The tragedy of the 1986 Tour de Corse and Henri Toivonen and Sergio Crestos final rally. Henri was on a different level that day, pulling out a lead off over two minutes breaking stage records.` The end of Group B rally.
Henri was my Hero ever since I saw him win the RAC in 1980. I was 22 when this happened, and I can still remember the absolute devastation I felt when I saw the news. Everyone bangs on about Senna's death, but to me, this was by far the most tragic. RIP Henri.
As a child I watched Henri on a couple of RAC rallies, he was my hero. This video was upsetting to watch but also a fitting tribute to two brilliant men. RIP Henri & Sergio
@@matt7232 eh i wouldnt say that, theres no traction control or ABS in today's WRC cars its really mostly differental settings on the fly from the driver's side with the steering wheel alongside torque settings where at the time prior to WRC era you have to settle that months before even testing
Joni-Pekka Vartiainen yes let us not forget Sergio they were a team after all, Henri was my favourite driver, I've found out today he was born the same year as myself they will never be forgotten RIP
Purtroppo in quella tragedia perde la vita anche Sergio Cresto, il suo navigatore. Non capisco il perché non viene citato. Sembra quasi che non esista, oltretutto nei rally è importante il navigatore quanto il pilota e comunque anche Sergio Cresto è una persona deceduta nella disgrazia riportata in questo filmato ed è giusto ricordare anche lui. R.I.P
I Agree a pair of real legends , rip your comments in English for all us non-italians "Unfortunately, Sergio Cresto, his navigator, also died in that tragedy. I don't understand why it isn't mentioned. It almost seems that it does not exist, moreover in the rally the navigator is as important as the pilot and in any case also Sergio Cresto is a deceased person in the misfortune reported in this video and it is right to remember him too. R.I.P"
@@postilaatikko7384 maybe but Rovanpera would probably shit his pants in Group B times without electronic assistance, 170 degree wheel, 2022 suspension and high downforce tested in proper wind tunnels with telemetry... with no mention that Toivonen was doing above 200km/h on gravel with people standing literally on track, thousands of people... The Group B drivers have no equal in modern era or future, sorry.
@@pauloruilopes5777 Claro que sim, talvez eu pudesse ter me expressado melhor, mas tb acho que percebeste o que eu queria dizer, que o Toivonen, nos rallies era o equivalente ao Senna na F1, o melhor, o mais talentoso e o mais poderoso piloto, talvez de todos os tempos. Não deixa de ser uma opinião subjectiva, mas em ambos os casos, longe de ser uma opinião rara, ou muito original, no caso do Senna, muito comum, até.
io avevo 17 anni ai tempi e cominciavo ad appassionarmi a questo mondo. qualche anno fa sono stato sul luogo in cui è avvenuta la tragedia e mi sono fermato a pensare. sono stato assalito da un sacco di emozioni che non so definire. quando ci penso mi accade ancora. ne sono avvenute di tragedie negli anni a venire e ogni volta è la stessa cosa a prescindere da chi sia a perdere la vita facendo motorsport. non so descrivere cosa ho dentro e so di essere banale e di non dire nulla con queste parole ma quando ci penso mi sento smarrito.
Henri Toivonen et Sergio Cresto resteront dans nos coeurs trente quatre ans après leur disparition tragique le 2/5/1986 en Corse. Henri Toivonen aurait pu devenir champion du monde des rallye en 1986 au volant de la Lancia Delta S4. Il avait un palmarès et un talent exceptionnel. Respect Mr Henri Toivonen et à son copilote Sergio Cresto. 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘
Thank you for this. I stopped watching Rally after Toivonen's death. He died on the day after my 11th birthday. I also stopped watching formula 1 when Senna died on my 19th birthday. Now I had to research a lot about them for a work I had to do. Although painful and making me still cry after all these years, this footage are actually helping me to cope with those traumas, maybe even take a look to what has been happening in Rally and Formula 1 all these years. I still have a Markku Alén autograph, he exchanged a few words with a 10-year-old kid, unfortunately I don't have Toivonen's
Thanks for the video from Italy. So many new frames, a little bit as rewind Henry and Sergio here. Legends never dies. Passion never die. Alwais with all us. Thanks again...
