1984 World Rally Championship

The 1984 World Rally Championship was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu Mikkola to the drivers' title. Audi took their second manufacturers' title, ahead of Lancia and the debuting Peugeot.

Summary

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Walter Röhrl at the 1984 Rally Portugal

German team Audi Sport put together four of the top drivers in the world, with the defending world champion Hannu Mikkola returning to the team along with Stig Blomqvist. Michèle Mouton had a part-time contract and two-time champion Walter Röhrl was added from Martini Racing. Lancia Martini kept Markku Alén as their primary driver for the season and also featured Miki Biasion and Attilio Bettega. Lancia boss Cesare Fiorio had also signed Henri Toivonen from Porsche, stating that "Audi will have four top drivers next year so it would be very difficult competing with only two."[1]

 
Michèle Mouton at the 1984 RAC Rally

Blomqvist and Mikkola dominated the season in the Audi Quattro A2, with Blomqvist proving the best with five rally wins. Audi established an early lead, winning six of the first eight events, including sweeping the podium at the first two rallies. Mikkola had to settle for second overall despite a consistently strong season in which he took eight podium finishes. Alén was only able to reach third place, only capturing a single rally win in his Lancia Rally 037.

Late in the season, Ari Vatanen returned to the world rally scene in a Peugeot 205 T16, winning three of the final four rallies and reaching fourth place in the overall standings. His performance showed that Peugeot Sport, headed by Jean Todt, had a winner that could beat the Audi, which they would do in the coming years of Group B dominance.

As with previous seasons, while all twelve events were calculated for tallying the drivers' scores, only ten of the events applied to the championship for manufacturers. The two events in 1984 which applied only to driver standings were the Swedish Rally and the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire.

Teams and drivers

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Team Manufacturer Car Tyre Drivers Rounds
  Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2
Quattro Sport
M
P
  Walter Röhrl 1, 3, 5–7, 10
  Hannu Mikkola 1, 3–4, 6–9, 11–12
  Stig Blomqvist All
  Per Eklund 2, 9
  Michèle Mouton 2, 4, 6, 9, 12
  Lasse Lampi 2, 9
  Sarel van der Merwe 3
  Franz Wittmann 4, 7
  Bernard Darniche 5
  John Buffum 6, 12
  Jorge Recalde 8
  Rubén Luis di Palma 8
  Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo P   Markku Alén 1, 3–7, 9–10
  Jean-Claude Andruet 1, 5
  Attilio Bettega 1, 3, 5–6, 10
  Henri Toivonen 3, 6, 9
  Vic Preston Jr 4
  Greg Criticos 4
  Team Nissan Europe Nissan 240RS D   Timo Salonen 1, 4, 6–7, 12
  Terry Kaby 1, 9, 12
  Sören Nilsson 2
  Erkki Pitkanen 3, 9
  Shekhar Mehta 4, 6, 11–12
  Mike Kirkland 4
  Jayant Shah 4, 6
  George Moschous 6
  Stratis Hatzipanayiotou 6
  Reg Cook 7
  Pentti Airikkala 9
  Peter Geitel 9, 12
  Renault Elf Renault 5 Turbo M
P
  Jean-Luc Thérier 1
  Bruno Saby 1, 5, 9
  François Chatriot 1, 5
  Dany Snobeck 1
  Jean Ragnotti 3, 5
  Joaquim Moutinho 3
  Jean-Pierre Manzagol 5
  Didier Auriol 5
  Camille Bartoli 5
  Jolly Club Lancia Rally 037 evo P   Miki Biasion 1, 3, 5–6, 10
  Adartico Vudafieri 5, 10
  Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda RX-7 P   Achim Warmbold 1, 6
  Minna Sillankorva 1
  Ingvar Carlsson 6, 12
  Philippe Wambergue 12
  Marianne Hoepfner 12
  Citroën Compétitions Citroën Visa M   Christian Dorche 1, 3
  Maurice Chomat 4, 9–10
  Philippe Wambergue 4, 9–10
  Christian Rio 4, 9–10
  Oliver Tabatoni 5–6, 9
  Mark Lovell 12
  Opel Euro Team Opel Ascona 400
Manta 400
M   Mats Jonsson 2, 12
  Alex Jackson 2
  Guy Frequelin 4–5
  Rauno Aaltonen 4
  Yasuhiro Iwase 4, 8
  Alain Ambrosino 11
  Jimmy McRae 12
  Russell Brookes 12
  Phil Collins 12
  Bertie Fisher 12
  Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica TCT P   Björn Waldegård 3–4, 7, 9, 12
  Juha Kankkunen 3, 7, 9, 12
  Per Eklund 4, 12
  Sandro Munari 4
  Peugeot Talbot Sport Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 M   Ari Vatanen 5–6, 9–10, 12
  Jean-Pierre Nicolas 5–6, 10
  Rothmans Porsche Rally Team Porsche 911SC RS M   Saeed Al-Hajri 6, 12
  Roger Clark 12
  Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTi P   Kalle Grundel 1–3, 5, 9–10, 12

