Timo Mäkinen
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Timo Mäkinen and Paul Easter (1966)
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |
 Finnish |
| Born |
18 March 1938 Helsinki, Finland |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 1973–1981, 1994 |
| Teams | Ford, Toyota, Peugeot |
| Rallies | 39 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Rally wins | 4 |
| Podiums | 7 |
| Stage wins | 73 |
| Total points | 7 |
| First rally | 1973 Monte Carlo Rally |
| First win | 1973 1000 Lakes Rally |
| Last win | 1975 Wales Rally GB |
| Last rally | 1994 Monte Carlo Rally |
Timo Mäkinen (born 18 March 1938 in Helsinki, Finland) is one of the original "Flying Finns" of motor rallying. He is most famous for his hat-tricks of wins in the RAC Rally and the 1000 Lakes Rally.
Mäkinen's start in international rallying came in the 1959 1000 Lakes Rally (now Rally Finland), in a Triumph TR3. He later drove works Austin-Healeys and Minis. In the big Healey, he finished fifth in the RAC Rally in 1963. Mäkinen drove Minis during most of 1964 but came second in the RAC Rally in a Healey, at the end of that year. He returned to the Mini Cooper S in 1965, winning the Monte Carlo Rally and the 1000 Lakes, and capturing a Coupe des Alpes at the Alpine Rally. He came second in the 1965 RAC Rally, again in a Healey.
In 1967, Timo Mäkinen drove his Mini at a high speed through the famous Ouninpohja stage of the 1000 Lakes with the car's bonnet open. Leather straps holding the bonnet were not thoroughly tightened, and they opened after a few rough bounces. He tried to put his head out of the side window but his helmet was too big and he could only stick his head halfway out. So he had to skid the car sideways continuously to see the road ahead. Even so, Mäkinen was third fastest on that special stage and he also won the rally overall, for the third year in a row.
In 1975, Mäkinen won the RAC for the third time in a row, at the wheel of a Ford Escort RS1800, preceded only by Erik Carlsson (Saab 96) in that feat. Mäkinen won the Finnish Rally Championship three times, the ice track championship six times and the saloon car race championship three times.
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