So sideways there were more flies on the side | Vatanen and Richards reunited with champion escort

Back in 1981, while he was also serving his Finnish army national service, Ari Vatanen teamed up with co-driver David Richards for an assault on the World Rally Championships.
Their car of a choice was a Ford Escort, as for so many back then, in Rothmans livery the screaming Escort was, according to Ari and David, more prone to crashing than wins. But somehow the pairing were able to secure enough points - and three wins - to give them the WRC title.
At the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard the pair were reunited with that original machine and talked us through both the season and the car itself, from its weird driving position to the rather primitive systems that Richards used.
At the 78th Members' Meeting you'll be able to see the car in action on the first ever public Goodwood Rally Sprint presented by Cooper Tires. To watch the whole event visits www.goodwood.com/grr on October 16/17.
#gwflatout #WRC #AriVatanten
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[@GoodwoodRR]

Who would love to see Ari and David back on a stage together?

[@petrpanthr3925]

I love them.

[@ExMachinaEngineering]

Oh... Oh... I know that one..! Everyone would!!!

[@BaruKz]

I really would like to see this two legends together. Back in the days a 13 hour stages was quite a remarkable achievement.

[@aft3rgl0w]

say no more!!!!! we demand this!

[@NialPowerCork]

Amazing duo.

[@donswier]

Two of the greatest ambassadors for rally: -Richards eventual, amazing Prodrive career and tirelessly promoting the sport.. -Vatanen's ability to paint the big picture of our lives, experiences, faith and purpose. All this, and the most iconic and enduring rally car of the past 50 years!

[@mosca3289]

The romantic era of rallying! Fantastic to listen to these heroes memories.

[@mikemurdoch9882]

True legends in a legendary car

[@bhante1345]

So does that make the 60s the Baroque era?

[@mosca3289]

@@bhante1345 😅

[@rodrigofonseca1160]

@@bhante1345 In a way yeah!

[@martykath4427]

Meaning no disrespect. it got to be a miracle that this pair of blokes and still alive and unscathed. How many close encounters have they had with roadside furniture of all types. Congratulations.

[@nobodynoone2500]

It takes a strong man to make it through the filter of constant danger. Some might argue we need a bigger filter for men today, the danger and stark mortal perils of immediate responsibility are now absent from much of our daily life.

[@drivewaystar6485]

Why would that be disrespect? They knew what they were doing and chose to do it

[@akisalmenaho8473]

And not to mention, this was around the times when Group B was a thing. Some people say that it was the best ever era of rallying. And, well, it was. But Group B took away so many drivers during it's existence that the fact that these two are still here is, indeed, a miracle.

[@ianchandley]

I wouldn’t say unscathed. Ari nearly died in the 1985 Argentina rally, was in critical condition for weeks and spent an entire year recuperating.

[@Putinhuylo3]

@@ianchandley If memory serves me right, after that was when Ari started celebrating his victories with milk, instead of Champagne.

[@carlosmagnus717]

What does Ari Vatanen have that only with 1 World Championship and 10 rallies won is he perhaps the most remembered driver? His bravery, his claw, his spectacular nature, even in spite of all the accidents he has had. For me, for example, to see him win that 1985 Monte Carlo, especially in the way he did it, or even that same year in Corsica trying to trace to Ragnotti 15 minutes due to a puncture, making one scratch after another, even if it ended in accident. Feats like those, for me, are worth than any World and rally record won by any driver from the time of Gr.A to today.

[@THE_Michael_Westen]

I've great memories of those times. One special stage was longer than a whole rally today. But they had to adapt for TV coverage to work. Ari and David are true legends and that Rothmans Escort is one of my favorite race cars of all time.

[@thisisnumber0]

They didn't have to adapt for TV. It worked perfectly well.

[@THE_Michael_Westen]

@@thisisnumber0 It did, no argument there. But they wanted a TV deal and that dictated the changes. Althought I do still watch WRC I liked the old rallyes more.

[@PaulDoldenDetails]

The most iconic rally car of my lifetime incredible ✊🏻

[@nonflyingfinn2173]

Ari was Ari. More cultured and softly spoken yet humble. Coming back from Argentina took some real balls.

[@100SteveB]

I used to love watching the WRC back in those days - edge of your seat entertainment. Ari Vatanen is a name I remember so well from those days. Used to love watch the night stages in Wales, pure magic!

