Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Hannu Mikkola

Hannu Mikkola
Mikkola in 1966
Personal information
NationalityFinland Finnish
Full nameHannu Olavi Mikkola
Born(1942-05-24)24 May 1942
Joensuu, Finland
Died25 February 2021(2021-02-25) (aged 78)[1]
Helsinki, Finland
World Rally Championship record
Active years1973–1993
Co-driverUnited Kingdom Jim Porter
United Kingdom John Davenport
Finland Atso Aho
Finland Erkki Rautanen
France Jean Todt
Sweden Claes Billstam
Sweden Arne Hertz
West Germany Roland Gumpert
West Germany Christian Geistdörfer
Finland Seppo Harjanne
Sweden Johnny Johansson
Sweden Bruno Berglund
TeamsFord, Toyota, Audi, Mazda, Subaru
Rallies123
Championships1 (1983)
Rally wins18
Podiums44
Stage wins666[2]
Total points655
First rally1973 Monte Carlo Rally
First win1974 1000 Lakes Rally
Last win1987 Safari Rally
Last rally1993 1000 Lakes Rally

Hannu Olavi Mikkola (24 May 1942 − 25 February 2021)[1] was a Finnish champion world rally driver. He was a seven-time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.

Career

Mikkola's 1970 World Cup Rally winning Ford Escort RS1600.

Mikkola's rally career spanned 31 years, starting with a Volvo PV544 in 1963, but his most successful period was during the 1970s and 1980s. The 1970s saw Mikkola a frontrunner in many international events, usually in a Ford Escort. He became the first overseas driver to win the East African Safari Rally in 1972, partnered by Gunnar Palm and again in a Ford Escort. In 1979 he made a serious challenge at the World Rally Championship title, ultimately finishing runner-up, only one point behind champion Björn Waldegård.

Mikkola was joined by Swedish co-driver Arne Hertz in 1977 and the pair were very quickly a force to be reckoned with, winning the British Rally Championship in 1978 in an Escort. The Mikkola/Hertz partnership lasted for thirteen years, through to the end of the 1990 season. He was partnered by Johnny Johansson for the 1991 season.

Mikkola was runner-up again in the 1980 season with Ford, but switched to the new Audi factory team for the 1981 season, to drive the revolutionary four wheel drive Audi Quattro. The partnership was successful from the outset: Mikkola led the 1981 Monte Carlo Rally, the Audi's first event, until an accident put him out of the event. He convincingly won the next WRC event, the Swedish Rally, but the Quattro had problems with reliability, and despite another win on the RAC Rally, Mikkola only managed third in the driver's championship. He won the 1000 Lakes and RAC rallies the following year, but did not improve on third position in the championship, ultimately finishing behind Opel's Walter Röhrl and teammate Michèle Mouton.

Mikkola in 2014
Mikkola driving a Quattro S1 at the 1986 Monte Carlo Rally

1983 was to be Mikkola's year. Four wins and three second places saw him and co-driver Arne Hertz finally take the World Championship title. With that, he until this day is the oldest rally world champion. A second place in the championship followed in 1984, behind his teammate Stig Blomqvist, but 1985 saw him compete in only four world rallies, with three retirements and a fourth place, and slip to 22nd in the final standings after the Audi team was overwhelmed by new Group B competition from Peugeot and Lancia. Mikkola remained with Audi until the 1987 season, winning the Safari Rally in a Group A Audi 200 that year, before switching to Mazda.

He remained with Mazda until entering semi-retirement in 1991, although he continued to make sporadic appearances on international rallies until retiring completely from motorsport in 1993. Mikkola has made brief appearances since then, including re-uniting with his co-driver Gunnar Palm for the 25th anniversary run of the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally (Mikkola won the original 1970 event and the 1995 re-run) and competing in the London-Sydney Marathon 2000 Rally, re-united with his 1968 1000 Lakes Rally winning Ford Escort RS1600 and co-driven by his oldest son, Juha Mikkola, founder of Canada Cup (floorball).

