World Rally Championship 1990-99

Introduction

The 1980s saw the rise and fall of the Group B cars with Group A becoming the norm after the powerful supercars were banned by the FIA after the 1986 season. This 10 disc set includes over 18 hours of rallying action, during which the Group A cars evolved into what became the World Rally Car in 1997. During this time, Juha Kankkunen became the first three time champion by winning in 1991 and then added to his tally by taking the WRC from Spanish driver Carlos Sainz in 1993. If the success of Kankkunen was impressive, it was overshadowed later that decade when Tommi Mäkinen won the WRC four years in a row in the superb Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.

After the domination of the European cars, the '90s saw teams from Japan, including newcomers Subaru, grow in strength, winning six of the ten Constructor's Championships and all but one Drivers' Championships. Between them, Toyota, Subaru and Mitsubishi would rule the decade.

The WRC began to gain more mainstream appeal, partially thanks to the appeal of British driver Colin McRae, who became the first British winner with his triumph in 1995 and the popularity of rally video games.

1990 was set to be a fantastic season, with Toyota taking on Lancia and the Europeans taking on the Scandinavians as five constructors entered the championship, and the name Subaru was began to make a mark on the world rally stage.

Over 14 rounds in 1991, Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen waged a year-long battle for the Drivers World Championship, a battle destined to be won and lost on the very last event of the year, the RAC Rally.

While Juha Kankkunen started 1992 as reigning champion, his Lancia Delta HF Integrale was expected to be no match for the awesome Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD. However, it proved almost unstoppable in the early rounds but Sainz maintained a determined assault on the championship and Auriol produced a series of near-faultless drives to take the Championship down to the final round with the Spanish legend emerging victorious.

The 1993 season was the stuff of legend, defending champion Sainz struggled in his Lancia which opened the way for Kankkunen and Auriol to mount a season-long battle for the world crown. 1993 would see seven different drivers claim victory, including the very first WRC win in British hero Colin McRae's illustrious career, to set up a real fight for the World Championship.

1994 saw the Subaru pairing of McRae and Sainz provide plenty of entertainment but it was clear that Auriol and Sainz would be vying for the Championship and so it would prove with the final round in Britain deciding the winner and Auriol emerging victorious, the first Frenchman to lift the trophy.

The first half of the 1995 season was dominated by Saniz and Kankkunen but McRae came back into the reckoning after the Rally of New Zealand and Kankkunen was ruled out following a massive crash leaving the Scot and Sainz to battle it out, with the title hunt going down to the wire before the incredible McRae was crowned the youngest-ever World Rally Champion and the first Brit to hold the coveted title in front of his home fans.

In 1996 defending Champion Colin McRae was back behind the wheel of his Subaru Impreza, but faced a battle to retain his crown over the nine rounds of the season. Challenges came from former teammate Sainz, was now with Ford, and Finland's Tommi Mäkinen who would get the best from his Mitsubishi to the extent that not even a late season surge by McRae could stop Mäkinen claiming his first Championship.

The opening rounds of the 1997 season were dominated by the new-look Impreza, with McRae securing his first victory of '97 in the heat of the Safari Rally. Reigning World Champion Tommi Mäkinen was soon in contention in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV, and Carlos Sainz overcame early season reliability problems in the Ford Escort to join the title battle. Once again the Championship was so close that it would be decided in the last round at Britain's RAC Rally with Mäkinen taking the Championship by a single point.

The battle for the 1998 Championship came down to a fight between Sainz and Mäkinen, but they weren't the only stars of the show as McRae and Kankkunen showing great form and Englishman Richard Burns delighted his home crowd with victory on the last round.

Three-times World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen was determined to make it a record-breaking four in a row in 1999, but the Flying Finn in his Mitsubishi Lancer would be challenged by drivers such as McRae, the Subaru Impreza pairing of veteran Kankkunen and Burns and Toyota's Auriol and Sainz.

At the end of the '99 season, after almost three decades in rallying's top flight, Toyota left the WRC. This DVD includes a tribute to the Japanese manufacturer, recalling its incredible championship successes.

Video

Each disc is Region 0 PAL, with the picture in full frame 4:3. The coverage is superb, with cameras close to the action, in the cars and shots from helicopters giving you a different perspective. By the end of the decade the flaring from the headlights that was present in the 1980s and early '90s had gone and this has all the class that you'd expect from an official FIA release.

Audio

The Dolby Digital stereo tracks do a good job of presenting the action, with well informed and delivered commentary keeping you up to speed as the seasons progress.

Conclusion

This is a mighty box set, with a huge running time that will keep you occupied for weeks, if not months. The discs were all previously released but, bought together in this, they average out with a lower RRP if the outlay of nearly £100 doesn't put you off.

In the late '90s the cars were closer to the standards set by the Group B cars in terms of performance and excitement, and there are many classic cars featured including the iconic Subaru Impreza with its blue and gold livery. Although there is a separate release as a tribute to the late Colin McRae, this shows his development into a Champion and all the determination he showed to come close to regaining the title he famously won in 1995.

All in all, a fantastic set that is heartily recommended for all rallying and motorsport fans.