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1985 Lancia LC2 Group C
- Powered by a purpose-built V8 Ferrari Turbo Engine, capable of over 800 bhp!
- Double podium finisher, Double pole-sitter and three-times fastest lap setter in only three events
- Lancia and Ferrari, a true Italian powerhouse combined
- The final LC2 built for the Lancia Martini Racing Team
- The ultimate specification Lancia Martini LC2
- Chassis no. 0007
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The Lancia LC2
The Lancia
LC2 was conceived in 1982 to enter the newly formed FIA Group C Sport Racing
category. Huge emphasis and resource was put into the project, with Giampaolo
Dallara responsible for Aluminium monocoque design. The Italian manufacturer
called upon its sister company, Ferrari, to supply a purpose-built,
twin-turbocharged, DOHC V8 engine. In full qualifying spec with 3.0 bar of
boost, it is reported over 800 bhp was available to the drivers!
The result
of Lancia, Ferrari and Dallara’s work was the LC2, and it was fast … immediately,
claiming pole position at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1983 by a monumental 11
seconds over the Porsche! The LC2 went on to claim victories at the 1000 kms of
Imola, Kyalami and Spa-Francorchamps along with 13 pole positions! Only seven
of these Group C monsters were built, with Lancia building a further two
chassis for privateers later.
0007 at the 1985 Shell Gemini Brands Hatch 1,000
kms
Chassis
0007 was the final Works-Lancia Martini LC2 built, and in 1985 made it’s debut
at round 8 of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Shell Gemini 1000 KMs
of Brands Hatch, UK, in September. The drivers of car number 5 for this event
were Mauro Baldi, Bob Wollek and Andrea de Cesaris. Baldi was an accomplished
driver and would go on to win the 1990 World Sportscar Championship and 1994 Le
Mans 24 Hours. Bob Wollek was a member of the French National Skiing Team
before moving to sportscar racing and winning the Le Mans 24 Hours four times! De
Cesaris made his career predominantly in Formula One, driving for McLaren, Alfa
Romeo, Ligier, Brabham, Minardi, Tyrrell, Jordan and Sauber.
This car
qualified 2nd on the grid for the Brands Hatch 1000 KMs using the
qualifying specification, 800 bhp engine, only half a second behind the sister
car of Patrese. No other team troubled Lancia for the front row! Having
switched to the race specification engine overnight, the Lancia team
immediately locked into battle against the two works Porsches infront of the
26,000 spectators. The weather was unexpectedly warm, causing the Michelin
tyres to wear fastest than expected, allowing the Porsches to gain and pass.
Chassis 0007 crossed the line in third place on its debut, having started on
the front row, and claimed the fastest lap of the race with de Cesaris driving!
0007 at the 1986 Kouros Cup, 360 kms
di Monza
The FIA
decided that for the newly re-named 1986 World Sports Prototype Championship,
three ‘sprint’ races would be added to the calendar. These races were to be
held over a distance not much longer than a Grand Prix and had a mandatory
mid-race driver change, with the first race being the season opening Kuoros Cup
at Monza on 20th April.
For the
1986 season, Lancia developed the LC2 further, improving the under-body
aerodynamics which now sported deeper and wider Venturi tunnels, leading to an
increase in downforce, whilst also increasing the front track by 30mm. The
engine was also enhanced, gaining 40 bhp and an electronic fuel injection
system which reduced fuel consumption. A Thorsen differential was also fitted,
and importantly the chassis weight was shaved by 20 kg to the regulation limit
of 850 kgs. Lancia also chose to enter only a single car for the season,
chassis 0007, with Andrea de Cesaris and Alessandro ‘Sandro’ Nannini as
drivers.
The
developments clearly helped, with 0007 claiming pole position by a colossal 2
seconds over the Joest Racing-entered Porsche 956. Pole position for a Lancia
with a Ferrari engine at the Monza circuit, the stage was set for a thrilling
race! 0007 started well as the flag dropped and maintained the lead, swapping
regularly with the Porsche 956, before running into fuel issues with only ten
laps remaining. This LC2 crossed the finish line in second place, less than a
minute behind, and having claimed the fastest lap of the race again!
0007 at the 1986 Kouros 1,000 kms of
Silverstone
The first
endurance event of the 1986 FIA World Sports Prototype Championship was the
Kuoros 1000 kms of Silverstone, with Lancia again entering the sole LC2,
chassis 0007. De Cesaris and Nannini were again sent to drive, with the pair
securing pole position, for the second race in succession. The pole lap time
was set on hard compound tyres in the first practise session, and put the team
tantalisingly close to the 150-mph average lap speed. The car made a good start
and was holding a strong pace, building a lead of over 12 seconds in only 12
laps! The team lost time in the pits as they changed the rear brake pads, but
sadly struck issue later with the fuel system electronics. The car rolled into
the pits with the mechanics spending more than an hour working on the
electrical and fuel systems, eventually curing the fuel pressure problem. De
Cesaris was sent out for a few laps to establish a new Group C lap record at 1
min 13.95 seconds, a full two seconds faster than the previous record, then the
healthy Lancia was parked as Cesare Fiorio drove away from the track with his
entourage. This lap record, amazingly, was established with a full fuel tank!
Incredible
speed form the LC2 in what would become the Works team’s swansong, with Lancia
deciding to withdraw and focus entirely on the FIA World Rally Championship
where they were experiencing phenomenal success. Lancia went on to become the
most successful manufacturer in World Rally Championship history, a position
they retain to this day!
0007’s post factory life
With Lancia
withdrawing from the FIA World Sports Prototype Championship, chassis 0007 was
sold to Vern Schuppan, winner of the 1983 Le Mans 24 Hours with Rothmans
Porsche driving a 956. Schuppan sold it to Dr Shigeo Imai in Tokyo, Japan, who
used the car once before selling it.
The car was
next owned by father and son team, Richard and Bryan Benton, who had more fun
than anyone ought to be entitled to have, regularly competing against each
other at various events, owning two Lancia LC2’s! The engine was rebuilt and
tested by Marcovicci-wenz in 2003, prior to it being campaigned in the Group C
championship at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza. The car then competed at the 2004
Le Mans support race. During this time, the car was maintained by Group C
specialists, Phil Stott Motorsport Ltd. In more recent years, the car has
passed to an enthusiastic French competitor who regularly exercised the car at
the Dix Mille Tours events at Paul Ricard.
This Lancia
LC2 endured phenomenal success in its three-race history, claiming two podium
finishes, two pole positions and three fastest laps! The opportunity to own any
LC2 is special, but the chance to own the ultimate and final Lancia
Martini-entered LC2 is not to be missed.
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