# 1986 World Rally Championship

The 1986 World Rally Championship was the 14th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 13 rallies, including all twelve venues of the previous season as well as the addition of the Olympus Rally. This marked the return of the WRC to the United States and North America, as well as the first world rally to be held on the western side of the continent. The December rally would also be the only WRC event to feature Group B competition in the United States.
The 1986 season was notable for being the last World Rally Championship season driven with the popular Group B rally cars, which were banned after the fatal crashes at the Rally Portugal, where three spectators were killed and more than 30 injured, and at the Tour de Corse, where Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto died in a fireball accident. This was the year where Group B (first introduced in 1982) was at its peak, and the 1986 season saw some of the most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built, some of which were mid-engined, like the Lancia Delta S4 and the Ford RS200. The drivers' championship was won by Peugeot's Juha Kankkunen, followed by two other "Flying Finns", Lancia's Markku Alén and Kankkunen's teammate Timo Salonen. The manufacturers' title was taken by Peugeot, after a close battle with the Martini-sponsored Lancia team.

## Summary

The season began with the Monte Carlo Rally and Henri Toivonen took the win with his Lancia Delta S4, making himself the favourite for the title. At the International Swedish Rally in wintery snow and ice, Toivonen had to retire due to an engine failure and Juha Kankkunen won the event with his Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2, ahead of Toivonen's teammate Markku Alén. At the next rally in Portugal, Joaquim Santos lost control of his Ford RS200 and plunged into the crowd, killing three spectators and injuring more than 30. All the factory team drivers decided to withdraw from the race, giving the win to home country's relatively unknown driver, Joaquim Moutinho.
After veteran Swede Björn Waldegård's triumph at the extremely arduous and difficult Safari Rally in Kenya driving a Toyota Celica TCT over Alén and his Lancia 037 Evo (which was the S4's predecessor and used only by Lancia for the Safari Rally; the S4 was not used for the Safari Rally due to Lancia determining that it was too new and not developed enough for that rally), another fatal accident at the Tour de Corse on the French island of Corsica would change the course of rallying. Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto in their Lancia went off the side of the road, plunged down a ravine and landed on its roof. The aluminium fuel tank underneath the driver's seat was ruptured by the trees and exploded. Toivonen and Cresto had no time to get out and both men burned to death in their seats. The accident had no witnesses close enough to clearly see the accident.
This caused Jean-Marie Balestre and the FISA to immediately freeze the development of the Group B cars and ban them from competing for the 1987 season. Audi and Ford decided to withdraw from competing, while other teams continued with their Group B models until the end of the season. Peugeot boss Jean Todt was outraged over the ban and pursued legal action against the federation. After Lancia's remaining car retirement, the Tour de Corse was eventually won by Peugeot's Bruno Saby, which marked his career-first WRC victory. The Acropolis Rally in Greece and the New Zealand Rally were won consecutively by Kankkunen; and the third driver to take his debut win during the season was Lancia's Miki Biasion, who edged out teammate Alén to win the Rally Argentina.
Finnish drivers finished first, second and third in the Jyväskylä Rally (otherwise known as the Finnish Rally, the fastest race of the year), with Salonen and Kankkunen giving Peugeot a 1-2 result, with Alén coming in third for Lancia. This was not much of a surprise, as this rally had only ever been won by Finnish and Swedish drivers until 1990. The Ivory Coast Rally, which was considered to be the most demanding, gruelling and certainly the most attrition-filled rally of the year (a rally where drivers had an unbelievable one in ten chance of finishing) was skipped by all of the Group B teams except Toyota, and was won by Waldegård in his Celica, completing his World Championship African rally sweep. The season included more controversy when the organizers of the Rallye Sanremo disqualified the entire Peugeot team from the event due to illegal side skirts. However, the cars were proven legal by the FIA, and the Italian organizers were blamed for not allowing French Peugeots to take the win ahead of the Italian Lancias. Eventually, the FISA annulled the results of the whole event. Peugeot then became the manufacturers' champions, but Kankkunen was not sure about his title over Alén until three weeks after the season ended, at the RAC Rally in the United Kingdom, specifically Wales and England. Salonen won this race, with Alen finishing second and Kankkunen third, this was enough for Kankkunen to take the Driver's Championship. The last WRC round of the year was the first Olympus Rally in the state of Washington in the northwest United States, which Alén won, with Kankkunen finishing second.
1986 marked the only season in which the FIA issued the World Championship for Drivers of Group A Cars. Swede Kenneth Eriksson, driving a Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V took the title ahead of Austrian Rudi Stohl in his Audi Coupé Quattro, a lower powered version of the Group B Quattros. This championship became unnecessary in future years due to the elimination of Group B cars. From 1987 onwards, Group A cars would be the vehicles used by drivers competing for the main World Rally Championship for Drivers.

