Tommi Antero Mäkinen (; born 26 June 1964) is a Finnish racing executive and former rally driver. Mäkinen was the team principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT from 2016 until his departure at the end of 2020, to become Toyota's motorsport advisor.
Mäkinen is one of the most successful World Rally drivers of all time, ranking fifth in rally wins (24) and third in championships (4), tied with Juha Kankkunen behind Sébastien Ogier (9) and Sébastien Loeb (9). In 2018, as a head of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, he became the first person in the history of rally driving to win a Championship both as a driver and as a team principal.
Mäkinen is a four-time World Rally Champion, a series he first won, and then successfully defended, continuously throughout 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999, on all occasions driving the Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. He also aided Mitsubishi to the 1998 world constructors' title as well as winning the 2000 Race of Champions. Mäkinen's navigators include compatriots Seppo Harjanne, Kaj Lindström and Risto Mannisenmäki, the former retiring from alongside Mäkinen having previously served 1985 champion, and fellow "Flying Finn", Peugeot's Timo Salonen.
Career
Mäkinen won the Group N Finnish Rally Championship driving a Lancia Delta HF 4WD in 1988. Mäkinen's first world rally win came on the 1994 1000 Lakes Rally (now Rally Finland), in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth. Mäkinen proved a late developer by the standards of some in rallying circles, only nabbing his first full-time manufacturer seat in a Group A formula Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution alongside former Group A rally champion Swede Kenneth Eriksson, in 1995 - but success was to prove spontaneous thereafter.
A cultured Safari Rally win in 1996 proved the platform on which to build a dominant championship lead, which he consolidated by taking the title in Australia, away from runner-up, Subaru's Colin McRae - a long-time rival. He proceeded to win every drivers' title for Mitsubishi from 1996 to 1999. The Mitsubishi team, with the Finn and young Briton Richard Burns among its driver personnel, also won its sole manufacturers' championship in 1998, while late that same year, the licensed Tommi Mäkinen Rally video game was also released. In 2000, despite opening his campaign with victory on the January Monte Carlo Rally, Mäkinen finally relinquished his grasp on the title, being beaten in the standings by new title holder and fellow Finn, Marcus Grönholm. That year Mitsubishi produced a 'Tommi Mäkinen edition' of the road version of the Lancer Evolution VI to commemorate his previous title successes. This car had a different front bumper than the regular Evolution VI, while some models also featured a red and white paint job to closely resemble Mäkinen's rally car.
Mäkinen remained with Mitsubishi until the end of the 2001 season, having finished third in that year's standings behind Burns and McRae, by now respectively drivers for Subaru and Ford - but not before the inauspicious introduction of team's first ever World Rally Car on the San Remo Rally. Mäkinen and teammate Freddy Loix struggled with the car before the Finn's crash on the mountainside roads of the following round in Corsica was responsible for breaking co-driver Mannisenmäki's back and in doing so, virtually ended his top-line career. The Finn was forced to fare with substitute co-drivers for the remaining events in Australia (with Timo Hantunen) and Great Britain, the latter of which he retired from, helping Burns to claim the championship.
A move to the Prodrive-run Subaru World Rally Team for 2002 as replacement for Burns (who had chosen to drive a works Peugeot 206 WRC alongside Grönholm for his title defence) yielded one more, final career victory, on the 2002 Monte Carlo Rally where a technical infringement committed by on-the-road winner, and emerging talent, Sébastien Loeb, allowed Mäkinen to upstage the Frenchman. But his form then took a dive and he was not to add again to his tally of world titles.
Mäkinen retired from the sport after the 2003 season, ending his WRC career on the podium with third place on that seasons final rally, Rally Great Britain.
In 2004, Mäkinen established his own company named Tommi Mäkinen Racing Oy Ltd with the aim to prepare rally cars and provide support to drivers.
In 2016, Mäkinen became the team principal of the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, which is the factory team of Toyota and competes in the World Rally Championship (WRC). In 2018, the team managed to win the World Rally Championship earning Toyota their first manufacturers' title since 1999.
Personal life Mäkinen was born in Puuppola, near Jyväskylä, Finland. From 1999, he has lived in both Jyväskylä and Monte Carlo, Monaco. He is married, with two children.
