“Race for glory: Audi vs Lancia” at the cinema – Uncompromising review and advice for watching real videos from Group B enthusiasts

On February 7, the film “Race for Glory: Audi vs Lancia” was released on the big screen. Retracing the duel between the two manufacturers within the framework of the World Championship of rallies 1983, the feature film sometimes gives the impression of being a TV movie because it is so flat and academic. It is not a turnip, but the purists of the rally could probably remain hungry.

Less rhythmic and realistic than its predecessors “Rush” or “ Le Mans 66”, “Race for Glory: Audi vs Lancia” is an interpretation freely based on real events. This is also recalled at the beginning and end of the film. Thus, certain illustrious characters like Walter Röhrl rub shoulders with fictitious names, like the German Ugo Kurt, the Lancia driver who embodies the next generation and who symbolizes a romanticized vision of Henri Toivonen (who died at the Tour de Corse 1986). His accident simply serves as a dramatic dose to a film which struggles to convey the sensations of this oh-so-perilous period of rallying.

Let's also move on to the treatment of the Audi team. It's quite simple: Italian director Stefano Mordini takes up the cause of his Lancia compatriots led by Cesare Fiorio (played by Riccardo Scamarcio), when the German brand is portrayed as "the nasty cheats". The ingenious Roland Gumpert, played by Daniel Brühl (Niki Lauda in “Rush”, that was him), is just a German boor abandoned by his wife in the middle of the season and who treats his transalpine rival with the greatest disrespect. possible.

The title Pilots by Hannu Mikkola is relegated to the background, but the worst remains the treatment reserved for Michèle Mouton (played by the French Esther Garrel). His role is insignificant, while his unique trajectory in the world of motorsport could have made him a centerpiece of the film. No doubt it deserves a film in its own right!

However, not everything has to be thrown away. The production used authentic Lancia 037 and Audi Quattro during filming, and it shows: the raised hoods reveal the mechanics, the stickers faithfully reproduce the period decorations (for example, the Rallye des 1 Lacs with a slightly different Martini Racing livery), the support vans and Speedline rims are period. However, we would have appreciated hearing more of the very unique sounds of the KKK turbo of the Audi Quattro or the volumetric compressor of the Lancia 000!

Four videos to better understand the madness of Group B

When leaving the session, the rally fan will only think of one thing: diving back into what really made Group B tick, something that “Race for Glory: Audi vs Lancia” never manages to capture. That’s good, YouTube is your ally! Rally aficionados like “Antti Kalhola” or “Marvdogger” are masters in the art of recounting the golden age of this sport. Their videos exude the passion of Group B, and involve you more than a 1h45 professional film does.

Other YouTube channels publish videos captured along the stages. This is the case of the Spaniard Passats de Canto, who regularly shares new compilations from the defunct Telesport channel. Guaranteed without music or voice-over, this is the must-have to enjoy the atmosphere of the time!

Finally, if you really don't have time to wander on the internet, we recommend just one video: the report from the British show "The Grand Tour", narrated by Jeremy Clarkson (ex-Top Gear) on this duel between the two manufacturers. The same anecdotes are told from a humorous angle, the cars are tested more virilely than in the film (where the stuntmen purposely zigzag in a straight line to give the impression of speed!) and the drivers of the time are interviewed. In short, it's the same thing as the film, but more condensed and more rhythmic!


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