As the Audi Quattro entered its fourth year in competition it was still the only serious four wheel drive rally car around. Yet despite this advantage they had been denied a clean sweep of the Championships due primarily to the efforts of one man; Walter Rohrl. However by now Rohrl had had enough of trying to beat them and had decide to join them.
Led by Alen, Lancia hoped to repeat their success of the previous year,
but it was not to be. On the Monte it snowed, and Rohrl led Blomqvist
home to add to his legend - winning first time out in a Quattro and
wining the rally four times in four very different cars.Lancia tried all their old tricks but to no avail, and in Portugal Audi came up with a new trick the Italians must have kicked themselves for not thinking of. They had rally leader Mikkola running on the road behind Rohrl so that the German could pull over and let Mikkola have a dust free run.
There had been a premonition that Audi's dominance was coming to an end on the Tour de Corse. The German team's sawn off Sport Quattro had expired without making an impact, but another car on its debut had sparkled: Peugeot's 205T16.
Until he left the road, Ari Vatanen had been leading the rally in the new car. Seemingly combining the best attributes of both the Quattro and the 037; four wheel drive, a massive turbo and a mid engine layout, the Peugeot showed itself well able to beat Lancia on their favoured surface.When the series returned to Europe for the 1000 Lakes Vatanen was waiting for them, and this time he didn't put a foot wrong, winning easily from Alen and a flying Toivonen, with Audi only managing fourth.
He repeated the feat again on the Sanremo and again in Britain, despite a roll. Suddenly Quattros looked slow and ponderous on gravel.
Vatanen's onslaught meant Audi had to send Blomqvist to the Ivory Coats for a lonely drive to claim the Drivers Championship. Audi had finally achieved the double, but it looked like their days at the top were numbered.
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