1987 World Rally Championship Explained

The 1987 World Rally Championship was the 15th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 13 rallies in the same venues of the previous season. The only alteration to the schedule was the move of the Olympus Rally from December to June on the calendar.

1987 marked the beginning of a new era for the WRC, as it was the first season driven without the powerful and popular Group B rally cars, seeing the Group A cars come to the forefront of the world stage and the institution of championships not only for manufacturers and drivers, but also drivers of production and two-wheel drive cars. Group A would remain at the forefront of the championship for ten years, where a new specification, World Rally Car were made standard in 1997. The FIA also changed the basic scoring rules for manufacturers although they retained the policy of having two rallies not count toward manufacturers totals. New Zealand and the Ivory Coast were selected in 1987 to count solely for drivers' titles.

Martini Lancia proved most successful in adjusting to the new lower-powered cars, adopting the Lancia Delta HF 4WD, driven by Finns Juha Kankkunen and Markku Alén as well as Italian Miki Biasion. Between the three, Lancia would gather nine rally wins over the thirteen race season, dominating the manufacturers' race for the championship. Meanwhile, the three drivers split success between them, placing closely in the top three places for the drivers' title by the end of the season.

Audi Sport retained both Hannu Mikkola and Walter Röhrl, although they could not duplicate the success of their Group B seasons, both placing well down in the drivers' title competition. Audi however did gain some points from others team running the Quattro. Clarion Team Europe with driver Per Eklund contributed 26 points to the work's effort while Mig Linz's entry, Georg Fischer added another eight, bolstering Audi's bid for second overall.

The Philips Renault Elf team struggled through the season with the Group A Renault 11 Turbo. French drivers Jean Ragnotti and François Chatriot were unable to gain much success, with the highlight of their season coming at Portugal with Ragnotti's second-place finish.

Volkswagen Motorsport followed their success of the previous season with Swede Kenneth Eriksson, the 1986 winner of the championship for drivers of Group A cars. Eriksson was able to place fourth overall on the season, beaten only by Lancia drivers. Volkswagen, lacking a major second driver, was surpassed by not only Lancia, but Audi and Renault as well in the manufacturer standings.

Ford Motor Company made its return to serious competition by enlisting drivers Ari Vatanen and Stig Blomqvist, but struggled early on with the Sierra XR 4x4. The car was dropped, its replacement on the works team coming in the end of the season in the form of the redesigned Sierra RS Cosworth, which met with much greater success, challenging the dominant Lancias in the final three events of the season.