## Teams and drivers

| Team | Manufacturer | Car | Tyre | Drivers | Rounds |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Timo Salonen | 1–3, 5–7, 9, 11–12 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Juha Kankkunen | 1–4, 6–9, 11–13 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Bruno Saby | 1, 5–6, 8, 11 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Michèle Mouton | 1, 5 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Shekhar Mehta | 4 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Stig Blomqvist | 9 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Andrea Zanussi | 11 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Paolo Alessandrini | 11 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Mikael Sundström | 12 |
| Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot | 205 Turbo 16 E2 | M | Jon Woodner | 13 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Walter Röhrl | 1, 3, 6 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Hannu Mikkola | 1, 6 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Rudi Stohl | 1, 3–4, 6–8, 10–11 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Mikael Ericsson | 2 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Gunner Pettersson | 2 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Malcolm Stewart | 7 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Wilfred Wiedner | 10 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Adolphe Choteau | 10 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | Harald Demuth | 12 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro Sport S1 | M | John Buffum | 13 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Markku Alén | 1–9, 11–13 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Henri Toivonen | 1–3, 5 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Miki Biasion | 1, 3–8, 11 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Vic Preston Jr | 4 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Greg Criticos | 4 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | John Hellier | 4 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Mikael Ericsson | 6–7, 9, 12 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Jorge Recalde | 8 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Kalle Grundel | 9 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Dario Cerrato | 11 |
| Martini Lancia | Lancia | Delta S4 Rally 037 evo* | P | Paolo Alessandriani | 13 |
| Austin Rover World Rally Team | MG | Metro 6R4 | M | Tony Pond | 1, 3, 5, 11–12 |
| Austin Rover World Rally Team | MG | Metro 6R4 | M | Malcolm Wilson | 1–3, 5, 9, 11–12 |
| Austin Rover World Rally Team | MG | Metro 6R4 | M | Per Eklund | 2, 9, 12 |
| Austin Rover World Rally Team | MG | Metro 6R4 | M | Marc Duez | 3, 11–12 |
| Austin Rover World Rally Team | MG | Metro 6R4 | M | Didier Auriol | 5 |
| Austin Rover World Rally Team | MG | Metro 6R4 | M | Harri Toivonen | 9, 12 |
| Austin Rover World Rally Team | MG | Metro 6R4 | M | David Llewellin | 12 |
| Austin Rover World Rally Team | MG | Metro 6R4 | M | Jimmy McRae | 12 |
| Citroën Compétitions | Citroën | BX 4TC | M | Jean-Claude Andruet | 1–2, 6 |
| Citroën Compétitions | Citroën | BX 4TC | M | Philippe Wambergue | 1–2, 6 |
| Citroën Compétitions | Citroën | BX 4TC | M | Maurice Chomat | 6 |
| Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford | RS200 | P | Stig Blomqvist | 2–3, 6, 12 |
| Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford | RS200 | P | Kalle Grundel | 2–3, 6, 12 |
| Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford | RS200 | P | Joaquim Santos | 3 |
| Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford | RS200 | P | Mark Lovell | 12 |
| Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford | RS200 | P | Stig Andervang | 12 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica TCT | P | Björn Waldegård | 4, 10, 13 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica TCT | P | Erwin Weber | 4, 10 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica TCT | P | Lars-Erik Torph | 4, 10, 13 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica TCT | P | Robin Ulyate | 10 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica TCT | P | Steve Millen | 13 |
| Opel Euro Team | Opel | Manta 400 | M | Basil Criticos | 4, 8 |
| Mazda Rally Team Europe | Mazda | Familia 4WD | M | Ingvar Carlsson | 1–2, 9, 12 |
| Mazda Rally Team Europe | Mazda | Familia 4WD | M | Achim Warmbold | 1 |
| Mazda Rally Team Europe | Mazda | Familia 4WD | M | Rod Millen | 7, 13 |
| Volkswagen Motorsport | Volkswagen | Golf GTi | P | Franz Wittmann | 1, 3–6, 8 |
| Volkswagen Motorsport | Volkswagen | Golf GTi | P | Kenneth Eriksson | 1–9, 11–12 |
| Fuji Heavy Industries | Subaru | RX Turbo | P | Mike Kirkland | 4, 7 |
| Fuji Heavy Industries | Subaru | RX Turbo | P | Possum Bourne | 4, 7, 13 |
| Fuji Heavy Industries | Subaru | RX Turbo | P | Frank Tundo | 4, 7 |
| Renault Elf Philips | Renault | 11 Turbo | M | Jean Ragnotti | 5, 11 |
| Škoda Motorsport | Škoda | Škoda 130 LR | P | Ladislav Krecek | 6, 9 |
| Škoda Motorsport | Škoda | Škoda 130 LR | P | Svatopluk Kvaizar | 6, 9 |
| Major entries not registered as manufacturers ||||||
| Jolly Club | Fiat | Uno Turbo | P | Giovanni del Zoppo | 1, 3, 5–6, 11 |
| Jolly Club | Fiat | Uno Turbo | P | Michele Rayneri | 1, 5–6, 11 |
| Jolly Club | Fiat | Uno Turbo | P | Alex Fiorio | 1, 3, 5, 11 |
| Team Nissan Europe | Nissan | 240RS | D | Jayant Shah | 4 |
| Team Nissan Europe | Nissan | 240RS | D | George Moschous | 6 |
| Team Nissan Europe | Nissan | 240RS | D | Stratis Hatzipanayiotou | 6 |
| Team Nissan Europe | Nissan | 240RS | D | Reg Cook | 7 |
| Team Nissan Europe | Nissan | 240RS | D | Paddy Davidson | 7 |
| Team Nissan Europe | Nissan | 240RS | D | Alain Ambrosino | 10 |
| Team Nissan Europe | Nissan | 240RS | D | Louise Aitken-Walker | 12 |
| Société Diac | Renault | R5 Maxi Turbo | M | François Chatriot | 5 |
| Rothmans Porsche Rally Team | Porsche | 911SC RS | M | Saeed Al-Hajri | 6 |
* Lancia ran out of time to build the safari version of the Delta S4

