Sportscar Racing in the 80s
The 1980s were a mixed time for sportscar racing. In the early 80s, Group 5 was the official World Sportscar formula. This consisted of a kind of 'silhouette' formula, with Porsche dominating with their 935s.
Lancia came along and stole Porsche's thunder a little, by running a 1.4 litre turbocharged Monte Carlo. The engine size meant it didn't compete directly with the 935s and was able to mop up with class wins every time. By now, though, Porsche were only involved as a manufacturer and the works Lancias soon got competitive enough to beat the 935s. This led to Lancia running cars with slightly over size engines, which allowed them to steal over 2 litre points from Porsche and take the championship.
Group 5 had a little support from other manufacturers, notably BMW with a stillborn M1, but the resurgance of sportscar racing centred around Le Mans.
Following on from a class at the French classic, mainly intended for French manufacturers, there was a rise of popularity of prototype coupes. This was fueled by the 1980 Rondeau Le Mans win and fond memories of 60s 'GT' battles between Ferrari, Ford and Porsche.
The FIA recognised the demand and Group C was launched in 1982. At first, the Porsche 956 dominated the class against Lancia and specialist makers (notably Lola, who won the 1981 Brands Hatch 1000Kms in a 'semi-Group 6' form).
Despite their undoubted speed (and with shades of the 70s Alfas), Lancia were never able to break the Porsche stranglehold.
It wasn't until the arrival of Jaguar and Mercedes (masquerading, at first, as privateer Saubers) in 1985 and 1986, respectively, that the balance of power began to shift and the series really took off.
Porsche remained strong, in both works and privateer form, but the more modern Jaguar and, later, Mercedes, gained the upper hand.
The success of the series attracted competitors, spectators and the Japanese manufacturers. Toyota, Nissan and Mazda all spent large amounts of money, developing modern, powerful machines, but, despite showing good speed and respectable reliability, sometimes strange decisions from the Japanese masters often saw good results lost and bad luck sometimes played its part.
As the 80s drew to a close, sportscar racing looked strong. Mercedes dominated the 1989 series, but Jaguar and the Japanese had new cars to challenge with and Porsche were still making up the numbers (and picking up good placings, thanks to their reliability) with the 962 (a slightly altered version of the 956).
World Championship For Makes 1980
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Daytona 24 Hours | Stommelen/Joest/Merl | Porsche 935 |
| Brands Hatch 6 Hours | Patrese/Rohrl | Lancia Montecarlo |
| Mugello 6 Hours | Patrese/Cheever | Lancia Montecarlo |
| Monza 6 Hours | de Cadenet/Wilson | De Cadenet |
| Silverstone 6 Hours | de Cadenet/Wilson | De Cadenet |
| Nurburgring 1000kms | Stommelen/Barth | Porsche 908/4 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Rondeau/Jassaud | Rondeau |
| Watkins Glen 6 Hours | Patrese/Heyer | Lancia Montecarlo |
| Mosport Park 1000kms | Fitzpatrick/Redman | Porsche 935 K3 |
| Vallelunga 6 Hours | Francia/Marrazai | Osella PA7 |
| Dijon 1000kms | Pescarolo/Barth | Porsche 935 |
Overall Position
| Team (> 2 litres) | Points |
|---|
| Porsche | 160 |
| Lancia | 40 |
| Mazda | 8 |
| Team (< 2 litres) | Points |
| Lancia | 160 |
| BMW | 59 |
| Porsche | 15 |
| Alfa Romeo | 10 |
World Championship For Makes 1981
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Daytona 24 Hours | Garretson/Rahal/Redman | Porsche 935 |
| Sebring 12 Hours | Leven/Haywood/Holbert | Porsche 935 |
| Mugello 6 Hours | Lombardi/Francia | Osella PA7 |
| Monza 6 Hours | Doren/Lassig/Holup | Porsche 935 |
| Riverside 6 Hours | Fitzpatrick/Busby | Porsche 935 K3 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Ickx/Bell | Porsche 936/81 |