__TOC__

Teams and drivers

TeamManufacturerCarTyreDriversRounds
Martini LanciaLanciaDelta HF 4WD Juha Kankkunen1–3, 6–7, 10, 13
Miki Biasion1, 3, 5–7, 9, 12
Bruno Saby1, 5, 12–13
Markku Alén2–3, 6–7, 10, 12–13
Mikael Ericsson2, 13
Vic Preston Jr4
Yves Loubet5
Jorge Recalde9
Mazda Rally Team EuropeMazda323 4WD Timo Salonen1–3, 10, 13
Ingvar Carlsson1–3, 9–10
Mikael Sundström2, 10, 13
Harri Toivonen2, 10
Rod Millen7
Jon Woodner7
Neil Allport8
Pascal Gaban12
Philips Renault Elf
Renault Sport Elf		Renault11 Turbo Jean Ragnotti1, 3, 5–6, 12
François Chatriot1, 3, 5–6, 12
Alain Oreille1, 5
Manuel Breyner3
Inverno Amaral3
Bento Amaral3
Audi SportAudi200 Quattro
80 Quattro
Coupé Quattro		 Walter Röhrl1, 4, 6
Hannu Mikkola4, 6, 10
Lars-Erik Torph2
Per Eklund2, 9, 10, 13
Göran Åndberg2
Rudi Stohl3–4, 6, 11–12
Jorge Recalde6
Paolo Alessandrini6
John Buffum7
David Llewellin12–13
Ford Motor Co LtdFordSierra XR 4x4
Sierra RS Cosworth		 Stig Blomqvist1–2, 4–5, 8, 10, 13
Kalle Grundel1–2, 5
Didier Auriol1, 5, 12
Carlos Sainz3, 5, 13
Joaquim Santos3
John Hellier4
Ari Vatanen10
Jimmy McRae12–13
Mark Lovell13
George Donaldson13
Volkswagen MotorsportVolkswagenGolf GTI 16V Kenneth Eriksson1–6, 8–9, 11, 13
Erwin Weber1, 3–4, 6, 9, 11
Teemu Tahko10
Fuji Heavy IndustriesSubaruRX Turbo Per Eklund1, 4
Harald Demuth1
Ari Vatanen4
Peter 'Possum' Bourne4, 8, 13
Frank Tundo4
José Celsi9
Mercedes FranceMercedes190E 2.3 16V Bernard Darniche1, 5
Dany Snobeck1
Jolly ClubLanciaDelta HF 4WD Vittorio Caneva1–3, 6, 12
Alex Fiorio1–3, 6–7, 10, 12
Giorgio Schön1
Mikael Ericsson6, 12
Giannis Vardinogiannis6
Jorge Recalde9
Gianfranco Cunico12
Alex Fassina12
Pierangela Riva12
GM Euro SportOpel
Vauxhall		Kadett GSI 16V
Astra GTE		 Mats Jonsson2, 10, 13
Björn Johansson2
Håkan Eriksson2
David Metcalfe2, 13
Rauno Aaltonen4
Guy Fréquelin5, 12
Sepp Haider10, 12–13
Derek Bell13
Malcolm Wilson13
Andrew Wood13
Pentti Airikkala13
Mitsubishi Ralliart EuropeMitsubishiStarion Turbo Robert Koch2
David Offier8
Lasse Lampi10
Antero Laine10
Patrick Tauziac11
Toyota Team EuropeToyotaSupra 3.0i
Supra Turbo		 Björn Waldegård4, 7, 11
Lars-Erik Torph4, 7, 11
Robin Ulyate4, 11
Nissan Motorsports InternationalNissan200SX Shekhar Mehta4, 6–7, 11
Andrea Zanussi4, 6
Mike Kirkland4, 6, 11
Jayant Shah4
Stratis Hatzipanayiotou6
Mikael Ericsson7
Per Eklund7
Paddy Davidson8
Alain Ambrosino11
Rothmans Motul BMWBMWM3 Bernard Béguin5
Marc Duez5
Patrick Bernardini5
Grifone EssoLanciaDelta HF 4WD Paolo Alessandriani7, 12
Fabrizio Tabaton12
Funkberaterring Rally TeamLanciaDelta HF 4WD Franz Wittmann8

