Motorsport movies are often difficult to nail down. It can’t be all about technical stuff as it will bore the non-enthusiast viewers, and the drama can’t be over the top as it will drive away car enthusiasts. The moment they hear cheesy dialogue, they walk out the theatre.
That said, there have been some racing movies that have become absolute bangers. Prime examples of these are Rush and Ford vs. Ferrari. Now, there’s a new one on the way, a film that hopes to match the other two in terms of critical reception.
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It’s called Race For Glory: Audi vs. Lancia, and the trailer for it has just been released. Let’s just say it’s a movie we weren’t expecting. We like the pitch, though, as it puts the spotlight in one of rallying’s golden eras: Group B.
For rally fans, they most likely know the back story, but here’s a brief background anyway. In 1983, Lancia and Audi were in a close battle for the manufacturer’s title in the World Rally Championship. Lancia was the underdog in this case, as it ran the season with the two-wheel drive 037. Audi, on the other hand, had the high tech all-wheel drive Quattro that was revolutionizing the sport. Heck, the Quattro is the reason why top-tier rally cars are all-wheel drive these days.
The cast, you ask? For those who watched Rush (and you likely did because you’re reading this), you’ll spot a familiar face. That would be Daniel Brühl who portrayed Niki Lauda in Rush. This time around, he plays Audi Sport race director Roland Gumpert. Over at the Lancia camp, the team’s principal is portrayed by Riccardo Scamarcio, taking on the role of Cesare Fiorio.
What about the drivers? So far, the only one present in the trailer with significant screen time is Walter Röhrl, played by Volker Bruch. We’d love to see the other Group B rally legends represented on screen too, such as Hannu Mikkola (Röhrl’s main rival for the driver’s championship), Markku Alén (One of Röhrl’s teammates at Lancia), and Michèle Mouton (of course).
Race For Glory: Audi vs. Lancia hits theatres on January 5, 2024. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it shows the glory of the Group B rally era.