Events

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Black = Tarmac Brown = Gravel Blue = Snow/ice Red = Mixed surface

Schedule and results

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Round Rally name Stages Podium finishers
Rank Driver Co-driver Team Car Time
1   Rallye Monte Carlo
(21–27 January)
30 stages
722 km
Tarmac
1   Walter Röhrl   Christian Geistdörfer   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 8:52:29
2   Stig Blomqvist   Björn Cederberg   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 8:53:42
3   Hannu Mikkola   Arne Hertz   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 9:05:09
2   Swedish Rally[2]
(10–12 February)
27 stages
450 km
Snow/Ice
1   Stig Blomqvist   Björn Cederberg   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 4:16:45
2   Michèle Mouton   Fabrizia Pons   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 4:24:12
3   Per Eklund   Dave Whittock   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 4:33:27
3   Rallye de Portugal
(6–11 March)
45 stages
684 km
Gravel/Tarmac
1   Hannu Mikkola   Arne Hertz   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 7:35:32
2   Markku Alén   Ilkka Kivimäki   Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo 7:35:59
3   Attilio Bettega   Maurizio Perissinot   Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo 7:58:21
4   Safari Rally
(19–23 April)
105 controls
5254 km
Gravel
1   Björn Waldegård   Hans Thorszelius   Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica TCT +2:02 pen
2   Rauno Aaltonen   Lofty Drews   Opel Euro Team Opel Manta 400 +2:13 pen
3   Hannu Mikkola   Arne Hertz   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 +2:25 pen
5   Tour de Corse
(3–5 May)
30 stages
1119 km
Tarmac
1   Markku Alén   Ilkka Kivimäki   Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo 13:24:56
2   Miki Biasion   Tiziano Siviero   Jolly Club Lancia Rally 037 evo 13:29:11
3   Jean Ragnotti   Pierre Thimonier   Renault Elf Renault 5 Turbo 13:33:16
6   Acropolis Rally
(28–31 May)
47 stages
830 km
Gravel
1   Stig Blomqvist   Björn Cederberg   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:41:51
2   Hannu Mikkola   Arne Hertz   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:44:58
3   Markku Alén   Ilkka Kivimäki   Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo 10:56:01
7   Rally New Zealand
(23–26 June)
45 stages
1044 km
Gravel
1   Stig Blomqvist   Björn Cederberg   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:40:41
2   Markku Alén   Ilkka Kivimäki   Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo 10:45:28
3   Hannu Mikkola   Arne Hertz   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:48:10
8   Rally Argentina
(27 July – 1 August)
23 stages
948 km
Gravel
1   Stig Blomqvist   Björn Cederberg   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:33:38
2   Hannu Mikkola   Arne Hertz   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:36:54
3   Jorge Recalde   Jorge del Bouno   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 10:38:48
9   1000 Lakes Rally
(24–26 August)
50 stages
457 km
Gravel
1   Ari Vatanen   Terry Harryman   Peugeot Talbot Sport Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 4:07:27
2   Markku Alén   Ilkka Kivimäki   Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo 4:08:26
3   Henri Toivonen   Juha Piironen   Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo 4:10:19
10   Rallye Sanremo
(30 September – 5 October)
46 stages
777 km
Gravel/Tarmac
1   Ari Vatanen   Terry Harryman   Peugeot Talbot Sport Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 8:44:34
2   Attilio Bettega   Maurizio Perissinot   Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 evo 8:50:01
3   Miki Biasion   Tiziano Siviero   Jolly Club Lancia Rally 037 evo 8:53:58
11   Rallye Côte d'Ivoire[2]
(31 October – 5 November)
46 controls
4012 km
Gravel
1   Stig Blomqvist   Björn Cederberg   Audi Sport Audi Sport Quattro +5:24 pen
2   Hannu Mikkola   Arne Hertz   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 +5:46 pen
3   Shekhar Mehta   Yvonne Mehta   Team Nissan Europe Nissan 240RS +6:28 pen
12   RAC Rally
(November 25–29)
56 stages
863 km
Gravel/Tarmac
1   Ari Vatanen   Terry Harryman   Peugeot Talbot Sport Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 9:19:48
2   Hannu Mikkola   Arne Hertz   Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 9:20:29
3   Per Eklund   Dave Whittock   Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica TCT 9:37:07

