Motorsports
Lancia Delta S4: two-week world champion in 1986 with Mark Allen
The first all-wheel drive Lancia was introduced at a risky time for rally racing and paved the way for the car to become a landmark model for the Italian marque in the WRC.
The Lancia Rally 037, despite winning the 1983 Manufacturers’ World Championship, failed to match the four-wheel drive advantage of the competition cars. The answer of the Italian company was heard in the name Delta S4.
The Delta S4 was developed between 1985 and 1986 by Lancia in collaboration with Abarth. It was an absolute race car in every respect, with Lancia giving in to the transmission on all 4 wheels. The purpose of the Delta S4 was to continue the Rally 037 winning streak in the legendary Group B.
Under the hood the 1,759 cc engine. Combined mechanical supercharger and turbocharger to reduce turbo lag at low revs.
The official peak power price was 490 hp, although there were rumors that the total was over 500, which is by no means unlikely given that in 1985, when Lancia engineers tested the S4 engine in extreme operating conditions, 1,014 hp had been achieved with one pressure of 5 bar!
The Delta S4 brought the dual-boost process to the surface for the first time, with a large turbo Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch starting at 4,500 rpm. and a Volumex R18 mechanical supercharger that closed the power gap at lower revs.
The choice of displacement was anything but arbitrary, because according to the FIA regulations and the factor 1.4 in the supercharged units, the S4 engine was below the limit of 2,500 cm³. which ensured the minimum allowable weight of 890 kg.
Like its competitors, the engine-centric Delta S4 had little in common with the corresponding production model, the Lancia Delta. As with the 037, the tubular space frame was sprung on all wheels with double wishbones, while the plastic body emphasized the aerodynamics and, of course, the quick repair of damage in the event of an exit.
The new all-wheel drive system that Lancia developed for the S4 in collaboration with British company Hewland featured a central differential with torque split between 60% and 75% to the rear wheels and offered a distinct advantage over the less advanced all-wheel drive systems of the competition.
The Delta S4 made an immediate impact when it won its first official RAC rally in 1985 at the hands of Henry Toivonen. The following year, Mark Allen and the S4 were 1986 World Champions for two weeks, a title eventually stripped after the Finnish driver’s victory at the San Remo Rally was annulled due to a technical fault.
In addition to the lost victory in the Italian race, the Delta S4 won 3 other victories in the same year, in Monte Carlo with Toivonen, in Rally Argentina with Nicki Biazion and in the Olympus Rally in the USA. with all.
In fact, Bizion’s victory in Argentina was his first win in the World Rally Championship! At the same time, Lancia won the European Rally Championship in 1986 with its impressive race.
The end of the Delta S4 came tragically when Henry Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto died after an exit on the 18th stage (Corte-Taverna) of the 1986 Corsica Rally, an accident that led to the immediate end of the frightening strong cars of group B
Lancia had already begun designing the futuristic Lancia ECV to replace the 1987 Delta S4, but the cancellation of the Group S, like Group B, led to the takeover of Delta production.
For the first time since Fulvia, Lancia was forced to rely on its racing presence in a production car rather than one designed specifically for rallies, a stipulation that would lead to the most successful race car in its history: the Lancia Delta HF race car.
Source: sport 24
Sophia Jhon is a sports journalist and author. He has worked as a news editor for Sportish and is now a sport columnist for the same publication. Alberta’s professional interests lie largely in sports news, with an emphasis on English football. He has also written articles on other sporting topics.
A 2002 McLaren MP4-17A will go up for auction at RM Sotheby’s in Paris in 2026. Competing in 12 Grands Prix, the chassis was driven by Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard, achieving five podiums and one victory. The estimated price of the land is between 1,000,000 and 1,400,000 Euros.
The car was designed under the guidance of the legendary Adrian Newey. Although the MP4-17 initially showed inconsistent performance, it was later able to compete with the dominant Ferrari F2002 and regularly achieve podium finishes.
Chassis number 6 appeared in the middle of the 2002 season and was mainly used by Raikkonen, who replaced Mika Hakkinen in the team. The Finnish driver immediately finished third in the European Grand Prix, followed by second in France and third in the USA.
In 2003, the same chassis updated and driven by Coulthard won the season opener in Australia, marking the Scot’s 13th and final Formula One victory.
The car’s last race was at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix, driven by Raikkonen, who finished second behind Rubens Barrichello, also of Ferrari. That season the championship was won by Michael Schumacher, who finished eighth in the race.
The car retains its original 2002 West livery and Räikkönen number 4 and is powered by a 3.0-litre Mercedes-Benz FO110 V10 engine. A complete restoration is required for reuse on the track.
Following its racing career, the car was stored at McLaren for 17 years and was purchased by its current owner in 2021. For fans of the early 2000s, this land is a unique investment and historical value.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
Peter Sauber, founder of the Sauber Formula 1 team, said that he was very close to signing a contract with Lewis Hamilton nearly 20 years ago.
At the time, the Briton was in the McLaren youth academy, but the Woking team, which regularly challenges for championship titles, planned to send Hamilton outside the peloton for a season to gain experience in Formula One.
According to the Swiss driver, his and McLaren’s vision of the situation did not align. While Peter Sauber was counting on long-term cooperation, the British team was only considering the option of hiring pilots on a temporary basis. Due to different terms and conditions, the deal ultimately did not happen.
“Almost no one knows that Lewis Hamilton planned to race for Sauber nearly 20 years ago.”
“He was part of the McLaren team and they wanted to send him to Hinwil for training. That’s why the McLaren delegation met with Lewis and his father Anthony, me and our lawyer Monisha Kaltenborn at Kloten Airport.”
“In the end the deal didn’t work out because McClaren only wanted to loan him for one season and we insisted on a two-year loan.”
As a result, Lewis Hamilton remained with McLaren and entered the title fight in his first season in Formula 1. The Briton lost the championship largely due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, but he immediately showed the top level. Lewis currently has 7 championships.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
Former Ferrari engineer Javi Marcos is returning to Formula 1 with a new key role in the Cadillac project.
The Spaniard was previously working as Charles Leclerc’s race engineer at Ferrari, but was replaced by Brian Bozzi ahead of the 2024 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. After that, Marcos decided to leave the Italian team and join Cadillac.
Last year, Marcos worked in the American manufacturer’s WEC and IMSA programs and was also officially appointed technical director of Cadillac’s LMDh project.
However, it is now known that he will focus on Formula 1 again. According to sources, Marcos has been appointed chief racing engineer of the future Cadillac team, which will enter the championship in 2026.
Cadillac will join the peloton as its 11th Formula 1 team. The American team, which will use Ferrari power plants in the first seasons, will switch to its own engines in partnership with General Motors from 2028.
The team had previously confirmed that Carlo Pasetti and John Howard would serve as race engineers for Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez respectively. Marcos will serve in a position above them and will coordinate the work of the engineering staff.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
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