Lancia undertook an extensive testing programme in 1985 to get its Lancia 038 as it was still called at the time ready for the World Rally Championship.
Using smaller rally's that allowed prototypes to compete. The team hoped to have the car ready intime for the 1985 1000 Lakes Rally and then the Sanremo but it wasn't until the very last rally of the year, the RAC. That the car was finally homologated and ready.