TOPMARQUES - LANCIA - BETA MONTECARLO TURBO PASSO CORTO ALITALIA N 576 GIRO D'ITALIA 1979 G.VILLENEUVE - W.ROHRL - C.GEISTDORFER

After the Stratos, the collaboration between Lancia and Dallara was renewed in 1978 when the Turin manufacturer decided to prepare a Group 5 car starting from the base of the Beta Montecarlo. Equipped with a 1425cc turbo engine, the car debuted at Silverstone in 1979, with Riccardo Patrese and Walter Roehrl. In 1980, having solved the typical problems of youth, the Beta Montecarlo won the endurance world championship by winning at Brands Hatch, Mugello and Watkins Glen. In 1981 the successes continued, including a second place in the class at Le Mans. Examples of the Beta Montecarlo Group 5 also raced in the German DRM, obtaining important successes. In 1982 Lancia passed to Group 6, leaving the Beta Montecarlo in the hands of some private teams.