Schedule and results

+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"1987 World Rally Championship schedule and results
width=5% rowspan=2Roundwidth=20% rowspan=2Rally namewidth=5% rowspan=2Stageswidth=75% colspan=6Podium finishers
RankDriverCo-driverTeamCarTime
1 Rallye Monte Carlo
(17 January–22 January)		26 stages
571 km
Tarmac		1 Miki Biasion Tiziano Siviero Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:39.50
2 Juha Kankkunen Juha Piironen Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:40.49
3 Walter Röhrl Christian Geistdörfer Audi SportAudi 200 Quattro7:44.00
2 Swedish Rally
(13 February–14 February)		26 stages
400 km
Snow/Ice		1 Timo Salonen Seppo Harjanne Mazda Rally Team EuropeMazda 323 4WD4:11.00
2 Mikael Ericsson Claes Billstam Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD4:11.23
3 Juha Kankkunen Juha Piironen Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD4:12.46
3 Rallye de Portugal
(11 March–14 March)		37 stages
597 km
Gravel/Tarmac		1 Markku Alén Ilkka Kivimäki Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:09.39
2 Jean Ragnotti Pierre Thimonier Renault Sport ElfRenault 11 Turbo7:12.32
3 Kenneth Eriksson Peter Diekmann Volkswagen MotorsportVolkswagen Golf GTI 16V7:14.37
4 Safari Rally
(16 April–20 April)		83 controls
4011 km
Gravel		1 Hannu Mikkola Arne Hertz Audi SportAudi 200 Quattro3:39.44
2 Walter Röhrl Christian Geistdörfer Audi SportAudi 200 Quattro3:56.59
3 Lars-Erik Torph Benny Melander Toyota Team EuropeToyota Supra 3.0i4:31.09
5 Tour de Corse
(7 May–9 May)		24 stages
619 km
Tarmac		1 Bernard Béguin Jean-Jacques Lenne Rothmans Motul BMWBMW M37:22.30
2 Yves Loubet Jean-Bernard Vieu Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:24.38
3 Miki Biasion Tiziano Siviero Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:24.58
6 Acropolis Rally
(May 31–3)		33 stages
538 km
Gravel		1 Markku Alén Ilkka Kivimäki Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:25.57
2 Juha Kankkunen Juha Piironen Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:26.45
3 Hannu Mikkola Arne Hertz Audi SportAudi 200 Quattro7:31.21
7 Olympus Rally
(26 June–29 June)		42 stages
540 km
Gravel		1 Juha Kankkunen Juha Piironen Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD5:59.24
2 Miki Biasion Tiziano Siviero Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD5:59.36
3 Markku Alén Ilkka Kivimäki Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD6:00.06
8 Rally New Zealand[1]
(11 July–14 July)		36 stages
593 km
Gravel		1 Franz Wittmann Jörg Pattermann Funkberaterring Rally TeamLancia Delta HF 4WD6:56.00
2 Kenneth Eriksson Peter Diekmann Volkswagen MotorsportVolkswagen Golf GTI 16V6:56.47
3 Possum Bourne Michael Eggleton Fuji Heavy IndustriesSubaru RX Turbo7:04.25
9 Rally Argentina
(4 August–8 August)		26 stages
596 km
Gravel		1 Miki Biasion Tiziano Siviero Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:10.27
2 Jorge Recalde Jorge del Buono Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD7:11.28
3 Erwin Weber Matthias Feltz Volkswagen MotorsportVolkswagen Golf GTI 16V7:37.11
10 1000 Lakes Rally
(27 August–30 August)		52 stages
494 km
Gravel		1 Markku Alén Ilkka Kivimäki Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD5:12.22
2 Ari Vatanen Terry Harryman Ford Motor Co LtdFord Sierra RS Cosworth5:17.54
3 Stig Blomqvist Bruno Berglund Ford Motor Co LtdFord Sierra RS Cosworth5:18.51
11 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire
(22 September–26 September)		29 controls
3831 km
Gravel		1 Kenneth Eriksson Peter Diekmann Volkswagen MotorsportVolkswagen Golf GTI 16V+48.57 pen
2 Shekhar Mehta Rob Combes Nissan Motorsports InternationalNissan 200SX+1:09.18 pen
3 Erwin Weber Matthias Feltz Volkswagen MotorsportVolkswagen Golf GTI 16V+2:05.56 pen
12 Rallye Sanremo
(12 October–15 October)		38 stages
529 km
Gravel/Tarmac		1 Miki Biasion Tiziano Siviero Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD6:09.19
2 Bruno Saby Jean-François Fauchille Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD6:14.30
3 Jean Ragnotti Pierre Thimonier Renault Sport ElfRenault 11 Turbo6:16.55
13 RAC Rally
(22 November–25 November)		47 stages
539 km
Gravel/Tarmac		1 Juha Kankkunen Juha Piironen Martini LanciaLancia Delta HF 4WD5:26.36
2 Stig Blomqvist Bruno Berglund Ford Motor Co LtdFord Sierra RS Cosworth5:29.48
3 Jimmy McRae Ian Grindrod RED FordFord Sierra RS Cosworth5:33.15

Championship for manufacturers

+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"1987 World Rally Championship for ManufacturersRankManufacturersEventTotal
points

MON
SWE
POR
KEN
FRA
GRC
USA
ARG
FIN
ITA
GBR
1 Lancia20 - 20 - - 20 20 20 20 20 -140
2 Audi14 6 8 20 - 14 - - 12 - 882
3 Renault8 - 17 - 12 10 - 10 - 14 -71
4 Volkswagen10 4 14 12 - 8 - 14 - - 264
5 Ford- 8 2 - 6 - - - 17 12 1762
6 Mazda12 20 - - - - 12 - 8 - -52
7 Toyota- - - 14 - - 8 - - - -22
8 BMW- - - - 20 - - - - - -20
9 Opel- - - 2 - - - - - 8 616
10 Subaru1 - - 10 - - - - - - 112
11 Nissan- - - 4 - 1 4 - - - -9
12 Fiat- - 1 - - - - 4 - - -5
+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"1987 World Rally Championship point awards for manufacturers
Points awarded by finish1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
20 17 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 1

