50 years of AUTOhebdo – The most memorable rallies of recent decades

From Rally Monte Carlo 1981: many eyes were on the Audi team, which was launching its brand-new Quattro. Two years before the introduction of Group B, the German manufacturer played its cards right by being the first to present a four-wheel-drive car in competition, something commonplace today but completely innovative at the time. The Audi Quattro had already performed well in the European Rally Championship, driven by Franz Wittmann Senior at the Jänner Rally (Austria) a few days earlier. At Monte Carlo, two examples were entrusted to Michèle Mouton and Hannu Mikkola. Mouton would not participate in the actual race, as she was immobilized on the road section of the concentration run due to mechanical problems. Her fuel injection system had ingested impurities. Mikkola took over and led the event for ten special stages. His lead was enormous, nearly five minutes! On an icy road, four-wheel drive leaves rear-wheel and front-wheel drive in the dust. Unfortunately, the Finn makes a mistake that will cost him precious minutes, his Audi being damaged in an impact with a guardrail. Unable to appear in