In September 2008, Mikkola took part in the Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally, a round of the Scottish Rally Championship. He was one of a number of former world champions to take part in the event in memory of McRae, who died in 2007. In 2011, Mikkola was inducted into the Rally Hall of Fame along with Röhrl.[3]

Mikkola died on 25 February 2021 of cancer at the age of 78.[1][4]

WRC victories

  #   Event Season Co-driver Car
1 Finland 1000 Lakes Rally 1974 John Davenport Ford Escort RS1600
2 Morocco Rallye du Maroc 1975 Jean Todt Peugeot 504
3 Finland 1000 Lakes Rally 1975 Atso Aho Toyota Corolla
4 United Kingdom RAC Rally 1978 Arne Hertz Ford Escort RS1800
5 Portugal Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto 1979 Arne Hertz Ford Escort RS1800
6 New Zealand Rally of New Zealand 1979 Arne Hertz Ford Escort RS1800
7 United Kingdom RAC Rally 1979 Arne Hertz Ford Escort RS1800
8 Ivory Coast Rallye Côte d'Ivoire 1979 Arne Hertz Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0
9 Sweden Swedish Rally 1981 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro
10 United Kingdom RAC Rally 1981 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro
11 Finland 1000 Lakes Rally 1982 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro
12 United Kingdom RAC Rally 1982 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro
13 Sweden Swedish Rally 1983 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro A1
14 Portugal Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto 1983 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro A1
15 Argentina Rally Argentina 1983 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro A2
16 Finland 1000 Lakes Rally 1983 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro A2
17 Portugal Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto 1984 Arne Hertz Audi Quattro A2
18 Kenya Safari Rally 1987 Arne Hertz Audi 200 Quattro

Racing record

Complete WRC results

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Points
1973 Hannu Mikkola Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI MON
4 		SWE POR KEN
Ret 		N/A N/A
Peugeot 504 Ti MOR
Ret
Volvo 142 GRE POL FIN
Ret 		AUT ITA USA
Milk Marketing Board - Ford Motor Co Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI GBR
Ret 		FRA
1974 Hannu Mikkola Peugeot 504 MON
C 		SWE
C 		POR KEN
Ret 		GRE
C 		N/A N/A
Ford Motor Co Ltd Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI FIN
1 		ITA CAN USA GBR
Ret 		FRA
1975 Fiat Rally Fiat 124 Abarth Rallye MON
2 		N/A N/A
Hannu Mikkola SWE
Ret 		POR
2
Peugeot 504 KEN
Ret 		GRE MOR
1
HM-Racing Toyota Corolla Levin TE 27 FIN
1 		ITA FRA
Toyota Toyota Celica GBR
Ret
1976 Hannu Mikkola Opel Kadett GT/E MON
Ret 		SWE N/A N/A
Toyota Corolla Levin TE 27 POR
Ret 		GRE
Ret
Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé KEN
Ret 		MOR
Ret
HM-Racing Toyota Celica 2000 GT FIN
3 		ITA
Toyota Team Great Britain GBR
Ret
Hannu Mikkola Peugeot 104 ZS FRA
10
1977 Hannu Mikkola Toyota Corolla Levin TE 27 MON SWE
Ret 		N/A N/A
Toyota Celica 2000 GT POR
Ret 		GRE
Ret 		FIN
Ret 		CAN ITA FRA GBR
2
Peugeot 504 KEN
Ret 		NZL
1978 Hannu Mikkola Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII MON SWE
2 		KEN POR
2 		GRE 3rd 30
Ford Motor Co Ltd FIN
Ret 		CAN ITA CIV FRA
Eaton Yale GBR
1
1979 Ford Motor Co Ltd Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII MON
5 		SWE
5 		POR
1 		FIN
Ret 		CAN ITA FRA GBR
1 		2nd 111
D.T. Dobie / Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC KEN
2 		CIV
1
Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII GRE
Ret
Masport NZL
1
1980 Esso Porsche 911 SC MON
Ret 		2nd 64
Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII SWE
4 		POR
Ret 		GRC
Ret 		ITA
3 		FRA GBR
2
D.T. Dobie / Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC KEN
Ret 		ARG
2 		NZL
3 		CIV
Ret
Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica 2000 GT FIN
Ret
1981 Audi Sport Audi Quattro MON
Ret 		SWE
1 		POR
Ret 		KEN FRA
Ret 		GRC
Ret 		ARG BRA FIN
3 		ITA
4 		CIV GBR
1 		3rd 62
1982 Audi Sport Audi Quattro MON
2 		SWE
16 		POR
Ret 		KEN FRA
Ret 		GRC
Ret 		NZL
Ret 		BRA
Ret 		FIN
1 		ITA
2 		CIV
Ret 		GBR
1 		3rd 70
1983 Audi Sport Audi Quattro A1 MON
4 		SWE
1 		POR
1 		KEN
2 		1st 125
Audi Quattro A2 FRA
Ret 		GRC
Ret 		NZL
Ret 		ARG
1 		FIN
1 		ITA
Ret 		CIV
2 		GBR
2
1984 Audi Sport Audi Quattro A2 MON
3 		SWE POR
1 		KEN
3 		FRA GRE
2 		NZL
3 		ARG
2 		ITA CIV
2 		GBR
2 		2nd 104
Audi Quattro Sport FIN
Ret
1985 Audi Sport Audi Quattro Sport MON SWE
4 		POR KEN
Ret 		FRA GRC NZL ARG 22nd 10
Audi Quattro Sport E2 FIN
Ret 		ITA CIV GBR
Ret
1986 Audi Sport Audi Quattro Sport E2 MON
3 		SWE POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN CIV ITA GBR USA 18th 12
1987 Audi Sport Audi 200 Quattro MON SWE POR KEN
1 		FRA GRE
3 		USA NZL ARG FIN
Ret 		CIV ITA GBR 8th 32
1988 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 4WD MON
Ret 		SWE
Ret 		POR
4 		GRC
Ret 		USA NZL ARG FIN
Ret 		CIV ITA GBR
Ret 		30th 10
GM Euro Sport Opel Kadett GSI KEN
Ret 		FRA
1989 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 4WD SWE MON
4 		POR KEN FRA GRC NZL ARG FIN
Ret 		AUS ITA CIV GBR
9 		27th 12
1990 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 4WD MON
Ret 		POR
6 		KEN FRA GRC NZL ARG FIN
Ret 		AUS ITA CIV 34th 6
Mazda 323 GTX GBR
Ret
1991 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 GTX MON
Ret 		SWE
7 		POR
Ret 		KEN FRA GRE
8 		NZL ARG FIN
Ret 		AUS ITA CIV ESP GBR
7 		25th 11
1993 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Legacy RS MON SWE
Ret 		POR KEN FRA GRC ARG NZL 38th 4
Toyota Castrol Team Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD FIN
7 		AUS ITA ESP