Championship for drivers

+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"1987 World Rally Championship for DriversRankDriverEventTotal
points

MON
SWE
POR
KEN
FRA
GRC
USA
NZL
ARG
FIN
CIV
ITA
GBR
1 Juha Kankkunen15 12 10 - - 15 20 - - 8 - - 20100
220 - 3 - 12 4 15 - 20 - - 20 -94
3- 8 20 - - 20 12 - - 20 - - 888
48 3 12 - - - - 15 10 - 20 - 270
56 - 15 - 10 8 - - - - - 12 -51
64 - - 10 - 6 - - 12 - 12 - -44
7- 6 - - - - - - - 12 - - 1533
8- - - 20 - 12 - - - - - - -32
9- - 1 - - 10 4 - 16 - - - -30
10- 15 - - - - - - - - - 3 1028
11 Walter Röhrl12 - - 15 - - - - - - - - -27
12 Per Eklund1 4 - 8 - - 2 - - 10 - - -25
133 - 8 - 8 3 - - - - - - -22
14- 20 - - - - - - - - - - -20
- - - - 20 - - - - - - - -20
- - - - - - - 20 - - - - -20
17 Ingvar Carlsson10 10 - - - - - - - - - - -20
18- - - - - - 3 - - - 15 - -18
19- - - 1 - - - - - 15 - - -16
20- - - - 15 - - - - - - - -15
Bruno Saby- - - - - - - - - - - 15 -15
22- - - - 3 - - - - - - 10 -13
23- - - 12 - - - - - - - - -12
- - - - - - - 12 - - - - -12
- - - - - - - - - - - - 1212
26- - - - - - 10 - - - - - -10
- - - - - - - 10 - - - - -10
- - - - - - - - - - 10 - -10
29- - - - - - 8 - - - - 2 -10
30- - 4 4 - 2 - - - - - - -10
31- - - - - - - 8 - - - - -8
- - - - - - - - 8 - - - -8
- - - - - - - - - - 8 - -8
- - - - - - - - - - - 8 -8
35- - - - 4 - - - - - - - 37
36- - 6 - - - - - - - - - -6
- - - 6 - - - - - - - - -6
- - - - 6 - - - - - - - -6
- - - - - - 6 - - - - - -6
- - - - - - - 6 - - - - -6
- - - - - - - - 6 - - - -6
- - - - - - - - - 6 - - -6
- - - - - - - - - - 6 - -6
- - - - - - - - - - - 6 -6
- - - - - - - - - - - - 66
46- - - - - - - 4 - - - - -4
- - - - - - - - 4 - - - -4
- - - - - - - - - 4 - - -4
- - - - - - - - - - 4 - -4
- - - - - - - - - - - 4 -4
- - - - - - - - - - - - 44
52- - - 3 - 1 - - - - - - -4
53- - - - - - - 3 - - - - -3
- - - - - - - - 3 - - - -3
- - - - - - - - - 3 - - -3
- - - - - - - - - - 3 - -3
57- 1 - - - - - - - 2 - - -3
582 - - - - - - - - - - - -2
- 2 - - - - - - - - - - -2
- - 2 - - - - - - - - - -2
- - - 2 - - - - - - - - -2
- - - - 2 - - - - - - - -2
- - - - - - - 2 - - - - -2
Ernesto Soto- - - - - - - - 2 - - - -2
Fredrik Donner- - - - - - - - - - 2 - -2
66- - - - 1 - - - - - - - -1
- - - - - - 1 - - - - - -1
- - - - - - - 1 - - - - -1
- - - - - - - - 1 - - - -1
- - - - - - - - - 1 - - -1
- - - - - - - - - - 1 - -1
- - - - - - - - - - - 1 -1
- - - - - - - - - - - - 11
+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"1987 World Rally Championship point awards for drivers
Points awarded by finish1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
20 15 12 10 8 6 4 3 2 1

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Event not included in the Manufacturers' Championship

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "1987 World Rally Championship".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.