Solo tu sai cosa è successo. Sei stato il più bravo di tutti. Eri l'unico che portavi al limite la S4. Avresti vinto a mano bassa il mondiale. Non avevi concorrenza. R. I. P. LEGGENDA DEL RALLY. NESSUNO PIÙ COME TE, HENRY TOIVONEN 😭✊
Walter Röhrl was faster than the cars, thats the reason why he is still living. Walter Röhrl also predicted the death of Toivonen. All finnish drivers drank too much alcohol, Röhrl never did.
@@barfuss2007 Röhrl was a super driver and a clever wise man as far as I can see in this footage.....that's why such statements sound untrustworthy to me. Is there any stuff available on the internet ?
@@@INDIGOBLUE555 I have seen it on TV. Röhrl is still a man who tells his opinion, he didnt cares about publicity or political correctness. And dont forget his statement was also a warning for these risky drivers.
@@barfuss2007 I greatly respect and admire W R. however his remarks about finnish "racing" drivers so often being on alcool effect definetly sounds a bit harsh,that's why I have been searching for it in the net,unsuccessfully though. I also have plain personal recollection of a creepy shoot featuring a great finnish driver at a check point in the 80es: he "surely" was on drugs (amphetamine or cocaine) and no wonder for that....long efforts under pressure on GroupB monsters easily took need for extra aids of some kind. Back to Group B cars outperforming the drivers' "mental" performance Röhrl himself admittedly agreed those cars were, at times, faster than human brain, telling it shortly. Let me highlight one objective point: let apart the Toivonen/Cresto tragedy I have no recollection of serious accidents during the GroupB monsters' season. Do you have some ?
@@@INDIGOBLUE555 in the interview with Röhrl a big accident in Portugal was namend but I dont know if it was the same year. Why dont you ask Röhrl himself? I think he will answer you correctly. The Group B cars were deninitly too dangerous both for the spectators and the drivers. Röhrl drove so fast because he predicted the reactions of the cars too... thats the reason he survived.
I went to the scene of the accident in 2003. A poignant moment. Barely a day goes by that I don’t think about Henri and what happened on that day in 1986. Thank you for the beautiful tribute and view of the last hours of his life. It’s still shocking even now.
he was the rally... he was tha martini lancia rally racin team... he was... he was the biggest rally driver ever born... thank you Henri to visit us in this planet...
After 33 year's, I look again this movie, and my heart beat very bad. What Is possible ???? Ciao great Hero's (Henry, Sergio, Attilio ❤️) Grazie d tutto ! Thanks for all ! Elba and Corsica Brother's forever.
I have a T shirt with the S4 and Henry portrayed on it that I wear every time I go to the Gym. I've owned two Lotus Sunbeams and seen Henry rallying several times best probably him and Vatanen against each other on the IOM in Ascona 400s. Saw him win the RAC etc etc. and twice in the S4. Been to Corsica for the Tour De Corse Hystoriqe twice and visited the crash site to pay my tributes. Bit if a fan!!!!. He was feckin amazing as was the Lancia Delta S4. Both untouchable. Group B was amazing but took away a real star. Still quite happy these days to see #EE33 doing well in the Toyota. Will never forget them never ever. Thank you for a brilliant video thank you Finland and thank you Lancia.
Thank you Marv for a well put together tribute to a lost legend. Henri was taken from us way to soon along with his co driver. The S4 along with all its Group B rivals demand the highest levels of skills / Concentration to drive. Fatigue was a big issue back then with very long stages. A factor that fateful day I’m sure. R.I.P 🙏
Thank you so much for this video Marv, as usual excelent quality with your videos, somehow getting all of this footage from god knows where and putting all of it together in a spectacular way.
S'il n'avait pas connu cette tragédie en Corse , Henri Toivonen aurait pu devenir champion du monde des rallyes en 1986 tellement c'était un pilote exceptionnel , talentueux et hyper combattif . Il restera le Petit Prince des rallyes . 1986 aurait du être l'année de Lancia avec la Delta S4 et de Toivonen . Respect Monsieur Henri Toivonen .
No worries mate!!!!! I'am surprised how many views the video has had. I think Henri has that Legendary status like Senna. When they see the name Toivonen it grabs them.
