ICONIC LANCIA STRATOS WOWS GOODWOOD FANS
The Lancia Stratos that won the first ever FIA European Rallycross Championship title made it’s first UK appearance in over three-decades at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend. Following an extensive rebuild, the car was run by former Formula One podium finisher and double Le Mans winner Alexander Wurz, and driven by his father Franz, who won the first European Rallycross title in the car in 1976.
The Wurz family have recently completed the restoration of the unique car – the only Stratos to run a three-litre engine – having bought it back from fellow Austrian Andy Bentza, to whom the car was sold in 1977.
“When I was young I remember my dad racing the car, and it was already like a spaceship back then,” said Wurz Jr. “Then it went to Bentza and he won the championship, and he kept it forever. We called him every year asking if he wanted to sell the car. That went of for over 10 years, then another two to three years of negotiating. Then, another two years of renovation, which we did in Austria. We tried to do it as immaculately as we could.
“The car is unique, it has the three-litre engine which came from Lancia especially for my father. It was from Ferrari, so we still have letters from Ferrari about the three-litre engine and when it would be ready for my dad. During the renovation we wondered where we should run it first and because I’ve come to Goodwood for many years, I knew that this was the place to do it. It’s so cool to still see people coming here, including Lord March, and saying they saw the car when that they were a child,” added Wurz Jr. “They’re still chasing my dad for autographs, and that makes me very proud and happy to get this car back into the family.”