdom Talbot 8 8
16 Japan Mitsubishi 7 7

Pointscoring systems[]

Drivers' championship[]

Points awarded by finish 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
20 15 12 10 8 6 4 3 2 1

Manufacturers' championship[]

Overall
finish
Group finish
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 18
2 17 16
3 16 15 14
4 15 14 13 12
5 14 13 12 11 10
6 13 12 11 10 9 8
7 12 11 10 9 8 7 6
8 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4
9 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1

References[]

  1. ^ a b Event not included in the Manufacturers' Championship

External links[]

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