Standings

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Drivers' championship

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Rank Driver Event Total
points
 
MON
 
SWE
 
POR
 
KEN
 
FRA
 
GRC
 
NZL
 
ARG
 
FIN
 
ITA
 
CIV
 
GBR
1   Stig Blomqvist 15 20 0 0 (8) 20 20 20 10 0 20 0 125
2   Hannu Mikkola 12 20 12 15 (12) 15 0 15 15 104
3   Markku Alén 3 15 10 20 12 15 15 0 90
4   Ari Vatanen 0 0 20 20 20 60
5   Attilio Bettega 8 12 4 10 15 49
6   Miki Biasion 6 10 15 0 12 43
7   Per Eklund 12 0 6 12 30
8   Björn Waldegård 0 20 8 0 0 28
9   Shekhar Mehta 0 8 4 12 3 27
10   Timo Salonen 1 4 6 10 6 27
11   Walter Röhrl 20 6 0 0 0 0 26
12   Michèle Mouton 15 0 0 0 10 25
13   Jean Ragnotti 8 12 20
14   Jean-Pierre Nicolas 10 0 8 18
15   Rauno Aaltonen 15 15
16   Jorge Recalde - 12 12
  Henri Toivonen 0 0 12
18   Kalle Grundel 2 0 4 0 6 0 12
19   Jean-Luc Thérier 10 10
  Mats Jonsson 10 0
  Mario Stillo 10
  Fabrizio Tabaton 10
  Alain Ambrosino 10
24   Lars-Erik Torph 8 0 8
  John Buffum 8 0
  Yasuhiro Iwase 8
  Juha Kankkunen 0 0 8 0
  David Horsey 8
  Russell Brookes 8
30   Björn Johansson 6 6
  Vic Preston, Jr. 6
  Jean-Claude Andruet 0 6
  Reg Cook 6
  Miguel Torrás 6
  Patrick Tauziac 6
36   Bernard Darniche 4 0 4
  Kenneth Eriksson 4 0
  Malcolm Stewart 4
  Carlos Bassi 4
  Erkki Pitkänen 0 4
  Massimo Ercolani 4
  Jimmy McRae 4
43   Stig Andervang 3 0 3
  Jorge Ortigão 3
  Franz Wittmann 3 0
  François Chatriot 0 3
  Iórgos Moschous 3
  'Possum' Bourne 3
  Hugo Hernández 3
  Bruno Saby 0 0 3 0
  Gerhard Kalnay 3
52   Yoshio Iwashita 2 1 3
53   Gunnar Pettersson 2 2
  Christian Dorche 0 2
  Guy Fréquelin 0 2
  Achim Warmbold 0 2
  Tony Teesdale 2
  Monnenmacher Pérez 2
  Jouko Pöysti 2 0
  Michele Rayneri 2
  Bertie Fisher 2
62   Jerry Åhlin 1 0 1
  Russell Gooding 1 0
  Basil Criticos 1
  Yves Loubet 0 1
  Blair Robson 1
  Walter d'Agostini 1
  Kalevi Aho 1
  Werner Grissmann 0 1
  Mikael Ericsson 0 0 1

Manufacturers' championship

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Rank Manufacturers Event Total
points
 
MON
 
POR
 
KEN
 
FRA
 
GRC
 
NZL
 
ARG
 
FIN
 
ITA
 
GBR
1   Audi 18 18 14 (10) 18 18 18 16 120
2   Lancia (10) 16 12 18 14 16 16 16 108
3   Peugeot 12 8 18 18 18 74
4   Toyota 10 18 10 10 14 62
5   Renault 12 10 14 15 4 55
6   Opel 16 2 11 2 7 10 48
7   Nissan 2 10 8 12 6 8 46
8   Volkswagen 9 12 13 34
9   Subaru 11 11
10   Alfa Romeo 9 9
  Fiat 9 9
12   Ford 6 6
13   Citroën 4 4
14   Vauxhall 2 2
  Mazda 2 2
  Mitsubishi 2 2

Pointscoring systems

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Drivers' championship

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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

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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

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  1. ^ Collins, Peter (2008). Lancia 037: The Development & Rally History of a World Champion. Veloce Publishing Ltd. p. 138. ISBN 978-1-84584-076-1.
  2. ^ a b Event not included in the Manufacturers' Championship
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