## Events
### Schedule and results

| Round | Rally name | Stages | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Podium finishers |
| Round | Rally name | Stages | Rank | Driver | Co-driver | Team | Car | Time |
| 1 | Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo (18–24 January) | 36 stages 867 km Tarmac/Snow | 1 | Henri Toivonen | Sergio Cresto | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 10:11:24 |
| 1 | Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo (18–24 January) | 36 stages 867 km Tarmac/Snow | 2 | Timo Salonen | Seppo Harjanne | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 10:15:28 |
| 1 | Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo (18–24 January) | 36 stages 867 km Tarmac/Snow | 3 | Hannu Mikkola | Arne Hertz | Audi Sport | Audi Sport Quattro S1 | 10:18:46 |
| 2 | Swedish Rally (14–16 February) | 30 stages 558 km Snow/Ice | 1 | Juha Kankkunen | Juha Piironen | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 5:09:19 |
| 2 | Swedish Rally (14–16 February) | 30 stages 558 km Snow/Ice | 2 | Markku Alén | Ilkka Kivimäki | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 5:11:13 |
| 2 | Swedish Rally (14–16 February) | 30 stages 558 km Snow/Ice | 3 | Kalle Grundel | Terry Harryman | Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford RS200 | 5:15:35 |
| 3 | Rallye de Portugal (5–8 March) | 42 stages 556 km Gravel/Tarmac | 1 | Joaquim Moutinho | Edgar Fortes | Renault Galp | Renault 5 Turbo | 7:50:44 |
| 3 | Rallye de Portugal (5–8 March) | 42 stages 556 km Gravel/Tarmac | 2 | Carlos Bica | Cândido Júnior | Duriforte Construções | Lancia Rally 037 | 8:04:11 |
| 3 | Rallye de Portugal (5–8 March) | 42 stages 556 km Gravel/Tarmac | 3 | Giovanni Del Zoppo | Loris Roggia | Jolly Club | Fiat Uno Turbo | 8:07:36 |
| 4 | Safari Rally (29 March–2 April) | 63 controls 4190 km Gravel | 1 | Björn Waldegård | Fred Gallagher | Toyota Team Europe | Toyota Celica TCT | +5:06 pen |
| 4 | Safari Rally (29 March–2 April) | 63 controls 4190 km Gravel | 2 | Lars-Erik Torph | Bo Thorszelius | Toyota Team Europe | Toyota Celica TCT | +5:34 pen |
| 4 | Safari Rally (29 March–2 April) | 63 controls 4190 km Gravel | 3 | Markku Alén | Ilkka Kivimäki | Martini Racing | Lancia Rally 037 evo | +6.12 pen |
| 5 | Tour de Corse (1–3 May) | 24 stages 1017 km Tarmac | 1 | Bruno Saby | Jean-François Fauchille | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 11:52:44 |
| 5 | Tour de Corse (1–3 May) | 24 stages 1017 km Tarmac | 2 | François Chatriot | Michel Périn | Société Diac | Renault 5 Maxi Turbo | 12:06:32 |
| 5 | Tour de Corse (1–3 May) | 24 stages 1017 km Tarmac | 3 | Yves Loubet | Jean-Marc Andrié | Alfa Romeo Rothmans Team | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV6 | 12:45:59 |
| 6 | Acropolis Rally (2–4 June) | 38 stages 575 km Gravel | 1 | Juha Kankkunen | Juha Piironen | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 7:20:01 |
| 6 | Acropolis Rally (2–4 June) | 38 stages 575 km Gravel | 2 | Miki Biasion | Tiziano Siviero | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 7:21:38 |
| 6 | Acropolis Rally (2–4 June) | 38 stages 575 km Gravel | 3 | Bruno Saby | Jean-François Fauchille | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 7:29:55 |
| 7 | Rally New Zealand (5–8 July) | 34 stages 597 km Gravel/Tarmac | 1 | Juha Kankkunen | Juha Piironen | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 5:43:45 |
