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Hannu Mikkola

Hannu Mikkola
Personal information
Nationality Finland Finnish
Born (1942-05-24) 24 May 1942 (age 74)
Joensuu, Finland
World Rally Championship record
Active years 1973–1993
Co-driver Sweden Arne Hertz
Sweden Bruno Berglund
Sweden Johnny Johansson
Germany Christian Geistdörfer
Finland Seppo Harjanne
Finland Atso Aho
United Kingdom Jim Porter
Teams Ford, Toyota, Audi, Mazda, Subaru
Rallies 123
Championships 1 (1983)
Rally wins 18
Podiums 44
Stage wins 666
Total points 655
First rally 1973 Monte Carlo Rally
First win 1974 1000 Lakes Rally
Last win 1987 Safari Rally
Last rally 1993 1000 Lakes Rally

Hannu Olavi Mikkola (born 24 May 1942 in Joensuu, Finland) is a retired world champion 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.

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.


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Wikipedia

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