1982 Lancia LC1

During the 1970s, Lancia's Stratos and Fulvia models were successful in rally competition. In the early 1980s, Lancia began efforts that would return them to sports car competition. The 'Group 5' Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo sports racer showed promise, prompting the company to move up to a 'Group 6' prototype for the 1982 World Sportscar Championship. Lancia's entry was dubbed the LC1.

The LC1's competition life was cut short due to rule changes introduced prior to its competition debut in 1982. The Organizers had made the decision to phase out Group 6 in place of the new Group C. To encourage manufacturers to compete in Group C, they allowed cars competing in other classes to be eligible for points in the Drivers Championship but not in the Manufacturer's Championship.

Dallara was once again tasked with the construction and development of the chassis. What they created was an aluminum monocoque with a double wishbone suspension setup. It was given an open body with an intake in the nose section for the radiator. Mounted mid-ship was a 1425cc straight-4 Lancia engine, as had been found in the previous Montecarlos. A KKK-supplied turbocharger was fitted to the 1.4-liter engine, allowing it to qualify for the two-litre class. The engine was mated to a Hewland five-speed gearbox. All cars were decorated with Martini & Rossi colors, and Martini Racing ran the race program.

The LC1 may have been lacking in power when compared to some of their competition, but they made up for it with their very low weight.

The 1982 World Endurance Championship consisted of eight races, with the first race being the Monza 1000 km. Lancia entered two LC1s, but they both retired early due to mechanical issues. The next race was the Silverstone 6 Hours. Michele Alboreto and Riccardo Patrese were able to secure a victory for Lancia with the LC1. At the Nürburgring, they again enjoyed a victory, this time with help from Teo Fabi. For the remainder of the season, the LC1 would secure one more victory, which helped Patrese earn a second place in the Drivers Championship behind Porsche's Jacky Ickx.

The LC1 would race for just a single season as it became obsolete at the close of 1982. Lancia's new racer was the LC2 Group C racer which was powered by a V8 engine.

In total, four examples of the LC1 were built, with three surviving. One example was destroyed by Patrese during practice.

Although plagued by teething problems and reliability issues, the Lancia LC1 scored an impressive three victories during its single racing season.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2018