The End of Group B and the Beginning of the Professional Era

On May 2, 1985, during the Corsica Rally near Zérubia, Attilio Bettega tragically lost his life when his Lancia Rally 037 veered off the road and collided with a tree. His co-driver, Maurizio Perissinot, fortunately survived without serious injuries.

On March 5, 1986, Portuguese driver Joaquím Santos slid into the crowd, which, as was common at the time, was uncontrolled and standing alongside the track during the Sintra section of the Portugal Rally. This occurred after he had to swerve to avoid a group of spectators on the road. Three people lost their lives, and 31 were severely injured in this accident. Following this incident, all factory teams, including Walter Röhrl with Audi Sport, withdrew from the Rally Portugal. Main criticisms were directed at safety deficiencies such as inadequate track barriers.

On May 2, 1986, another fatal accident occurred during the Corsica Rally, exactly one year after Bettega's tragic incident. Finnish driver Henri Toivonen lost control of his Lancia Delta S4, crashing into a tree. Due to the explosion of the fuel tanks, the car was nearly completely engulfed in flames. Toivonen and his American co-driver, Sergio Cresto, were unable to escape the burning vehicle. Peugeot, Lancia, and MG completed the 1986 season before the vehicles were subsequently banned from the Rally World Championship.

We continue to embody the Audi spirit and its history in our models, bringing the driving excitement of the past into the present. The thrill of the 500 horsepower monster is particularly evident in the Professional, as demonstrated by its performance metrics, including acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h, which matches that of the Sport Quattro S1 from that era.