Monte-Carlo Rally 1986-1991 6-DVD Box Set

THE MARVELLOUS MONTE-CARLO RALLY IN ONE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION

The Monte-Carlo Rally 1986-91 DVD collection released The Monte-Carlo Rally is regarded as one of motorsport's great events, and now six stunning years from this spectacular contest can be enjoyed in one essential collection.

Duke has brought together six action-packed DVDs covering the Monte-Carlo from 1986 to 1991 in one durable, embossed presentation case. Each programme in the collection is packed with drama captured in superb footage.

On the journey from Henri Toivonen’s amazing victory to the unbelievable drama of 1991’s final stage, viewers see Lancias, including the awesome Group B S4, Toyotas, Mazdas, Audis and more sliding, jumping and, frequently, rolling with legends like Miki Biasion, Timo Salonen, Hannu Mikkola and Juha Kankkunen at the wheels.

Each DVD is packed with incredible action footage from the historic mountain stages, plus interviews with legendary drivers and jawdropping slow-motion film, to bring the complete story of an unforgettable event to the viewer.

The 1986 Monte-Carlo Rally was the first round of what would prove to be the last year of the Group B 'supercars'. This DVD features the sights - and incredible sounds - of the Martini Lancia Delta S4, Audi Quattro S1, Peugeot 206 T16 and Metro 6R4. Lancia's Toivonen and co-driver Sergio Cresto took advantage of their Pirelli tyres in the opening stages to establish a healthy lead, but reigning World Champion Salonen and Monte-Carlo expert Walter Rohrl were soon piling on the pressure. Toivonen looked certain for victory, until a bizarre accident involving a spectator's car cost him the lead. However, the Finnish star refused to be beaten and clawed back the lost time to take a dominant victory. Tragically, this would be the final victory for the popular Toivonen and co-driver Cresto. This look back at the '86 Monte-Carlo Rally is a fitting tribute to the pair, as well as a real feast of classic rallying action.

The 1987 Monte-Carlo Rally marked the start of a new era for the World Rally Championship - and turbocharged and four-wheel-drive machines ensured there was still plenty of speed, drama and controversy.

Kankkunen had switched to Lancia and it seemed a good move as the Delta 4WDs of the World Champion and teammates Bruno Saby and Biaison dominated the opening stages. As the battled raged across snow and ice, the fight to be 'best of the rest' featured Rohrl in the Audi 200 Quattro, the Ford Sierra Cosworth of Stig Blomqvist, the Mazda 323 of Salonen and reigning Group A World Champion Kenneth Eriksson, in the Volkswagen Golf GTi. Despite Rohrl's best efforts, this would be a duel between Kankkunen and Biasion.

With just one day left, the dominant Lancias faced exclusion after a protest. The team escaped sanction, but there was further controversy when Biasion secured an unexpected victory ahead of a clearly unhappy Kankkunen.

Spectacular scenery provided the backdrop for the 1988 Monte-Carlo Rally. However, the historic special stages were without their traditional snow, setting up a finely balanced, and ultra-fast, battle over more than 630 competitive kilometres of dry asphalt. The event would prove to be a real car-breaker, eliminating almost half the field during 26 stages. The scene was set for a showdown between the Martini Lancia team and the rejuvenated Mazda team wanting to forget a disappointing season. While the works Lancia Delta HF 4WDs of Saby and Biasion led the way, the Mazda 323s of Salonen, Mikkola and Ingvar Carlsson were in trouble - diesel-contaminated fuel ruining their effort. When Biasion retired, the Lancias of Group N Champion Alessandro Fiorio and Yves Loubet joined the battle for victory. Loubet's luck ran out with the end in sight, his Lancia crashing into retirement. Behind Saby and the Jolly Club-backed Delta of Fiorio, Jean-Pierre Ballet's Peugeot 205 GTi took unexpected third. Incredibly, former World Champion Salonen recovered from 42nd to take fifth, just behind the battle-scarred Renault 11 Turbo of Alain Oreille.

The 1989 Monte-Carlo Rally promised to be one of the most competitive ever, with the mighty Lancia team facing renewed challenges from Japanese giants Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi. Tragically, the event will also be remembered for the appalling spectator problems and the deaths of two rally drivers. World Champion Biasion was joined by Saby and Didier Auriol in the works Lancia Deltas, while Kankkunen led the Toyota Celica GT-4 charge and Salonen and Mikkola continued with Mazda. While Toyota's new recruit Carlos Sainz and Vatanen in the relatively untried Mitsubishi would prove to be sensations, the headlines were dominated by tragedy, when Alex Fiorio crashed into spectators twice, killing two. Terrible crowd problems would overshadow the entire event, including the incredible battle between Biasion and new teammate Auriol which raged until the end. Toyota's bid was dented early by tyre problems while heroic drives from Vatanen and Sainz ended in car-wrecking crashes.

The 1990 Monte-Carlo Rally was the start of a fresh bid by Japanese giants Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi to topple the dominant Lancias in the WRC. Kankkunen rejoined Lancia alongside Auriol and World Champion Biasion, Sainz and Armin Schwarz led the Toyota challenge, Mazda retained Mikkola and Salonen and Mitsubishi teamed Eriksson with Vatanen. With the traditional snow and ice of the Monte-Carlo Rally missing, tyre choice was vital and it seemed Auriol and Sainz had made the right choices, dominating the event ahead of their teammates. While Auriol's Lancia Delta showed the way, Sainz kept his Celica GT-4 in touch. With just a handful of miles to go, the pair were equal on time, setting up a tension-packed finale. Controversy struck when the result was appealed, but the protest had no impact on the outcome.

The 1991 Monte-Carlo the scene was set for a battle royal between the best drivers, and the top manufacturers. Reigning World Champion Sainz in his Toyota Celica GT-4 would face competition not only from the five-strong Lancia Delta Integrale line-up, featuring Biasion, Kankkunen and Auriol, but also Salonen, making his Mitsubishi debut, Mikkola, who remained with the Mazda 323, and the determined Ford team.

Sensational Sainz snatched an early lead, an advantage he would hold for three days in what looked like being a dominant performance. The Deltas, starting to show their age, could not mount a genuine challenge to the Spaniard, leaving the Ford Sierra Cosworth of Francois Delecour as the only serious threat. On the final day Delecour produced a stunning performance to snatch the lead and took a 42 second advantage into the final 14 miles. Then cruel fate intervened. As with every DVD in this collection, this highlights programme features high-speed action, power slides and interviews with the stars as viewers relive the dramatic and emotion-packed Monte-Carlo Rally.

This collection is essential viewing for all rally fans, new and old.

Monte-Carlo Rally 1986-1991 6-DVD Box Set is out now, priced at £59.99 and will be available from leading video outlets or direct from Duke Video: Tel 01624 640 000, fax 01624 640 001 or email mail@dukevideo.com. Visit www.DukeVideo.com online.

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