2011 Group B Rally At Donington Review

The latest thrilling addition to the Donington Historic Festival on 29 April to 1 May 2011 is the return of the legendary Group B rally cars. Over the weekend of the Festival, spectators will be treated to a full power demonstration of these iconic `too fast to race' rally machines.

From 1972 until the 1990s, Donington was used, on and off, as a stage on the annual RAC Rally. This included the era of the stunning Group B rally cars of the 1980s, when the Group B rules allowed unlimited boost, along with low weight and high-tech materials. The result was genuinely staggering performance, so much so that in 1986 a series of fatal accidents saw the sudden withdrawal of Group B and the outrageously quick rally cars it had spawned. At the Donington Historic Festival, a line-up of original works rally warriors will be put into action by the `Rallying with Group B' club members, reviving the fire and fury of these spectacular machines.

Spectators can expect to see and hear flame-spitting Audi quattros, MG Metro 6R4, Ford RS200, Lancia 037, Porsche 911 RSR, Peugeot 205 T16 - and even an example of the exotic Group B Ferrari 308 GTB. The rally cars will perform their spectacular stuff on a specially designed, all-Tarmac stage on the GP loop, with full, free spectator access. This is just the latest attraction to complement three days of the very best in historic racing, ranging from pre-1960 Touring Cars to 1977-85 Touring Cars; from pre-War sports cars to Group C sports cars; and from pre-63 GTs to World Endurance Championship sports prototypes from 1968-71 - plus much, much more.