| 7 | Rally New Zealand (5–8 July) | 34 stages 597 km Gravel/Tarmac | 2 | Markku Alén | Ilkka Kivimäki | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 5:45:25 |
| 7 | Rally New Zealand (5–8 July) | 34 stages 597 km Gravel/Tarmac | 3 | Miki Biasion | Tiziano Siviero | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 5:53:36 |
| 8 | Rally Argentina (6–9 August) | 26 stages 569 km Gravel | 1 | Miki Biasion | Tiziano Siviero | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 6:36:26 |
| 8 | Rally Argentina (6–9 August) | 26 stages 569 km Gravel | 2 | Markku Alén | Ilkka Kivimäki | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 6:36:50 |
| 8 | Rally Argentina (6–9 August) | 26 stages 569 km Gravel | 3 | Stig Blomqvist | Bruno Berglund | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 6:40:42 |
| 9 | 1000 Lakes Rally (5–7 September) | 47 stages 382 km Gravel | 1 | Timo Salonen | Seppo Harjanne | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 3:32:45 |
| 9 | 1000 Lakes Rally (5–7 September) | 47 stages 382 km Gravel | 2 | Juha Kankkunen | Juha Piironen | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 3:33:09 |
| 9 | 1000 Lakes Rally (5–7 September) | 47 stages 382 km Gravel | 3 | Markku Alén | Ilkka Kivimäki | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 3:34:30 |
| 10 | Rallye Côte d'Ivoire (24–27 September) | 73 controls 3763 km Gravel | 1 | Björn Waldegård | Fred Gallagher | Toyota Team Europe | Toyota Celica TCT | +1:29 pen |
| 10 | Rallye Côte d'Ivoire (24–27 September) | 73 controls 3763 km Gravel | 2 | Lars-Erik Torph | Bo Thorszelius | Toyota Team Europe | Toyota Celica TCT | +1:37 pen |
| 10 | Rallye Côte d'Ivoire (24–27 September) | 73 controls 3763 km Gravel | 3 | Erwin Weber | Günter Wanger | Toyota Team Europe | Toyota Celica TCT | +2:27 pen |
| 11 | Rallye Sanremo (13–17 October) | 39 stages 488 km Gravel/Tarmac | 1 | Markku Alén | Ilkka Kivimäki | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 5:31:35 |
| 11 | Rallye Sanremo (13–17 October) | 39 stages 488 km Gravel/Tarmac | 2 | Dario Cerrato | Giuseppe Cerri | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 5:32:53 |
| 11 | Rallye Sanremo (13–17 October) | 39 stages 488 km Gravel/Tarmac | 3 | Miki Biasion | Tiziano Siviero | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 5:33:17 |
| 12 | RAC Rally (16–19 November) | 45 stages 517 km Gravel | 1 | Timo Salonen | Seppo Harjanne | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 5:21:11 |
| 12 | RAC Rally (16–19 November) | 45 stages 517 km Gravel | 2 | Markku Alén | Ilkka Kivimäki | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 5:22:33 |
| 12 | RAC Rally (16–19 November) | 45 stages 517 km Gravel | 3 | Juha Kankkunen | Juha Piironen | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 5:27:16 |
| 13 | Olympus Rally (4–7 December) | 39 stages 525 km Gravel | 1 | Markku Alén | Ilkka Kivimäki | Martini Racing | Lancia Delta S4 | 5:26:10 |
| 13 | Olympus Rally (4–7 December) | 39 stages 525 km Gravel | 2 | Juha Kankkunen | Juha Piironen | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 | 5:29:36 |
| 13 | Olympus Rally (4–7 December) | 39 stages 525 km Gravel | 3 | John Buffum | Neil Wilson | Audi Of America | Audi Sport Quattro | 5:50:24 |
    $^1$ FISA later annulled the results.