| Silverstone 6 Hours | Schornstein/Grohs/Rohrl | Porsche 935 |
| Enna 6 Hours | Edwards/De Villota | Lola T600 |
| Watkins Glen 6 Hours | Patrese/Heyer | Lancia Montecarlo |
| Mosport Park 1000kms | Stommelen/Grohs | Porsche 935 |
| Road America 500 miles | Stommelen/Grohs | Porsche 935 |
| Brands Hatch 1000kms | Edwards/De Villota | Lola T600 |
Overall Position
| Team (> 2 litres) | Points |
|---|
| Porsche | 100 |
| BMW | 52 |
| Ferrari | 18 |
| Morgan | 2 |
| Team (< 2 litres) | Points |
| Lancia | 100 |
| BMW | 22.5 |
| Opel | 6 |
| Ford | 5 |
1982 Results not available.
World Endurance Championship 1983
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Monza 6 Hours | Wollek/Boutsen | Porsche 956 |
| Silverstone 6 Hours | Bell/Bellof | Porsche 956 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Schuppan,Haywood,Holbert | Porsche 956 |
| Nurburgring 1000kms | Mass/Ickx | Porsche 956 |
| Spa 1000kms | Mass/Ickx | Porsche 956 |
| Brands Hatch 1000kms | Warwick/Fitzpatrick | Porsche 956 |
| Fuji 1000kms | Bell/Bellof | Porsche 956 |
| Imola 1000kms | Fabi/Heyer | Lancia LC2 |
| Mugello 1000kms | Wollek/Johansson | Porsche 956 |
| Kyalami 1000kms | Bell/Bellof | Porsche 956 |
Overall Position
| Team | Points |
|---|
| Porsche | 100 |
| Lancia | 32 |
| Aston Nimrod | 4 |
| March-Nissan | 4 |
| Team (C Junior) | Points |
| Alba | 75 |
Mazda
Harrier-Mazda
March-Toyota | 20 |
World Endurance Championship 1984
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Monza 1000kms | Bell/Bellof | Porsche 956 |
| Silverstone 6 Hours | Ickx/Mass | Porsche 956 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Ludwig/Pescarolo | Porsche 956 |
| Nurburgring 1000kms | Bell/Bellof | Porsche 956 |
| Brands Hatch 1000kms | Palmer/Lammers | Porsche 956 |
| Mosport Park 1000kms | Mass/Ickx | Porsche 956 |
| Spa 1000kms | Bell/Bellof | Porsche 956 |
| Imola 1000kms | Bellof/Stuck | Porsche 956 |
| Fuji 1000kms | Bellof/Watson | Porsche 956 |
| Kyalami 1000kms | Patrese/Nannini | Lancia LC2 |
Overall Position
| Team | Points |
|---|
| Porsche | 120 |
| Lancia | 57 |
| Rondeau | 6 |
| Team (C Junior) | Points |
| Alba | 82 |
| Lola-Mazda | 67 |
| Tiga-Ford | 50 |
| Rondeau-Ford | 30 |
World Endurance Championship 1985
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Mugello 6 Hours | Ickx/Mass | Porsche 956 |
| Monza 1000kms | Winkelhock/Surer | Porsche 956 |
| Silverstone 6 Hours | Ickx/Mass | Porsche 956 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Ludwig/Barila/Winter | Porsche 956 |
| Hockenheim 1000kms | Bell/Stuck | Porsche 956 |
| Mosport Park 1000kms | Bell/Stuck | Porsche 956 |
| Brands Hatch 1000kms | Bell/Stuck | Porsche 956 |
| Fuji 1000kms | Hoshino | March 85G/Nissan |
| Shah Alam 800kms | Mass/Ickx | Porsche 956 |
Overall Position
| Team | Points |
|---|
| Rothmans Porsche | 107 |
| Martini Lancia | 58 |
| New Man Joest Porsche | 50 |
| Kremer Porsche | 43 |
| RLR Porsche | 31 |
| BrunPorsche | 28 |
| Team (C2) | Points |
| Spice | 110 |
| Ecuire Ecosse | 50 |
| Ark Racing | 46 |
| Carma FF | 41 |
| Gebhardt | 40 |
| Jens Winter | 32 |
FIA Sports Prototype World Championship 1986
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Monza 400kms | Stuck/Bell | Porsche 962 |
| Silverstone 6 Hours | Warwick/Cheever | Jaguar XJR-6 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Stuck/Bell | Porsche 962 |
| Norisring 200 Miles | Ludwig | Porsche 962 |
| Brands Hatch 1000kms | Wollek/Baldi | Porsche 962 |
| Jerez 400Kms | Larrauri/Parejo | Porsche 962 |
| Nurburgring 1000kms | Thackwell/Pescarolo | Sauber-Mercedes C8 |
| Spa 1000kms | Boutsten/Jelinski | Porsche 962 |
