Hannu Mikkola
Born: 24 May 1942
Hometown: Joensuu
Audi introduces the Quattro with Mikkola at the wheel, Monte Carlo 1981
Hannu Mikkola is one of the best known of the Flying Finns, as he was a dominant driver in the sport during the 1970s and 1980s. He was a seven time winner of the Rally of 1000 Lakes in Finland, won the Royal Auto Club (RAC) Rally of Great Britain four times, and was twice winner of the Swedish Rally. His career as a rally driver spanned 31 years, beginning with a Volvo 544 in 1963.
Swedish co-driver Arne Hertz joined Mikkola full time in 1977 and the pair were always potential contenders for first place. The Mikkola/Hertz partnership lasted for eleven years, through the 1987 season.
Though he had great success driving for Fiat, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot and Toyota, Mikkola is best identified with two cars -- the Ford Escort and the Audi Quattro.
Mikkola joined Ford for the 1968 Rally of 1000 Lakes and came away with victory. His rivalry with veteran BMC Mini driver Timo Makinen on that event was preserved in the Castrol film "The Flying Finns".
He was one of the first to realize the potential of the Quattro, which revolutionized the sport of rallying in the 1980's with its turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive. Mikkola led overall with the new Audi at its debut in the 1981 Monte Carlo, but slid off the road when he missed the brake pedal at high speed. He redeemed himself by taking the Quattro to victory on the Swedish Rally a few weeks later.
| Year | Rally | Finish | Car | Co-driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1000 Lakes | 3rd | Volvo 122S | Anssi Järvi |
| 1968 | 1000 Lakes | 1st | Ford Escort TwinCam | Anssi Järvi |
| Austrian Alpine | 2nd | Lancia Fulvia | ||
| 1969 | Austrian Alpine | 1st | Ford Escort TwinCam | |
| 1000 Lakes | 1st | Ford Escort TwinCam | Anssi Järvi | |
| 1970 | 1000 Lakes | 1st | Ford Escort TwinCam | Gunnar Palm (S) |
| World Cup Rally London-to-Mexico |
1st | Ford Escort 1850cc | Gunnar Palm (S) | |
| 1971 | RAC | 4th | Ford Escort RS1600 | |
| 1972 | Safari | 1st | Ford Escort RS1600 | Gunnar Palm (S) |
| Scottish | 1st | Ford Escort RS 1600 | ||
| 1973 | Monte Carlo | 4th | Ford Escort RS 1600 | Jim Porter (GB) |
| Scottish | 2nd | Ford Escort RS 1600 | ||
| 1974 | 1000 Lakes | 1st | Ford Escort RS 1600 | John Davenport (GB) |
| 1975 | Monte Carlo | 2nd | Fiat Abarth 124 | Jean Todt (F) |
| Moroccan Rally | 1st | Peugeot 504 | Jean Todt (F) | |
| Rallye de Portugal | 2nd | Fiat Abarth 124 | Jean Todt (F) | |
| 1000 Lakes | 1st | Toyota Corolla / Levin | Atso Aho (SF) | |
| 1976 | 1000 Lakes | 3rd | Toyota Celica | Arne Hertz (S) |
| 1977 | Arctic | 4th | Toyota Corolla | |
| Welsh | 3rd | Toyota Celica | ||
| RAC | 2nd | Toyota Celica | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1978 | Swedish Rally | 2nd | Ford Escort RS | Arne Hertz (S) |
| Portugal | 2nd | Ford Escort RS | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| RAC | 1st | Ford Escort RS | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1979 | Monte Carlo | 5th | Ford Escort RS 1800 | Arne Hertz (S) |
| Swedish Rally | 5th | Ford Escort RS 1800 | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Portugal | 1st | Ford Escort RS 1800 | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Safari | 2nd | Mercedes-Benz 450SLC 5.0 | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| New Zealand | 1st * | Ford Escort RS 1800 | Arne Hertz (S) | |
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| RAC | 1st | Ford Escort RS 1800 | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Bandama | 1st | Mercedes-Benz 450SLC 5.0 | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1980 | Swedish | 4th | Ford Escort RS | Arne Hertz (S) |
| Argentina | 2nd | Mercedes-Benz 500 SLC | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| New Zealand | 3rd | Mercedes-Benz 500 SLC | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| San Remo | 3rd | Ford Escort RS | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| RAC | 2nd | Ford Escort RS 1800 | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1981 | Swedish | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) |
| 1000 Lakes | 3rd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| San Remo | 4th | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| RAC | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1982 | Monte Carlo | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) |
| 1000 Lakes | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| San Remo | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| RAC | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1983 | Monte Carlo | 4th | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) |
| Swedish | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Portugal | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Safari | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Argentina | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1000 Lakes | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Ivory Coast | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| RAC | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1983 World Rally Champion | ||||
| Press On Regardless (US) | 1st | Audi Quattro | Fabrizia Pons (I) | |
| 1984 | Monte Carlo | 3rd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) |
| Portugal | 1st | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Safari | 3rd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Acropolis | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| New Zealand | 3rd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Argentina | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Ivory Coast | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| RAC | 2nd | Audi Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| Carson City Int'l (US) | 1st | Audi Quattro | Doug Shepherd | |
| 1985 | Swedish | 4th | Audi Sport Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) |
| 1986 | Monte Carlo | 3rd | Audi Sport Quattro E2 | Arne Hertz (S) |
| 1987 | Safari | 1st | Audi 200 Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) |
| Acropolis | 3rd | Audi 200 Quattro | Arne Hertz (S) | |
| 1988 | Portugal | 4th | Mazda 323 4WD | Christian Geistdorfer (D) |
| 1989 | Monte Carlo | 4th | Mazda 323 4WD | Christian Geistdorfer (D) |
Hannu Mikkola and Jean Todt on the 1975 Vinho do Porto Rally of Portugal. They finished 2nd to Markku Alen and Ilkka Kivimaki in a similar Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye.