Lars-Erik Torph
Encyclopedia
Lars-Erik Torph was a Swedish
rally
driver. He debuted in the World Rally Championship
in 1980 and took his first points at his home event, the Swedish Rally
, in 1984. Driving a Toyota Celica TCT
, a Toyota Supra 3.0i
and an Audi Coupé Quattro, he went on to finish on the podium four times. After just turning 28, Torph and his co-driver Bertil-Rune Rehnfeldt died while spectating the 1989 Monte Carlo Rally
, after Lancia
driver Alex Fiorio
lost control of his Delta Integrale and crashed into them.
, competing with a Volvo 142 at the Swedish Rally
and at the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland, retiring in both events. At his seventh WRC event, the 1984 Swedish Rally, he took his first WRC points by finishing fifth in an Opel Ascona
for the Opel Team Sweden. In 1985
, Torph drove to 11th place at his home event and then placed in the points at the 1000 Lakes Rally, taking ninth place in a Volkswagen Golf GTI for the Swedish Junior Team.
In the 1986 season
, Torph competed in three rallies for Toyota Team Europe, Toyota's factory WRC team. He took his Toyota Celica TCT
to second place at the endurance events Safari Rally
and Rallye Côte d'Ivoire
, losing the wins to compatriot and teammate Björn Waldegård
. At the Olympus Rally
, Torph finished fourth, but this time ahead of Waldegård who took fifth place. Points from these events placed Torph sixth in drivers' world championship.
In 1987
, Torph again had a three-event contract with Toyota. He started his season at the Swedish Rally and finished 11th in his privateer Audi 80 Quattro. With a factory Toyota Supra 3.0i
, he finished third at the Safari Rally behind Audi Sport's Hannu Mikkola
and Walter Röhrl
, despite a fever
that lasted almost the duration of the event. At the Olympus Rally, he retired due to an engine problem. On the second day of the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire, Toyota's Cessna 340
aircraft crashed down and exploded, killing manager Henry Liddon, his assistant Nigel Harris, the pilot and the navigator. Toyota boss Ove Andersson
withdrew all the factory Supra Turbos from the event.
During the 1988 season
, Torph participated in only two WRC events. In Sweden, driving a privateer Audi Coupé Quattro, he took his fourth podium place finishing behind Markku Alén
and Stig Blomqvist
. For the Safari Rally, Torph had a factory team contract with Volkswagen
but retired after his Golf GTI 16V developed an engine problem. Torph continued with the Coupé Quattro for the Team VAG
Sweden in the 1989 season
opener in Sweden, but retired after an ignition problem.
, Torph was not competing but only doing the reconnaissance (recce) to help fellow Swedish rally driver Fredrik Skoghag regarding pacenotes
on icy surface. While taking a break from recce duties, Torph and his co-driver Bertil-Rune Rehnfeldt went to spectate the fifth stage of the rally. Italian driver Alex Fiorio
lost control of his Lancia Delta Integrale, and then regained it only to go off the road and down an embankment on the other side. At about 145 km/h (90 mph), the car crashed into Torph and Rehnfeldt, killing both. Fiorio and his co-driver Luigi Pirollo were unhurt. Witnesses said that hitting a bump had caused Fiorio to lose control of his car. Skoghag withdrew from the event, and Lancia
's factory team Martini Lancia
took a triple win with drivers Miki Biasion, Didier Auriol
and Bruno Saby
.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
rally
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
driver. He debuted in the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
in 1980 and took his first points at his home event, the Swedish Rally
Swedish Rally
The Uddeholm Swedish Rally , formerly the Swedish Rally, is an automobile rally competition held in Värmland, Sweden in early February. First held in 1950, when it was called the Rally to the Midnight Sun with start and finish at separate locations, seventeen years later both start and finish...
, in 1984. Driving a Toyota Celica TCT
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
, a Toyota Supra 3.0i
Toyota Supra
The Toyota Supra is a sports car/grand tourer that was produced by Toyota Motor Company from 1979 to 2002. The styling of the Toyota Supra was derived from the Toyota Celica, but it was both longer and wider. Starting in mid-1986, the Supra became its own model and was no longer based on the Celica...
and an Audi Coupé Quattro, he went on to finish on the podium four times. After just turning 28, Torph and his co-driver Bertil-Rune Rehnfeldt died while spectating the 1989 Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
, after Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
driver Alex Fiorio
Alex Fiorio
Alessandro "Alex" Fiorio is an Italian rally driver. He debuted in the World Rally Championship in 1986. Driving the dominant Lancia Delta Integrale for the Lancia "B-team" Jolly Club, he finished third in the drivers' world championship in 1988 and second in 1989...
lost control of his Delta Integrale and crashed into them.
Career
Torph debuted in the World Rally Championship during the 1980 season1980 World Rally Championship season
The 1980 World Rally Championship season was the eighth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies...
, competing with a Volvo 142 at the Swedish Rally
Swedish Rally
The Uddeholm Swedish Rally , formerly the Swedish Rally, is an automobile rally competition held in Värmland, Sweden in early February. First held in 1950, when it was called the Rally to the Midnight Sun with start and finish at separate locations, seventeen years later both start and finish...
and at the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland, retiring in both events. At his seventh WRC event, the 1984 Swedish Rally, he took his first WRC points by finishing fifth in an Opel Ascona
Opel Ascona
The Opel Ascona was a mid-sized car produced by Opel. It had three generations produced from 1970 to 1988. In motorsport, the Ascona 400 rally car driven by Walter Röhrl won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in the 1982 season....
for the Opel Team Sweden. In 1985
1985 World Rally Championship season
The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter...
, Torph drove to 11th place at his home event and then placed in the points at the 1000 Lakes Rally, taking ninth place in a Volkswagen Golf GTI for the Swedish Junior Team.
In the 1986 season
1986 World Rally Championship season
The 1986 World Rally Championship season was the 14th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, including all twelve venues of the previous season as well as the addition of the Olympus Rally...
, Torph competed in three rallies for Toyota Team Europe, Toyota's factory WRC team. He took his Toyota Celica TCT
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
to second place at the endurance events Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
and Rallye Côte d'Ivoire
Rallye Côte d'Ivoire
The Rallye Côte d'Ivoire is a rally race held annually in Côte d'Ivoire in Africa. In common with other races on the continent, it is known for its arduous conditions and high attrition rate among competitors. It was part of the World Rally Championship for drivers and manufacturers from 1978 to...
, losing the wins to compatriot and teammate Björn Waldegård
Björn Waldegård
Björn Waldegård from Rimbo is a former Swedish rally driver, and the winner of the inaugural World Rally Championship for drivers in 1979...
. At the Olympus Rally
Olympus Rally
The Olympus Rally is an event in the motorsport of rallying. While it has usually been run as a national rally, in 1986-1988, it was a round in the FIA World Rally Championship, the most recent time a WRC rally has been run in the United States....
, Torph finished fourth, but this time ahead of Waldegård who took fifth place. Points from these events placed Torph sixth in drivers' world championship.
In 1987
1987 World Rally Championship season
The 1987 World Rally Championship season was the 15th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies in the same venues of the previous season...
, Torph again had a three-event contract with Toyota. He started his season at the Swedish Rally and finished 11th in his privateer Audi 80 Quattro. With a factory Toyota Supra 3.0i
Toyota Supra
The Toyota Supra is a sports car/grand tourer that was produced by Toyota Motor Company from 1979 to 2002. The styling of the Toyota Supra was derived from the Toyota Celica, but it was both longer and wider. Starting in mid-1986, the Supra became its own model and was no longer based on the Celica...
, he finished third at the Safari Rally behind Audi Sport's Hannu Mikkola
Hannu Mikkola
Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :...
and Walter Röhrl
Walter Röhrl
Walter Röhrl is a German rally and auto racing driver, with victories for Fiat, Opel, Lancia and Audi as well as Porsche, Ford and BMW.-Career:...
, despite a fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
that lasted almost the duration of the event. At the Olympus Rally, he retired due to an engine problem. On the second day of the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire, Toyota's Cessna 340
Cessna 340
|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN 0 7106-0748-2.* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data, 1988. ISBN 0 7106-0867-5....
aircraft crashed down and exploded, killing manager Henry Liddon, his assistant Nigel Harris, the pilot and the navigator. Toyota boss Ove Andersson
Ove Andersson
Ove Andersson was a Swedish rally driver and the first head of Toyota's F1 program. His nickname was "Påven" .-Early life:...
withdrew all the factory Supra Turbos from the event.
During the 1988 season
1988 World Rally Championship season
The 1988 World Rally Championship season was the 16th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship...
, Torph participated in only two WRC events. In Sweden, driving a privateer Audi Coupé Quattro, he took his fourth podium place finishing behind Markku Alén
Markku Alén
Markku Allan Alén is a Finnish former rally and race car driver. He drove for Fiat, Lancia, Subaru and Toyota in the World Rally Championship, and held the record for most stage wins in the series until 2011...
and Stig Blomqvist
Stig Blomqvist
"Stig" Lennart Blomqvist is a Swedish rally driver. He made his international breakthrough in 1971. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985...
. For the Safari Rally, Torph had a factory team contract with Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
but retired after his Golf GTI 16V developed an engine problem. Torph continued with the Coupé Quattro for the Team VAG
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
Sweden in the 1989 season
1989 World Rally Championship season
The 1989 World Rally Championship season was the 17th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, with some adjustments to the schedule versus the previous season...
opener in Sweden, but retired after an ignition problem.
Death
At the 1989 Monte Carlo RallyMonte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
, Torph was not competing but only doing the reconnaissance (recce) to help fellow Swedish rally driver Fredrik Skoghag regarding pacenotes
Pacenotes
In rallying, pacenotes are a commonly used method of accurately describing the route to be driven in extreme detail. As well as dictating the general route to be taken, in terms of turnings, junctions, etc, all notable features of the route which might affect the way it is driven at speed are...
on icy surface. While taking a break from recce duties, Torph and his co-driver Bertil-Rune Rehnfeldt went to spectate the fifth stage of the rally. Italian driver Alex Fiorio
Alex Fiorio
Alessandro "Alex" Fiorio is an Italian rally driver. He debuted in the World Rally Championship in 1986. Driving the dominant Lancia Delta Integrale for the Lancia "B-team" Jolly Club, he finished third in the drivers' world championship in 1988 and second in 1989...
lost control of his Lancia Delta Integrale, and then regained it only to go off the road and down an embankment on the other side. At about 145 km/h (90 mph), the car crashed into Torph and Rehnfeldt, killing both. Fiorio and his co-driver Luigi Pirollo were unhurt. Witnesses said that hitting a bump had caused Fiorio to lose control of his car. Skoghag withdrew from the event, and Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
's factory team Martini Lancia
Martini Racing
Martini Racing is the name under which various motor racing teams raced when sponsored by the Martini & Rossi distillery that produces Martini vermouth. Martini's sponsorship program began in 1968...
took a triple win with drivers Miki Biasion, Didier Auriol
Didier Auriol
Didier Auriol is a French rally driver.Born in Montpellier, and initially an ambulance driver, Auriol made his name as a French rally driver in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1990s. He became World Rally Champion in 1994, the first from his country to do so...
and Bruno Saby
Bruno Saby
Bruno Saby is a rally driver from France.In 1981, Saby became French Rally Champion in a Renault 5 Turbo. He drove for the works teams of Renault, Peugeot, Volkswagen and Lancia during his career in the World Rally Championship...
.