Quote Originally Posted by AnttiL View Post
1992 was also interesting with Auriol winning so many rallies but still finishing 3rd in the points, to this date I don't understand how that happened
Oh yes, the first thing that comes to mind from 1992 is Auriol in the fabulous Super Delta and not that Sainz somehow actually managed to win the title. That was Auriol's best year by far, he was really flying. Kankkunen could match Auriol in every other car that they drove as team mates but with the '92 Super Delta Auriol was completely in his own league. Kankkunen had no chance even in 1000 Lakes, let alone any other rally. I think that car just suited Auriol's aggressive style like a glove, he was completely one with it. Didi was always extremely picky about his car and if the car didn't suit him, it really affected him bad. Someone like McRae for example seemed to be able to drive a lot more around handling problems. On the other hand, if the car was exactly to Auriol's liking, he was absolutely unbeatable, even in his old days in the late 90s. I remember 1998 Catalunya for example. Toyota had nominated Loix as the second points scorer as Didi had a horrible start to the season. But for Catalunya Didi had gotten the Corolla finally to his liking and no one else had any chance, I remember him completely dominating that rally from start to finish. Loix finished second and props to Ove Andersson for not implementing team orders as Auriol winning the rally actually cost Toyota four manufacturer points, with Auriol not being nominated to score points. Toyota ended up losing the Manu Championship by six points to Mitsubishi so it didn't quite end up costing them the title, but it was very close.

But instead of just one rally, 1992 was like that for Auriol the whole year. Also Sainz was struggling really bad with the new ST185 Celica all through the year until Catalunya, when something finally clicked and he found a completely new gear at least on tarmac. And in the RAC I think the predominantly muddy conditions saved him as Toyota used Pirelli in those days which had a lot better tires for muddy/slippy conditions than Michelin, used by Lancia. Toyota's main problem on gravel all through 1992 was that the rear simply didn't stick to the road and they were oversteering everywhere. Very spectacular to watch, but less uplifting in terms of stage times.

Auriol, Kankkunen and Sainz were all within three points when going to the season finale and Kankkunen actually also ended up finishing ahead of Auriol in the final standings, despite only winning one rally against the six of Auriol. Late season mistakes in San Remo and Catalunya really cost Auriol and then finally the car failed him in the RAC. He could have just driven home safe 3rd and 4th places in the last three rallies and he would been World Champion, but I think he wasn't interested in doing that kind of stuff when finally having a car like that. Apart from the six wins, his only other result was one 10th place. But that win record held 13 years until Loeb beat it in 2005. Curiously, Sainz himself never managed to get to grips with the Delta, 1993 was his worst year in WRC probably.

1992 could have also very easily and sneakily been another Championship for Kankkunen as he actually did one event less than Auriol and Sainz. Even if he couldn't match Auriol's pace that year, he was fantastically consistent. But I think he wanted to spend a long Summer holiday and didn't go either to New Zealand or Argentina . Just a 3rd place from either NZ or Argentina would have in the end guaranteed Juha a title at the end of the year. Given the level of competition in those events back then, Juha could have done it with one hand. Juha's 1992 is a bit reminiscent of Walter Röhrl's 1983 when he could have won a third title, with Lancia as well, had he been more interested in that quest rather than holidaying. Juha also could have further improved his points in San Remo, but he refused to accept a Lancia team order which would have meant Andrea Aghini gifting Juha a victory. Given the amount of wins Juha had to gift himself because of team orders in his career, it was quite a remarkable gesture, especially given that he was fighting for the Championship at that point. But thanks to that Aghini could win his home rally and it ended up being Lancia's final victory in WRC, fittingly by an Italian driver in Italy.

I also think Sainz, McRae and even Burns had their best seasons when they actually didn't end up winning the title at the end of the year. In 1991 Sainz was absolutely magic despite losing the title narrowly and same goes for McRae in 1997. Burns seemed unbeatable in 2000, but a streak of bad luck and also some own mistakes cost the title then eventually.