[@benmarshall787]

My childhood (&adulthood) Motorsport Hero, Mr Vatanen, A Ford Escort RS1800 in Rothmans colours, a feature(portrait of said car mid air on the Manx rally) of my living room for over 20 years, - and 2 wives and 3 houses! Great to see Ari and Dave together. Why is Ari BMWs Ambassador, c'mon Ford use a legend. Brilliant interview, great car. Best wishes, Ben (aka Liversedge Ford Man)

[@arthurbretas2003]

Such a magnificent machine, and it's awesome to hear from the legends that took it to glory.

[@im9282]

Legendary car, legendary drivers.

[@chrisboren6361]

Ari is the poet laureate of rally... and I watched him at pikes peak, the man is heroic.

[@jamesstewart7224]

Humble superstars on the ragged edge of control. True rallying 👍

[@AntonyClayton-eq1ul]

Asa Mr Vatanen said, the Escort was car you could make sit up and beg. And you could do the most outrageous things in it and still get way with it. How marvellous to see this Rothmans team car future proofed. Instant nostalgia for for all us rally nuts of the 1970s and 1980s.💯👌👏

[@bulterriersanromangomez2152]

ARI - VATANEN . The very BEST the pilot .

[@SparrowNoblePoland]

Best thing about this 70s rallying was that this sideways technique was actually fast for the cars. If they were driven without or with very little skidding, they were actually slower. It was nowhere anything like drift. The idea was to preserve as much pendulum gained on the straight, through the corner as possible, and this was done by forcing all 4 wheels to work, through very specific sideways driving techniques. Sometimes you could see the car going sideways, but the front tires were smoking too- that's how well those drivers could use the grip of all wheels.

[@xLIVEDz]

I like that too a lot. It holds true here in Finnish winter driving to this day, it's an unbelievably enjoyable feeling to balance at the thin limit of grip. I knew that held true before I'd even had winter driving experience, and last winter was my first one with a license and I was soon blown away by how massive the difference actually was when balancing at the limit.

[@colingreen2320]

And thank you Dave Lapworth for bringing the car to the Bicester Heritage Sunday Scramble 😊👍🏻

[@Ralph2]

I enjoyed that. :) Ari and Dave, great team, I actually remember that season now Dave mentioned it. Won, crashed, won, crashed etc. Very nice, thank you.

[@richardmortimer8147]

David Richards is a real petrol head. Great guy. What other navigator is so high profile? Brilliant!

[@hessunator]

Jean Todt.

[@xsduprwd3937]

The Vatenen touch! (wore my vhs copy out when i was a kid!)

[@rickylazare8773]

Me too! The tape was shared among all my friends for years! The Vatenen Touch part 2 also!

[@AJBa83]

Built the model of this one recently. Think this is the clearest view I've ever seen of the interior and in the boot space. It's surprisingly difficult to find any pictures.

[@mikeymike3240]

I never ever tire of listening to Ari’s stories of his rallying, they are really magical and interesting 🧐 not to mention his driving abilities, my favourite video is the 88? Paris Dakar. David, you just touched on something I’ve been asking lots of different people about with no joy and yet you just came out with it…..why does the BDA engine sound really throaty and deep compared to other Ford engines , I’d really love to know, and what actually makes the deeper, throatier sound. Awesome video guys, 😎👍👍👍🇬🇧

[@shaggings]

It's mostly the intake system. ITBs make most cars sound much throatier than an more average cold air intake system. And carburated engines also sound very different from a EFI engines, difference is even more noticable with boosted carburator engines. They still soud throaty like an NA while having that spooling sound from the turbo.

[@duncanandrew5103]

It's the intake sound. Basic open air cleaner then straight into the carbs. At higher rpm its sucking as much volume of air into the engine as is possible.

[@sreshtapatil]

Absolutely love it

[@2404Pepe]

great wonderful beautiful, what can I say? that was just pure beauty, the sound, the dust, the no rules, courage, love to speed... it took money but it was never the issue. I love that era, thanks for such a beatiful video, I treasure this memories, thanks so much. I can´t forget Ari, driving for his life sideways before a bridge... ho my goodness, that was exquisite driveing!!!! thanks thanks so much guys

[@michaeljones2624]

Ari Vatenan and David Richards were an awesome crew

[@supertouring22]

Two of my favourite motorsport personalities, both having achieved so much in the sport.

[@markthibault8579]

Great interview. Love these old rally cars and drivers. There's just something special about the sound those old MkIIs made.

[@richardedwards9405]

Thank you. Great video. Great car. Great drivers. Glory days back then.

