Video: Group B Ballet in a Lancia Delta S4

Dance a “ballet of brutality” with this utterly magnificent Lancia Delta S4.

An evolution of the Lancia 037, the Delta S4 is Lancia’s ultimate expression of the Group B racing format. It was introduced at the tail end of the 1986 World Rally Championship season, and would win in its first outing at the 34th Lombard RAC Rally driven by Henri Toivonen.

The cars raced successfully until Group B was disestablished for 1987 shortly after Henri Toivonen and Sergio Cresto’s fatal crash driving a Delta S4 in the Tour de Corse.

“It’s all consuming. You can think of nothing else.”

John Campion’s car is one of the factory-supported Jolly Club team’s cars and ran in the TOTIP livery during 1986. It was driven to second in the 1986 Rallye Sanremo by Dario Cerrato and co-pilot Cerri Giuseppe.

Markku Alén would actually win this race in another Delta S4, with Miki Biasion completing a podium lockout for the cars. Peugeot had been excluded from the race by race stewards, and appealed the decision. At the close of the 1986 season the results of the race were annulled when the FIA approved Peugeot’s appeal. This dropped Alén into second place, with Peugeot driver Juha Kankkunen made champion and the Delta S4 narrowly missing out on a championship.

John Campion invites us to take a look through his magnificent collection in this great video from Petrolicious. John has an immense appreciation for the history of the sport and for the people who tamed these beasts at race pace in period. Preferring to drive his cars and share them with the world, he’s a man after our own hearts.

Hit play, and enjoy.

MORE: Video: Rally Heaven – Shotgun in a Lancia Stratos and Delta S4