1984 European Rally Championship highlights:
Rally RACE Costa Rally
The 1984 Rally RACE Costa Blanca in Alicante, Spain featured epic mountainous stages with steep drops, twists, turns and hair pins and was the eighth round of the European Rally Championship. The rally took place over a total distance of 1272km and included 46 special stages. However, out of these 46 stages only 10 would be held in daylight and with only three hours of sleep, drivers had to focus and push hard through the night-time stages.
Rallye des Garrigues
The Rallye des Garrigues, round 10 of the 1984 European Rally Championship, took place over 18 stages all within an 80 kilometre radius of Nimes in the South of France.
The rally attracted one of the best entries for the European Rally Championship and over 100 competitors took to the stages. With the sun in the sky and temperatures warm, hoards of spectators gathered in at the roadside to catch a glimpse of top pilots like Guy Frequelin (Opel Manta 400), Henri Toivonen (Rothmans Porsche 911), Jean-Claude Andruet (Lancia Rally 037) and Bruno Saby (Renault Turbo 5).
Rallye Alpin-Behra
Highlights from the 1984 European Rally Championship and the 27th running of the Rallye Alpin-Behra, starring top drivers Jean Ragnotti (Renault 5 Turbo), Henri Toivonen (Porsche 911 SC RS), Guy Frequelin (Open Manta 400) and Didier Auriol (Renault 5 Turbo).
Costa Smeralda Rally
The Costa Smeralda Rally was first held in 1978 on the island of Sardinia and was part of the European Rally Championship until 1994.
The 1984 event will best be remembered for the heroics of Henri Toivonen in the Rothmans Porsche 911. He arrived at the rally on crutches after injuring his left foot in a go-karting accident at the previous 'Circuit of Ireland' round.
The team doctor treated Henri's foot with injections and pain killers throughout the rally and in true Finnish 'Sisu' style, he went on to secure victory in the face of adversity and up against stiff competition from Carlo Capone in the Lancia 037 and Dario Cerrato in the Opel Manta 400.
Ypres 24 Hours Rally
The Ypres 24 hour rally in 1984 was held in Belgium. The Belgium Ypres Westhoek Rally was founded in 1965 and is one of the most famous rallies in the European Rally Championship. The rally is filled with constant action as Henri Toivonen (Porsche 911 SC RS), Patrick Snijers (Porsche 91 SC RS), Carlo Capone (Lancia 037) and Jimmy McRae battle for first place (Opel Manta 400).
Madeira Rally
Coming into the 1984 Madeira Rally, just one point separated the European Rally Championship leader Henri Toivonen, driving the Rothmans Porsche 911 and Italian Carlo Capone in a works Lancia 037.
In damp and foggy conditions on day one, the stage was set for a cracking battle between Toivonen and Capone and for other top runners Patrick Snijers (Porsche 911) and Antonella Mandelli (Lancia 037) to challenge for the podium positions.
Rallye d'Antibes
The 1984 Rally D’Antibes, held on the 12th and 13th of October, was the European Rally Championship (ERC) decider and hosted 1200km of epic stages along the Côte d'Azur in the south of France.
Unfortunately, one of the favourites for the event, Finland’s Henri Toivonen, was unable to compete after sustaining a back injury during the 1000 lakes rally. It came down to a fantastic fight between eventual rally winner Carlo Capone (Lancia 037), who would secure the ERC crown in 1984 and Bernard Béguin in the mighty BMW M1.
Extra Feature:
Milles Piste Rally 1984
The famous Milles Pistes, or 1000 Pistes Rally took place in the on the Plan de Canjuers; a military camp in the southeast of france. The first event took place in 1976 and it was a popular international rally in which prototype and non-homologated cars were allowed entry, leading to a a critical period for rally car development during the 70s and 80s. In 1982, 1983 and 1984 the rally counted as part of the French championship and the 1984 event was won by Finland's maestro Henri Toivonen in the Porsche 911 RS.