[@CorradoRacer]

Ari was my idol back in early 90"s, then after Colin Mcrae and after Sebastien Loeb! Those are the 3 legends of rallying! There's also: Auriol-Burns

[@marksimpson2689]

Brilliant car and crew, love the video

[@StewartEvans52]

Brilliant,really enjoyed listening to that

[@TeamGambleBMX]

Lovely. Thank you for uploading

[@LivingLifeSlower]

Met Ari in Glasgow. Brilliant guy. 👏

[@K1lostream]

That photo at 2:58 ! :chef's kiss:👌

[@paulfunnell2856]

that sound is so nice nothing like it

[@TheWelshtart]

Quite simply the best times ever in my opinion.

[@countmurcielago9802]

“An incomplete de wrecking “ famous words

[@dusankocisevic6823]

Two old dudes are soooo hilarioys🙏🙏

[@derekfromtauranga6012]

I saw Ari driving a couple of times in Rally NZ. I remember a long 108km stage he started in 4th on the stage and passed all the 3 factory Fiats in that one stage. He could be completely sideways and still waving out to the spectators. I think he had engine troubles so didn’t win the rally. 👍👍👍

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Nice vid........... 👍🏁👍🏁👍

[@bobbythompson3544]

Ari was a hero in Group B but almost died, in the Peugot and took a long time to get well again!

[@johnmorrison27]

Pure Magic 👍👍

[@jaasmac]

'The simple things in life are often the best'....

[@NialPowerCork]

You speak the truth David, won or crashed!

[@Thepigfromthepot]

It's what a rally car should still be

[@farishanafiah8461]

I never know David Richards used to be doing rallying.

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

The longer stages need to make a come back.

[@sidneygibson1023]

Wasn't DKP191T totally wrecked wearing the black shell oils livery? Must be very little of it original.

[@TheLRider]

IOM. I was there. 😮

[@ltcolwilliamkilgore]

The real ex-Sutton DKP was run by MCD in '82 on the Mintex, Welsh and Scottish. The car that was crashed on the Manx was the same car (FEK) that was a new build tarmac special for the Circuit of Ireland with DKP's ID, it had a Gartrac built shell with some unique features. The rest of the story is very complex and involved....

[@MOSSFEEN]

Todays Rally Drivers are like Pampered Pooches moaning that a 30km stage is to long

[@vikashKumar-ir6ph]

Those times were different these old guard ran on passion pure passion money 💸 was second thought now everything is for sale not just in motorsports but in every sports

[@CIARUNSITE]

"We crashed there too."

[@knowntobehonest]

As an investment happy to put this car in my garage.

[@timmyzhou1]

Here are the results for their 1981 championship season, race and finishing position: MON Ret SWE 2 POR Ret GRC 1 ARG Ret BRA 1 FIN 1 ITA 7 CIV 9 GBR 2 1st 96 It's amazing that after 40 years, the only mistake they made was mistaken Brazil and Argentina.

[@ltcolwilliamkilgore]

David Richards is mistaken in thinking that they crashed on the Monte in '81, as Ari rightly tries to dispute. The head gasket blew on the last stage of the second leg, SS24 "Les 4 Chemins". However! The year before they took part with Raymond Rue's private Publimmo team in an ex-Boreham "Monte Special" Escort, used by Hannu Mikkola on the Monte the year before. That one they crashed! Ended up in a deep ravine. There's a well known photo of it, as recovery is being prepared.

[@david-sutton-cars-ltd]

We build and rebuild.......

[@TheSimonhammond]

Summing up motorsport today. Whimps.

[@fatwalletboy2]

Todays point and squirt drivrrs will never know this......

[@teabagmcpick889]

BDA, yeah.... But it's not a Millington, is it?

[@bhante1345]

And nowadays there are barely any flies on cars anymore because they can't breed as the world around us is slowly corroding. If anything, all the more reason to absolutely send it side ways as in no time at all it will be 100% banned.

[@philipmcdonald2]

The best cars the best drivers! rallying should go back to real endurance events it would be far more popular!

[@paulnutter1713]

2ltr bdg David..... you'd have thought the head of the MUK would know the difference

[@diforbes]

When men were men.

[@nobodynoone2500]

Sad what rally has become. Even with 40 years of technology, we all still look back top the Group B and earlier racers for inspiration. Much like NASCAR, it went from cars a normal person could buy, modified in a garage, driven to the start and then raced; And ended up the playground of the rich and boring, funded by tactless young money running scams on each other and huge stuffy corporations vying for your attention. The spirit is gone. Bring back racing.

[@sugarnads]

Modern WRC is batshit boring. They sound like lawn mowers.

[@thisisnumber0]

Yes, David Richards, you ruined rallying by trying to emulate Bernie Eccleston. Thanks for that.

[@maverick4177]

A plagiarised title from a quote made by Walter Rohrl