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Race retro celebrates the life of rally driver Henri Toivonen

Race Retro will remember Finnish rally driver Henri Toivonen who sadly lost his life along with co-driver Sergio Cresto, in a Lancia Delta S4 on 2nd May 1986 some 30 years ago, when it returns to Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th February 2016.

To mark this occasion a display of ex-Toivonen cars is being put together by Peter Clarke, the team principal of PCA Motorsports, for whom Toivonen drove in the 1979 Lombard, including the original Ford Escort RS1800 (MK2), before retiring with clutch problems on Stage 30.

There will also be examples of the Talbot Sunbeam which Toivonen took to victory in the 1980 Lombard Rally, as well as the Rothmans Opel Ascona (B) he successfully campaigned during 1982-3 season.

Son of the 1968 European Rally Champion Pauli Toivonen, Henri Toivonen started his motorsport career in karting and circuit racing before turning to rallying. 1975 saw him make his World Rally Championship debut as a privateer in the Rally of 1000 Lakes, two days after his 19th birthday, in a Simca Rallye 2, retiring with a broken sum. On the same event in 1977 he achieved fifth overall in a Chrysler Avenger. In 1978 he entered two WRC events, driving for Citroen in their CX 2400.

Following a strong showing in the PCA Motorsports RS1800 in 1979 with Co-Driver Phil Boland, he was signed by the Talbot "Works" team, who paired him with English Co-Driver Paul White in the Talbot Sunbeam, which they took to victory on the 1980 Lombard Rally.

Toivonen's co-drivers Phil Boland and Paul White as well as his brother Harri Toivonen have also been invited to Race Retro to help celebrate his life.

Race Retro, the international historic motorsport show, will be held from 26th to 28th February 2016 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire with tickets now on sale. For more information, as well as all the ticket prices and booking details, visit www.raceretro.com