MONTE-CARLO MADNESS!

Highlights of the Monte-Carlo Rally 1989, Monte-Carlo Rally 1990 and Monte-Carlo Rally 1991 released on DVD

The Monte-Carlo Rally is often one of the most exciting events on the World Rally Championship, offering high drama, awesome action and, frequently, courting controversy.

In 1989, 1990 and 1991 the event offered all that and more, including some of the most shocking scenes of crowd trouble and, tragically, the loss of two lives.

Now you can experience two pivotal years in the history of this prestigious rally on DVD. Monte-Carlo Rally 1989, Monte-Carlo Rally 1990 and Monte-Carlo Rally 1991 are each packed with highlights from the events, including amazing action footage, interviews with the stars and informed commentary.

These are the latest additions to the collectable series of classic Monte-Carlo Rallies on DVD.

The 1989 Monte-Carlo Rally should have been remembered for what promised to be an awesome battle between the works Lancia Deltas and the Japanese challengers from Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi.

Lancia once again fielded World Champion Miki Biasion and Bruno Saby, but the Italian team’s line up now also included Frenchman Didier Auriol. Juha Kankkunen was joined at Toyota by rising Spanish star Carlos Sainz amid hopes the Celica GT-4 could at last topple the mighty Deltas.

Mazda were back with the 323s, once again driven by Hannu Mikkola and Timo Salonen, and Ari Vatanen would be doing his best to take on the leaders in his relatively untried Mitsubishi.

Tragically, the event will actually be remembered for the horrific accident that claimed two lives. Alex Fiorio lost control of his Lancia on day two, leaving the road and crashing into a crowd. Many were injured and two died. Almost unbelievably, Fiorio had been involved in a crash just 24 hours earlier which had left two spectators badly hurt.

The fantastic action on the stages, as Lancia fought off the challenges of Toyota, Mazda and the amazing Mitsubishi, was overshadowed by repeated spectator problems.

The Monte-Carlo Rally 1989 DVD brings you the full story of this controversy-hit event, but also brings you scintillating high-speed action from the challenging special stages as Lancia fights to retain its dominance.

Just 12 months later, the WRC teams were back in Monte-Carlo and, fortunately, they were able to concentrate on the action rather than the crowds. As the Monte-Carlo Rally 1990 DVD shows, they needed to concentrate as the snow and ice traditionally found on the Monte-Carlo was missing, making this always-difficult event even more challenging.

Once again the Lancias were the cars to beat, with Kankkunen switching back to the Italian team and leaving the young Sainz to spearhead Toyota’s assault. The Spaniard rose to the challenge and the ‘90 event quickly became a fascinating battle between Sainz’s Celica and the Delta of Auriol.

This highlights programme brings you all the important action as the rally builds to a thrilling climax. With just a handful of miles left, Sainz and Auriol were equal on time, setting up an incredibly tense finale.

Incredible camerawork captures this fantastic battle, as well as the superb performances by Toyota’s Armin Schwarz, Lancia’s Biasion and Saby, Salonen, Vatanen and more. Plus there’s a chance to see British star Louise Aitken-Walker demonstrating her brilliant talent.

After such a thrilling battle, it left a bitter taste in the mouth when the result was appealed. A cloud of controversy once again descended on the WRC, although it was one that would not impact on the result.

In 1991 the promise of a dramatic event was delivered – a titanic battle between two of the best drivers and two of the biggest teams would rage until the final few miles, when cruel fate would intervene to deliver an emotionally-charged finale.

Toyota had emerged as the successor to Lancia with the awesome Toyota Celica GT-4. However, Mitsubishi, Mazda and Ford all had something to prove.

Sainz snatched the lead on day one, and this highlights programme shows the Spaniard’s sensational style as he built on the early advantage. The five-strong Lancia contingent could only fight for ‘best of the rest’ behind the powerful Toyota, and it proved too much for some – as the car-crunching moment suffered by Bruno Saby shows.

Delecour and the Ford Sierra Cosworth could not be discounted. His incredible charge was restricted only by the team asking him to back off – and those orders were relaxed when, with the end in sight, the chance of snatching victory away from Sainz looked possible.

This DVD charts the nip-and-tuck battle of the final day as Sainz and Delecour traded the lead, entering the final stage with the Ford just 42 seconds in front. What happened in those final, fateful 14 miles shows just how cruel this sport can sometimes be, and the footage of fans, journalists and competitors crying with disappointment shows just how emotionally-charged it is.

The programme is loaded with incredible film of iconic rally cars being pushed to the limit, and sometimes beyond it. There’s also plenty of interviews with the leading stars, and shocking footage of spectators risking life and limb for a closer look at their heroes.

Monte-Carlo Rally 1989, Monte-Carlo Rally 1990 and Monte-Carlo Rally 1991 DVDs are available now, priced at £10.99 on DVD, from leading video outlets or direct from Duke Video: Tel 01624 640000, fax 01624 640001 or email mail@dukevideo.com. Visit www.dukevideo.com online.