## Standings
### Drivers' championship

| Rank | Driver | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Total points |
| Rank | Driver | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | ARG | FIN | CIV | ITA | GBR | USA | Total points |
| 1 | Juha Kankkunen | 5 | 1 | WD | 5 | | 1 | 1 | Ret | 2 | | * | 3 | 2 | 118 |
| 2 | Markku Alén | Ret | 2 | WD | 3 | WD | Ret | 2 | 2 | 3 | | * | 2 | 1 | 104 |
| 3 | Timo Salonen | 2 | Ret | WD | | Ret | Ret | 5 | | 1 | | * | 1 | | 63 |
| 4 | Björn Waldegård | | | | 1 | | | | | | 1 | * | | 5 | 48 |
| 5 | Miki Biasion | Ret | | WD | Ret | WD | 2 | 3 | 1 | | | * | | | 47 |
| 6 | Lars-Erik Torph | | | | 2 | | | | | | 2 | * | | 4 | 40 |
| 7 | Bruno Saby | 6 | | | | 1 | 3 | | Ret | | | * | | | 38 |
| 8 | Mikael Ericsson | | 4 | | | | Ret | 4 | | 5 | | * | Ret | | 28 |
| 9 | Kalle Grundel | | 3 | WD | | | Ret | | | 6 | | * | 5 | | 26 |
| 10 | Kenneth Eriksson | 9 | 7 | WD | Ret | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 12 | | * | 11 | | 25 |
| 11 | Stig Blomqvist | | Ret | WD | | | Ret | | 3 | 4 | | * | Ret | | 22 |
| 11 | Erwin Weber | | | | 4 | | | | | | 3 | * | | | 22 |
| 13 | Henri Toivonen | 1 | Ret | WD | | Ret | | | | | | * | | | 20 |
| 13 | Joaquim Moutinho | | | 1 | | | | | | | | * | | | 20 |
| 15 | Rudi Stohl | 17 | | WD | Ret | | 6 | 12 | 6 | | 7 | * | | | 16 |
| 16 | Carlos Bica | | | 2 | | | | | | | | * | | | 15 |
| 16 | François Chatriot | | | | | 2 | | | | | | * | | | 15 |
| 18 | Hannu Mikkola | 3 | | | | | | | | | | * | | | 12 |
| 18 | Giovanni Del Zoppo | Ret | | 3 | | Ret | Ret | | | | | * | | | 12 |
| 18 | Yves Loubet | | | | | 3 | | | | | | * | | | 12 |
| 18 | John Buffum | | | | | | | | | | | * | | 3 | 12 |
| 22 | Walter Röhrl | 4 | | WD | | | | | | | | * | | | 10 |
| 22 | Jorge Ortigão | | | 4 | | | | | | | | * | | | 10 |
| 22 | Jean Ragnotti | | | | | 4 | | | | | | * | | | 10 |
| 22 | Saeed Al-Hajri | | | | | | 4 | | | | | * | | | 10 |
| 22 | Jorge Recalde | | | | | | | | 4 | | | * | | | 10 |
| 22 | Robin Ulyate | | | | | | | | | | 4 | * | | | 10 |
| 22 | Mikael Sundström | | | | | | | | | Ret | | * | 4 | | 10 |
| 29 | Gunnar Pettersson | | 5 | | | | | | | Ret | | * | | | 8 |
| 29 | Auguste Turiani | Ret | | 5 | | | Ret | | | | | * | | | 8 |
| 29 | Jean-Claude Torre | | | | | 5 | | | | | | * | | | 8 |
| 29 | Stratis Hatzipanayiotou | | | | | | 5 | | | | | * | | | 8 |
| 29 | Samir Assef | | | | | | | | | | 5 | * | | | 8 |
| 34 | Per Eklund | | Ret | | | | | | | 7 | | * | 7 | | 8 |
| 35 | Franz Wittmann | 10 | | WD | 12 | Ret | 9 | | 7 | | | * | | | 7 |
| 36 | Jean-Claude Andruet | Ret | 6 | | | | Ret | | | | | * | | | 6 |
| 36 | Jean-Sébastien Couloumiès | | | 6 | | | | | | | | * | | | 6 |
| 36 | Mike Kirkland | | | | 6 | | | Ret | | | | * | | | 6 |
| 36 | Paul Rouby | | | | | 6 | | | | | | * | | | 6 |
| 36 | Neil Allport | | | | | | | 6 | | | | * | | | 6 |
| 36 | Wilfried Wiedner | | | | | | | | | | 6 | * | | | 6 |
| 36 | Tony Pond | Ret | | WD | | Ret | | | | | | * | 6 | | 6 |
| 36 | Paolo Alessandrini | | | | | | | | | | | * | | 6 | 6 |
| 44 | Rod Millen | | | | | | | 10 | | | | * | | 7 | 5 |
| 45 | Salvador Servià | 7 | | | | | | | | | | * | | | 4 |