The beginning of the end of the most wonderful time of the rally... rest in peace dear Henry, together with Cresto and the others martyrs of his passion. Group B never forgotten. Thanks Marv, always with unpublished material, somewhere you keep a time machine.Greetings from Chile, genius
Lui era semplicemente il più veloce. Henri, Sergio e Attilio (Bettega, morto esattamente l'anno prima sempre al Tour de Corse), noi non vi dimentichiamo.
I knew that Henri was ill, but I did not appreciate how ill he was until I saw this video and the interviews. A lot of flu medicines warn not to drive, and that is when you are driving something sedate, rather than the insane monster that the S4 was. I am unsure whether he should have been allowed to drive/compete on this event. A great talent. I saw Henri win the RAC, a truly great driver. He will forever be in our hearts. RIP.
Its hard to get across to people how hard these Group B cars are to drive. Malcolm Wilson was staying in the same hotel as the Lancia team in Corsica and he said at breakfast Henri was sat at a table over from him and he could not believe the amount of tablets the Lancia doctor was giving him with his breakfast.
Excellent video about the lost moments in the life to Henry Toivonen and his passion in the racer,s cars. Reace In Peace to him and his copilot Sergio...😢😢
Sono passati oltre trent'anni, eppure quante volte ci ho ripensato? Odio la spettacolarizzazione di eventi che hanno coinvolto la vita di persone umane, ma non posso fare a meno di cercare e vedere video come questo. L'aspetto piu' inquietante dell'incidente e' che fin da subito era chiaro a tutti che tutto il sistema, spettatori da casa inclusi, era colpevole. Avevo 15 anni il 2 maggio 1986: in quel giorno, prematuramente, credo di essermi ritrovato adulto.
Che dire:bellissimo commento e bellissimo pensiero.... In quel giorno io avevo 13 anni,ma seguivo i rally con grande passione tramite tv e giornali:la mia cameretta era tempestata di poster di Lancia Martini in tutte le salse e sopra il letto avevo il poster gigante della vittoria di Toivonen-Cresto al RAC 1985,dove si vedeva la S4 volare su un dosso circondata dal fango..... Quel giorno fu traumatico per me come per tutti gli appassionati,i piloti,i meccanici.....tutti..... Ogni volta che vedo video sul GrB mi viene la pelle d'oca e una strana euforia per quell'ERA che non tornerà più :un'era dove si vedevano veri piloti e assi del volante ognuno con il suo stile,si vedevano mostri da oltre 500cv ognuna con la sua filosofia e il suo caratteristico sound..... Ora sono tutti uguali con auto tutte uguali che addirittura hanno la sbandata assistita:non so quanti dei nuovi idoli sono in grado di guidare una di queste belve.-..... Questo è un bellissimo e doloroso documento,ma rimane una testimonianza di quel giorno tragico che fece spegnere quella follia che alimentava i rally in quel periodo:auto folli progettate da ingegneri folli,guidate da piloti folli circondati da spettatori che forse erano i più folli di tutti......... Vorrei però tornare a quel periodo quando il rally veniva mostrato nei tg,se ne parlava ovunque... e forse proprio il Gr.B ha permesso all'automobilismo di avere quella visibilità reale ( e non aiutata da tv a pagamento e sponsor..) che non ha mai avuto Un periodo dove tutto era più bello e più umano di ora,l'italia era una potenza economica,si potevano acquistare tante belle auto con cui sentirsi un pò pilota (Uno Turbo i.e.,Super5 GT Turbo,Ritmo Abarth,Delta HF Turbo),c'erano veri sentimenti e belle personalità......
@@samv7015 bellissimo questo commento.Io avevo solo 6 anni e non ricordo niente di questo incidente anche se i motori cominciavano ad appassionarmi.Invidio chi ha potuto vivere quell'era e quegli anni di motorsport in genere ,periodo dove gli ingegneri con le poche risorse che avevano tiravano fuori capolavori tecnici che ancora oggi ricordiamo.Dove i piloti erano veri eroi che mettevano a repentaglio la propria vita in ogni speciale o GP. Video tanto bello quanto triste,colpisce molto l'impotenza del pilota che arriva subito dietro e si rende conto di non poter fare nulla vedendo l'S4 che sta bruciando...