| Fuji 1000kms | Barilla/Ghinzani | Porsche 962 |
Overall Position
| Team | Points |
|---|
| Brun Porsche | 57 |
| Joest Porsche | 48 |
| Rothmans Porsche | 47 |
| Silk Cut Jaguar | 47 |
| Porsche Spain | 30 |
| Kouros Sauber | 29 |
| Team (C2) | Points |
| Ecuire Ecosse | 70 |
| Spice | 68 |
| ADA Racing | 64 |
| Jens Winter | 43 |
| Kelmer Racing | 15 |
| Gebhardt | 15 |
FIA Sports Prototype World Championship 1987
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Jerez 360Kms | Lammers/Watson | Jaguar XJR-8 |
| Jarama 1000Kms | Cheever/Boesel | Jaguar XJR-8 |
| Monza 1000kms | Lammers/Watson | Jaguar XJR-8 |
| Silverstone 1000kms | Boesel/Cheever | Jaguar XJR-8 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Stuck/Bell/Holbert | Porsche 962 |
| Norisring 200 Miles | Baldi/Palmer | Porsche 962 |
| Brands Hatch 1000kms | Boesel/Nielsen | Jaguar XJR-8 |
| Nurburgring 1000kms | Cheever/Boesel | Jaguar XJR-8 |
| Spa 1000kms | Brundle/Dumfries/Boesel | Jaguar XJR-8 |
| Fuji 1000kms | Lammers/Watson | Jaguar XJR-8 |
Overall Position
| Team | Points |
|---|
| Jaguar | 178 |
| Brun Porsche | 94 |
| Rothmans Porsche | 74 |
| Joest Porsche | 63 |
| RLR Porsche | 58 |
| Kremer Porsche | 41 |
| Team (C2) | Points |
| Spice | 170 |
| Ecuire Ecosse | 157 |
FIA Sports Prototype World Championship 1988
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Jerez 360Kms | Schlesser/Baldi/Mass | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Jarama 1000Kms | Cheever/Brundle | Jaguar XJR-9 |
| Monza 1000kms | Cheever/Brundle | Jaguar XJR-9 |
| Silverstone 1000kms | Cheever/Brundle | Jaguar XJR-9 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Dumfries/Wallace/Lammers | Jaguar XJR-9 |
| Brno 360kms | Schlesser/Mass | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Brands Hatch 1000kms | Nielsen/Brundle/Wallace | Jaguar XJR-9 |
| Nurburgring 1000kms | Schlesser/Mass | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Spa 1000kms | Baldi/Johansson | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Fuji 1000kms | Brundle/Cheever | Jaguar XJR-9 |
| Sandown Park 360kms | Schlesser/Mass | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
Overall Position
| Team | Points |
|---|
| Jaguar | 345 |
| Sauber-Mercedes | 255 |
| Joest Porsche | 189 |
| Brun Porsche | 94 |
| RLR Porsche | 58 |
| Porsche AG | 75 |
| Spice | 70 |
| Team (C2) | Points |
| Spice | 370 |
| Chamberlain | 171 |
FIA Sports Prototype World Championship 1989
| Event | Winning Drivers | Winning Car |
|---|
| Suzuka 480Kms | Schlesser/Baldi/Mass/TD> | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Dijon 480Kms | Wollek/Jelinski | Porsche 962 |
| Le Mans 24 Hours | Mass/Reuter/Dickens | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Jarama 480kms | Mass/Schlesser | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Brands Hatch 480kms | Baldi/Acheson | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Nurburgring 480kms | Schlesser/Mass | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Donnington 480kms | Schlesser/Mass | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Spa 480kms | Baldi/Acheson | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
| Mexico 480kms | Schlesser/Mass | Sauber-Mercedes C9 |
Overall Position
| Team | Points |
|---|
| Sauber-Mercedes | 155 |
| Joest Porsche | 84 |
| Brun Porsche | 66 |
| Jaguar | 57 |
| Nissan | 37 |
| Aston | 26 |
| Toyota | 25 |
| Kremer Porsche | 21 |
| Spice | 19 |
| RLR Porsche | 18 |
| Team (C2) | Points |
| Chamberlain | 120 |
| Mako | 100 |
| PC Automotive | 61 |
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