| 45 | Ramiro Fernandes | | | 7 | | | | | | | | * | | | 4 |
| 45 | Frank Tundo | | | | 7 | | | Ret | | | | * | | | 4 |
| 45 | Michel Neri | | | | | 7 | | | | | | * | | | 4 |
| 49 | Alain Oreille | 8 | | | | Ret | | | | | | * | | | 3 |
| 49 | Roger Ericsson | | 8 | | | | | | | | | * | | | 3 |
| 49 | Giovanni Recordati | | | 8 | | Ret | 19 | | | | | * | | | 3 |
| 49 | Shekhar Mehta | | | | 8 | | | | | | | * | | | 3 |
| 49 | Iórgos Moschous | | | | | | 8 | | | | | * | | | 3 |
| 49 | Paddy Davidson | | | | | | | 8 | | | | * | | | 3 |
| 49 | José Celsi | | | | | | | | 8 | | | * | | | 3 |
| 49 | Harri Toivonen | | | | | | | | | 8 | | * | Ret | | 3 |
| 49 | Alain Ambrosino | | | | | | | | | | 8 | * | | | 3 |
| 49 | Jimmy McRae | | | | | | | | | | | * | 8 | | 3 |
| 49 | Possum Bourne | | | | Ret | | | Ret | | | | * | | 8 | 3 |
| 60 | Björn Johansson | | 9 | | | | | | | | | * | | | 2 |
| 60 | António Segurado | | | 9 | | | | | | | | * | | | 2 |
| 60 | Greg Criticos | | | | 9 | | | | | | | * | | | 2 |
| 60 | Gilbert Casanova | | | | | 9 | | | | | | * | | | 2 |
| 60 | Reg Cook | | | | | | | 9 | | | | * | | | 2 |
| 60 | Ernesto Soto | | | | | | | | 9 | | | * | | | 2 |
| 60 | Lasse Lampi | | | | | | | | | 9 | | * | | | 2 |
| 60 | Patrick Copetti | | | | | | | | | | 9 | * | | | 2 |
| 60 | David Llewellin | | | | | | | | | | | * | 9 | | 2 |
| 60 | Clive Smith | | | | | | | | | | | * | | 9 | 2 |
| 70 | Sören Nilsson | | 10 | | | | | | | | | * | | | 1 |
| 70 | António Coutinho | | | 10 | | | | | | | | * | | | 1 |
| 70 | Johnny Hellier | | | | 10 | | | | | | | * | | | 1 |
| 70 | Christian Gardavot | | | | | 10 | | | | | | * | | | 1 |
| 70 | Michele Rayneri | Ret | | Ret | | Ret | 10 | | | | | * | | | 1 |
| 70 | Basil Criticos | | | | 11 | | | | 10 | | | * | | | 1 |
| 70 | Malcolm Wilson | Ret | Ret | WD | | Ret | | | | 10 | | * | 17 | | 1 |
| 70 | Martial Yacé | | | | | | | | | | 10 | * | | | 1 |
| 70 | Ingvar Carlsson | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | Ret | | * | 10 | | 1 |
| 70 | Paul Choiniere | | | | | | | | | | | * | | 10 | 1 |
| | Ladislav Krecek | | | | | | 12 | | | 26 | | * | | | 0 |
| | Svatopluk Kvaizar | | | | | | 14 | | | 37 | | * | | | 0 |
| | Alex Fiorio | Ret | | Ret | | WD | Ret | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Philippe Wambergue | Ret | Ret | | | | Ret | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Michele Mouton | Ret | | | | Ret | | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Achim Warmbold | Ret | | | | | | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Joaquim Santos | | | Ret | | | | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Jayant Shah | | | | Ret | | | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Vic Preston Jr. | | | | Ret | | | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Didier Auriol | | | | | Ret | | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Maurice Chomat | | | | | | Ret | | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Malcolm Stewart | | | | | | | Ret | | | | * | | | 0 |
| | Adolphe Choteau | | | | | | | | | | Ret | * | | | 0 |
| | Marc Duez | | | WD | | | | | | | | * | Ret | | 0 |
| * - Note: FISA annulled the results for the Rallye Sanremo ||||||||||||||||

