1985 World Rally Championship
The 1985 World Rally Championship was the 13th season of the FIA World Rally Championship, featuring 12 rallies just like the year before. Timo Salonen won the drivers’ title for Peugeot, beating Stig Blomqvist and Walter Röhrl of Audi. Peugeot also took their first manufacturers’ title, ahead of Audi and Lancia.
Peugeot Talbot Sport returned to a full season with the new Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 in Group B. Ari Vatanen, who had won several rallies in 1984, came back with Peugeot and showed early pace. In the season opener, he passed Röhrl in snowy terrain after an eight-minute penalty caused by a co-driver’s error. Vatanen then won the Swedish Rally, helping Peugeot lead the standings early on.
Tragedy struck in May at the Tour de Corse when Attilio Bettega died in a crash in a Lancia 037. His co-driver Maurizio Perissinot survived. The accident heightened concerns about the safety of Group B cars, a debate that would lead to a ban a year later after Henri Toivonen’s fatal crash.
Vatanen had a serious crash in Argentina, with his car rolling on a fast straight. The car’s strong structure helped him survive, and he was airlifted to hospital. While Vatanen recovered, Peugeot shifted focus to Salonen, who had already built a points lead and went on to win five rallies, clinching the drivers’ title.
Audi faced pressure from Peugeot’s strong 205, and questions about continuing the Quattro program because of safety concerns around Group B. Blomqvist and Röhrl stayed as drivers but had limited wins; Röhrl’s Sanremo victory was Audi’s last Group B win in the WRC.
Lancia Martini’s attempt with the rear‑wheel‑drive 037 was disappointing, even with drivers like Alén, Biasion, and Toivonen. Toivonen was injured early in the season and missed much of it. Lancia waited for the four‑wheel‑drive Delta S4, which did win at the final rally, the RAC Rally, giving the team hope for 1986.
Austin Rallying entered the scene with the MG Metro 6R4 and its 3.0L V6, achieving a podium at the RAC but fading as Group B neared its end in 1986.
As in earlier seasons, all 12 rallies counted toward the drivers’ standings, but only 11 counted toward the manufacturers’ championship. Rallye Côte d’Ivoire was the event that counted only for drivers.
In short, Peugeot dominated in 1985, with Salonen winning the drivers’ title and Peugeot clinching the manufacturers’ crown, while the season highlighted growing safety concerns that would soon lead to major changes in the category.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:44 (CET).