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31 Jan 2019

Lancia Stratos Gr.4 Alitalia Stars in the FIA Hall of Fame

A new section dedicated to 17 world champions of rally racing, one of the most challenging and exciting motorsports disciplines, was opened in the FIA Hall of Fame created in 2017 to celebrate the history of Formula 1 yesterday in the headquarters of the International Automobile Federation in Place de la Concorde, Paris.

Lancia Stratos Gr.4 Alitalia Stars in the FIA Hall of Fame

 

A new section dedicated to 17 world champions of rally racing, one of the most challenging and exciting motorsports disciplines, was opened in the FIA Hall of Fame created in 2017 to celebrate the history of Formula 1 yesterday in the headquarters of the International Automobile Federation in Place de la Concorde, Paris.

 

The event was attended by many personalities of these exciting races, including world champion Miki Biasion of the Lancia Racing Team, and a selection of winning cars from different eras of the World Rally Championship history were on show. One of the most admired was the extraordinary Lancia Stratos Gr.4 Alitalia (1974) that won the Portugal Rally in 1976 and came second in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1977. With the striking red-white-green livery of its sponsor Alitalia, the car belongs to the remarkable collection of FCA Heritage, the department of the Group dedicated to protecting and promoting the history of Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Abarth.

 

The legendary Lancia Stratos dominated rally races until the mid-1970s. Cesare Fiorio, the team manager of the day, pushed the boundaries of the regulations and coordinated the creation of the first car ever built with the sole aim of winning rallies. The two-seater coupé with its iconic wedge-shaped body created by Marcello Gandini for Bertone and is propelled by a six-cylinder, 2.4-litre Ferrari engine arranged behind the driver and co-driver to optimise weight. 

 

Twenty-six out of a total of 500 official racing versions were made (firstly with a 12-valve head followed by a 24-valve version that delivered a peak power of 300 HP). The Stratos won such an extraordinary number of races to be dubbed the "ultimate rally weapon". Its many wins include the Monte Carlo Rally three years in a row, three Constructors' World Championship titles (from 1974 to 1976) and as many European Drivers' Championships, in addition to the FIA World Rally Driver's Cup with Sandro Munari in 1977. 

 

Turin, 31 January 2019

 

 

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