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos. Pts Class
1969 British Vita Racing Ford Escort TC C BRH SIL SNE THR SIL CRY MAL CRO SIL OUL BRH BRH
5 		35th 4 10th
1970 British Vita Racing Ford Escort TC C BRH SNE THR SIL CRY SIL SIL CRO BRH OUL BRH
Ret 		BRH NC 0 NC
Source:[5]

Trivia

Hannu Mikkola was involved in the only international rally to end in a dead heat. On the 1978 Burmah International, Mikkola and Russell Brookes finished equal on total stage times, but Mikkola won the event by virtue of having been faster than Brookes on the opening stage.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Rallimestari Hannu Mikkolan koskettava kuolinilmoitus julkaistiin Helsingin Sanomissa – "Rakkaus on ikuista"" (in Finnish). 2021-03-14. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  2. ^ According to World Rally Archive, Mikkola won 654 stages. Mikkola also won special stages in the following rallies that are not yet taken into account by www.juwra.com : 1 stage in Acropolis 1976(source: Sport Auto and Auto Hebdo), 1 stage in Sweden 1977 (source: Sport Auto), 10 stages in Acropolis 1977 (source: Sport Auto).
  3. ^ "New Inductees to Rally Hall of Fame". Neste Oil Rally Finland. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Rally legend Hannu Mikkola dies at 78". 27 February 2021.
  5. ^ de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
Sporting positions
Preceded by World Rally Champion
1983 		Succeeded by
Records
Preceded by Most rally wins
18 wins,
12th at the 1982 RAC Rally 		Succeeded by
Markku Alén
19 wins,
19th at the 1988 RAC Rally
Quelle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannu_Mikkola