### Manufacturers' championship

| Rank | Manufacturers | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Event | Total points |
| Rank | Manufacturers | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | ARG | FIN | ITA | GBR | Total points |
| 1 | Peugeot | 17 | 20 | - | (10) | 20 | 20 | 20 | (14) | 20 | * | 20 | 137 |
| 2 | Lancia | 20 | 17 | - | (14) | - | 17 | 17 | 20 | 14 | * | 17 | 122 |
| 3 | Volkswagen | 9 | 10 | - | - | 9 | 11 | 12 | 14 | - | * | - | 65 |
| 4 | Audi | 14 | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | - | 29 |
| 5 | Ford | - | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | 10 | 24 |
| 6 | Toyota | - | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | * | - | 20 |
| 7 | Renault | - | - | - | - | 14 | - | - | - | - | * | - | 14 |
| 8 | Subaru | - | - | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | * | - | 13 |
| 9 | Austin Rover | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | * | 8 | 12 |
| 10 | Citroën | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | - | 10 |
| 11 | Mazda | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | * | 9 | 9 |
| 12 | Opel | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | * | - | 5 |
| * - Note: FISA annulled the results for the Sanremo Rally ||||||||||||||

## Pointscoring systems
### Drivers' championship

| Points awarded by finish | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
| Points awarded by finish | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |

### Manufacturers' championship

| Points awarded by overall finish | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
| Points awarded by overall finish | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Points awarded by group finish | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th |
| Points awarded by group finish | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |