Paris-dakar rally embroiled in controversy

The 1988 Paris-dakar was both a zenith and a nadir. It attracted a record 603 starters but caused the death of six people and had its fight for first ruined when the leading Peugeot 405 of Ari Vatanen was stolen and held for ransom. FIA boss Jean-marie Balestre demanded disqualification, giving the win to Juha Kankkunen’s Peugeot 205.

“I now believe 603 is too many,” the organiser said. “The first stage may have been too hard. We’ll go back to the stages being progressively harder and make it more private.”

Peugeot suspected it was being punished for suing the FIA for banning Group B rally cars. It kept quiet officially, but its motorsport boss, Jean Todt – a future FIA chief – reportedly called Balestre “the Emperor Bokassa of motorsport”.