Riding Balls of Fire - Group B the Wildest Years of Rallying

2017 • 100 minutes

About this movie

Thirty years after the end of Group B rallying, film-maker Helmut Deimel has launched his latest film on rallying’s wildest era.

For “Riding Balls of Fire”, the Austrian legend behind the hugely popular “Evolution of Rallying” has gathered together the finest archive footage of the 500 bhp Group B supercars in their prime.

As is typical for Deimel, the chronology of events is broken up by special features such as the failure of the high-tech cars in Africa, the fight for glory on the Race to the Clouds at Pikes Peak, and a preview on the planned Group S formula. Apart from the action on the special stages, “Riding Balls of Fire” also highlights the technological developments and the heroes of the supercar era. For his homage to Group B rallying, Deimel has spoken to all the important characters including the four Group B World Champions plus Walter Röhrl, Michèle Mouton, Ari Vatanen and the former team managers Jean Todt and Cesare Fiorio.

Although this 100-minute documentary also deals with the tragic accidents, Deimel always focuses on the fascination of that era. “Riding Balls of Fire” is not a blood opera. It is a rally film that gets under your skin.

Ratings and reviews

I remember GroupB like it was yesterday, great movie.

Incredible documentary about Group B Rallying