I’m not afraid to admit I always struggle when it comes to the picture of the week feature.
It’s a conversation I regularly have with my colleague Luke Barry.
And it isn’t because I struggle with the concept or there aren’t enough images to choose from. In fact, it’s the opposite.
There are so many great images stored away within Girardo & Co’s archive that you’re stuck in an Aladdin’s cave losing hours of time absorbing magical content from years gone by.
It really is a case of where do you look next. Every image has a story, captures the imagination and sends you back in time.
But while recently we’ve focused on many different action shots from a wide range of different eras, this week I wanted to pick out a photo that was a little different.
And I landed with this – Mikael Ericsson’s Lancia Delta S4 being worked on during a morning service on 1986’s Acropolis Rally.
Firstly, how cool is that backdrop? Just look at what a great location that was to be working in.
There’s no gazebo tents or awnings, hiding cars away under cover. There’s no massive motorhome sitting alongside the car with not only every tool you could imagine, but plenty of relaxation space inside to boot.
Instead, with just a single van to service the cars, and the water shimmering beautifully in the background, the mechanics are beavering away getting the Delta S4 ready to tackle the day’s stages in earnest.
Unfortunately, a suspension failure would force Ericsson to retire on SS18 that year, but when it comes to this image, the result doesn’t matter.
This is rallying in its purest form. No thrills, accessible and downright magical.