@@sams4964 Come ho scritto ero un ragazzino ,ma capivo di vivere un periodo felice. Noi avevamo le strade,il pallone,le bici(possibilmente riciclata dal fratello o cugino più grande),il contatto umano,la pizza una volta al mese che sembrava una cerimonia,le utilitarie che si caricavano allo spasimo per andare al mare,Giochi Senza Frontiere e Indietro Tutta in tv,per non parlare di Miami Vice. le radio passavano The Final Countdown,si mangiavano ancora cibi sani e tutto era più reale e concreto. Ora è tutto falso e virtuale,è tutto apparenza e ninete sostanza. Non cambierei mai la mia adolescenza e i miei 20 anni carichi di sofferenze e seplicità,con quelli di adesso,pieni di comodità ,ma falsi come l'euro...
Very good stuff Marv, lot of footage I have not seen, the sight of the crew running back into the stage is truly harrowing, they didn't even go and hep, they just knew.
Once the car left the road. It was game over with the fuel tanks rupturing. Had the tanks not ruptured Henri and Sergio would probably have lived. The FIA should have made fuel cells mandatory like they did in F1.
Hauntingly beautiful montage. Was too young to appreciate this era, but I now see that it simply couldn't continue. Toivonen and Cresto's death was probably the final straw but in truth Group B was too dangerous on the stages as they existed, and with the total lack of crowd control. The saddest part is surely that they already had a massive lead, all they had to do was to drive relatively conservatively and they would likely have won the rally, reliability permitting? I read of various theories; Toivonen's virus affecting/impairing his driving judgement, rocks placed on the road (which seems implausible because of the danger to any would-be sabbateur), or some sort of abrupt mechanical failure in the steering, suspension or drivetrain. People say that the S4 was a fearsome beast, which only Toivonen could master. Either way, given the entry speed to the corner, and no barrier to deflect the car's trajectory, a severe accident was something which could have befallen any of the cars in the rally on that part of the course. Much criticism came to Lancia because of various (seemingly crazy) design choices associated with the vehicle, e.g. fuel tank underneath the drivers' seat, but I'll bet that many of the rival manufacturers heaved a sigh of relief on the cancellation of Group B. Would a Peugeot or Audi have survived such an extreme crash without killing their pilots? We will never know. The outcome was a tragedy, no doubt about it.
Great video, two very tallented guys taken to early, who knows what they might have achieved henry was an amazing driver for his age my favourite at the time RIP
Mi fa ancora male ripensare alla tragedia del 1986 in Corsica. Toivonen era davvero un asso e la Lancia aveva la vettura vincente. Credo che quell'anno il titolo sarebbe stato sicuramente suo. Riposa in pace Henri
shredfusion1 la S4 si disintegro' e le fiamme la bruciarono completamente. Impossibile risalire se l'incidente fosse causato da un cedimento tecnico oppure da un errore del pilota
shredfusion1 Sapevo anche io del comando acceleratore... il che in effetti sarebbe compatibile con l'impatto in un punto relativamente "lento". In ogni caso, che restino in pace sia Sergio che Henri!
To Marvdogger2 Very Thanks for this genuine and important document..... In this tragic day i have 13 years and the incident shock me for long time... Gr.B the pure Rally car for very driver, WRC surrogate for all simple driver.....
Henri is a legend. He had that pure raw speed that many of the drivers doesn't have. He was unlucky man whose life was needed to end the crazy Group B era. He was one of the fastest drivers in the world, and will be forever. It's sad that we can't never know what really happened to him. I mean that the video material amd proof would be really helpful but there isn't any as we know...and it sucks. He'll stay in our hearts forever. RIP Henri and Sergio 🙏
Io penso che questi piloti siano l'incarnazione del coraggio...vederli correre e volare! a pochi centimetri dai dirupi e dagli alberi...lascia senza fiato...R.I.P
Great video as always from you Marvdogger2.The death of Henri will never leave the minds of us rally fans,never and why or what happened on that day May 2nd 1986.I read recently that Lancia possibly knows more than the public as to why he crashed that day.I believe new evidence has emerged that the throttle had been sticking on all the Lancias and that the drivers had complained, were very worried about the problem but were told to keep quite about it !!! Well with Henri just after being sick,weak,tired and maybe a sticking throttle,in the heat of the cockpit in month of May,who knows what could have or did happen,we'll never know.RIP Henri and Sergio
