In that 1986, not even if he is 30 years old, Henri would have gotten world champion”

                                                                          -Words by Cesare Fiorio...-

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"This site is dedicated to Finnish driver Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto who lost their life to the Tour de Corse Rally in 1986, they were on board on the Lancia Delta S4, which turned over into a ravine, the car took fire with the two guys did not succeed to escape to flames. The accident’s causes remains a big mystery… was it a co-driver’s mistake to read the note, , Henri didn’t understand the note, how he did in Costa Smeralda with 037…?! was there something wrong with the car…?! was it an illness…?! This great driver , the only one able to exploit the “gruppo B’s” power, still today more than twenty years from its passing, he fascinates the passionate young people of this rally sport.

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Henri Toivonen son of the great driver Pauli Toivonen, he has impersonated at perfection the scornful driver of every risk. He has been endowed of great natural talent, he has exalted the spectators of the world immediately. He begun to run with Simca Rally in the local (Finland) races on the ice. But the step is quickly and in 1977, Henri had attract attention of the world’s eyes driving a Chrysler Sunbeam Avenger getting goods positions. In 1978 with Citroen Cx in Portugal and Greece, the result isn’t positive, but the experience end the superlative quality crown him at the R.A.C. 1980 when Henri won the rally driving a Talbot Lotus, becoming, until the Rally of Sweden 2008, the youngest driver winner of a World Rally race, infact he was only 24 years old, 3 months and 24 days. After many retirements, some victory and historical recoveries with Opel Ascona 400 and Manta 400, he compete in European Rally Championship arriving second with the new Porsche 911 full of troubles. But in the meantime he made one’s début with Lancia 037 Martini in some races of World Rally Championship, winning the trust of Cesare Fiorio, who wanted him in the Lancia’s Team . Since 1985 he ran for the Lancia, he lived the final phase of the 037 (with goods results) at that time surpassed by cars with four drive motions, like Audi and Peugeot. But the Lancia, had ready the new “weapon”: the Lancia Delta S4, whose development Henri was working too. it got four drive motion and more than 600 Hp, thanks to mixed overcharged: supercharged (low rpm) and turbocharged (high rpm). The debut of the new “monster” it was at RAC Rally ’85: Henri won. Henri won Montecarlo ’86 and Costa Smeralda ’86 too. When the story seemed to go better and better, exploiting until the end those 600 hp, with the world championship started in his favour, the dream was shattered on the second of May in 1986 at Tour de Corse Rally… where was a sad destiny…

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After the victory of the RAC and of the Montecarlo… Henri was the driver more fast of the all…”

                                                                             -Hannu Mikkola-

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Very little remains to be
said you...
lace up the belts and have a good navigation..."

-Alessandro Vecchio-