Look back at the Rally of Argentina 1985, Vatanen nearly dies, Audi Quattro Sport S1 makes WRC debut and Salonen on course for title
Time to look back at an old Argentina Rally, the 1985 event. The WRC championship had reached a pivotal point at that stage in the season, Salonen had just won New Zealand with Vatanen second. Salonen didn't expect to be going to Argentina, but with his lead in the championship and Audi going with the new car, PTS entered him.
Entry and Itinerary
http://www.juwra.com/argentina_1985_entries.html
http://www.juwra.com/argentina_1985_itinerary.html
Audi arrived with the new S1 E2 driven by Stig Blomqvist for it's WRC debut. The car tried to address the problems of the Audi Sport, especially weight distribution, by locating a number of components in the boot. A complex water radiator and resevoir was designed so it could be positioned in the back along with oil coolers and even an alternator. This was to try and achieve Audi's 50/50 weight distribution and they were close enough. The outlandish wings were necessary to improve handling and did as negated understeer, much to the drivers delight, both Mikkola and Blomqvist likened it to a MK 2 Escort during the 1000 Lakes a few weeks later. The engine was improved with new manifolds and with, as already mentioned, moving the ancillaries to the back of the car.
One very interesting entrant was former Argentine Grand Prix hero Carlos Reutemann in a works 205 T16, entered more for PR purposes (he was seeded at no.1) but had a chance of a result with few competitive entries.
Interview by Martin Holmes with the then Audi boss Roland Gumpert about S1 E2 development and mechanics prior to Argentina 1985, also an imteresting piece on the PDK gearbox debuted on the 85 RAC by Walter Rohrl:
http://homepage.virgin.net/shalco.com/quattro_s1.htm
Stig 1985 Argentina, retired SS8 - engine
Wiedner 2nd O/A in an A2 Quattro
Reutemann finished 3rd, notice the well documented nosediving characteristics (centrafugal forces causing a gyroscopic effect? - much debated but no firm evidence) of the 205 T16 E1:
Mehta 4th
So all was set for an intriguing battle and after SS1 this appeared to be the case. Vatanen was quickest by 1 second from both Stig and Timo who tied, even though Salonen caught and passed Shekar Mehta's Nissan 240RS mid stage. Stage 2, and the rally took on a very different complex, Blomqvist's Audi took a dislike to water splashes as the new wings funneled water into the engine bay, causing the car to stop for a while. But much worse was to happen, as Vatanen had a massive accident on SS2, the worst of his career.
Between the recce and the rally there had been much rain and this had furrowed a deeper hole in the road where Vatanen crashed, the dip was at the end of a long straight. Vatanen was flat out at 190kph on that section whereas Salonen had noticed different shades of brown in the mud and realised the dip was deeper so slowed down. Vatanen was seriously injured and needed instant attention, luckily team boss Jean Todt summoned the PTS helicopter to locate him, as there was no sign of him at stage finish. During the accident the car flipped up and was sent into a number of viscious cartwheels for a 100m (similar to Markko Martin's accident in 2004), the car a ball. This was a particular problem for the T16 due to it's transverse, centrally mounted engine, it had a tendancy to nosedive. Once discovered, (only after Terry Harryman was seen by the helicopter staggering on the road, as the car wasn't visible due to being submerged in undergrowth off the road and Vatanen was lying on the ground not moving), Vatanen required instant medical attention and had to get three litres of blood immediately, his injuries consisted of a broken vertebrae, crushed chest and severely smashed leg, the force of the accident even broke his seat. His navigator Terry Harryman suffered less severe injuries consisting mainly of a broken vertebrae.
Vatanen's recuperation would take a long time (almost two years) for both the physical and psychological trauma. Vatanen would later divulge in his autobiography that he nearly died twice from his injuries.
The aftermath of Vatanen's accident, if the PTS helicopter hadn't of found him he would of died, see the sump guard in second pic, it was used as a stretcher by the helicopter crew to carry Ari:
After the accident Salonen's thoughts were elsewhere and he took a more cautious approach. Salonen had one scare though as he required the team helicopter's assistance to change a puncture, he was caught on the stage by Blomqvist. Blomqvist's rally was going reasonably well, setting some fastest times, as he felt car was much easier to drive but unfortunately retired when he suffered oil supply problems on SS 8. Behind Salonen was privateer Wilfried Wiedner in a Quattro A2, and next up was Reutemann who had masses of people surrounding him everywhere he went. The positions held until the end of the 918km 23 stage event. Salonen's victory gave him a commanding lead in the championship, as Vatanen wouldn't be returning, while Audi's challenge faltered and after the 1000 Lakes Salonen would be champion as well as Peugeot.
Salonen's puncture drama where the team helicopter had to land and assist:
The rally highlighted again the dangers of Group B and FISA were attempting to address the problems with plans for the new category Group S. As we know this never happened but the dangers of Group B escalated, during and after 1985. Drastic measures were required and FISA in the end did, ironically, save the sport even if their motives were politically motivated.
Local Mario Stillo finished 6th in a Renault 12, the Renault marque was very much the staple of South American rallying at the time, particularly in Argentina:
1985 Rally of Argentina Top Ten Results
| 1st | 3 | Salonen, Timo Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 |
FI | B | 10h 04m 33s | --:-- |
| 2nd | 7 | Wiedner, Wilfried Audi quattro A2 |
AT | B | +13m 56s | --:-- |
| 3rd | 1 | Reutemann, Carlos Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 |
AR | B | +31m 14s | --:-- |
| 4th | 2 | Mehta, Shekhar Nissan 240 RS |
KE | B | +1h 00m 13s | --:-- |
| 5th | 16 | Soto, Ernesto Renault 18 |
AR | A | +1h 06m 25s | --:-- |
| 6th | 10 | Stillo, Mario Renault 12 |
AR | A | +1h 45m 09s | --:-- |
| 7th | 8 | Shah, Jayant Nissan 240 RS |
KE | B | +1h 57m 43s | --:-- |
| 8th | 19 | Bordin, Sady Chevrolet Chevette |
BR | A | +2h 09m 13s | --:-- |
| 9th | 39 | West, Federico Ford Escort RS |
UY | A | +2h 26m 42s | --:-- |
| 10th | 35 | Etchegoyen, Luis Ford Escort RS |
UY | A | +2h 32m 32s | --:-- |
The victor Salonen
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