WRC victories {|class="wikitable" ! Number ! Event ! Season ! Co-driver ! Car |- | 1 | 44th 1000 Lakes Rally | 1994 | Seppo Harjanne | Ford Escort RS Cosworth |- | 2 | 45th International Swedish Rally | 1996 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 |- | 3 | 44th Safari Rally Kenya | 1996 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 |- | 4 | 16º Rally Argentina | 1996 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 |- | 5 | 46th Neste 1000 Lakes Rally | 1996 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 |- | 6 | 9th API Rally Australia | 1996 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 |- | 7 | 30º TAP Rallye de Portugal | 1997 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 |- | 8 | 33º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España) | 1997 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 |- | 9 | 17º Rally Argentina | 1997 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 |- | 10 | 47th Neste Rally Finland | 1997 | Seppo Harjanne | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 |- | 11 | 47th International Swedish Rally | 1998 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 |- | 12 | 18º Rally Argentina | 1998 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5 |- | 13 | 48th Neste Rally Finland | 1998 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5 |- | 14 | 40º Rallye Sanremo - Rallye d'Italia | 1998 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5 |- | 15 | 11th API Rally Australia | 1998 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5 |- | 16 | 67ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo | 1999 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 |- | 17 | 48th International Swedish Rally | 1999 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 |- | 18 | 29th Rally New Zealand | 1999 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 |- | 19 | 41º Rallye Sanremo - Rallye d'Italia | 1999 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 |- | 20 | 68ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo | 2000 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 |- | 21 | 69ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo | 2001 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5 |- | 22 | 35º TAP Rallye de Portugal | 2001 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5 |- | 23 | 49th Safari Rally Kenya | 2001 | Risto Mannisenmäki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5 |- | 24 | 70ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo | 2002 | Kaj Lindström | Subaru Impreza WRC2001
WRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Points 1987 Tommi Mäkinen Lancia Delta HF 4WD MON SWE POR KEN FRA GRC USA NZL ARG FINRet CIV ITA GBR - 0 1988 Tommi Mäkinen Lancia Delta HF 4WD MON SWE POR KEN FRA GRC USA NZL ARG FINRet CIV ITA - 0 Mu-Uutiset 4 Rombi Corse Lancia Delta Integrale GBRRet 1989 Tommi Mäkinen Lancia Delta Integrale SWERet MON POR KEN FRA GRC NZL ARG FINRet AUS ITA CIV GBR - 0 1990 Pro Sport Rally Team Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 MON POR KEN FRA GRC NZL6 ARG FIN11 AUS7 ITA13 CIV GBRRet 24th 10 1991 Promoracing Finland Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 MON SWE13 31st 8 Tommi Mäkinen PORRet KEN FRA GRC Promoracing Finland Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 NZLRet ARG Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 GTX FIN5 AUS ITA CIV ESP GBRRet 1992 Nissan Motorsports Europe Nissan Sunny GTI-R MON9 SWE PORRet KEN FRA GRC NZL ARG FINRet AUS ITA CIV ESP GBR8 40th 5 1993 Astra Lancia Delta HF Integrale MON SWE4 POR KEN FRA GRE6 ARG NZL FIN4 AUS ITA ESP GBR 10th 26 1994 Nissan F2 Nissan Sunny GTI MON PORRet KEN FRA GRE ARG NZL GBR9 10th 22 Ford Motorsport Ford Escort RS Cosworth FIN1 Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II ITARet 1995 Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II MON4 SWE2 5th 38 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III POR FRA8 NZLRet AUS4 ESPRet GBRRet 1996 Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III SWE1 KEN1 IDNRet GRE2 ARG1 FIN1 AUS1 ITARet ESP5 1st 123 1997 Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV MON3 SWE3 KENRet POR1 ESP1 FRARet ARG1 GRE3 NZLRet FIN1 IDNRet ITA3 AUS2 GBR6 1st 63 1998 Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV MONRet SWE1 KENRet PORRet 1st 58 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V ESP3 FRARet ARG1 GRERet NZL3 FIN1 ITA1 AUS1 GBRRet 1999 Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI MON1 SWE1 KENDSQ POR5 ESP3 FRA6 ARG4 GRE3 NZL1 FINRet CHNRet ITA1 AUS3 GBRRet 1st 62 2000 Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI MON1 SWE2 KENRet PORRet ESP4 ARG3 GRERet NZLRet FIN4 CYP5 FRARet ITA3 AUSDSQ GBR3 5th 36 2001 Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5 MON1 SWERet POR1 ESP3 ARG4 CYPRet GRE4 KEN1 FINRet NZL8 3rd 41 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII WRC ITARet FRARet AUS6 GBRRet 2002 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC2001 MON1 SWERet 8th 22 Subaru Impreza WRC2002 FRARet ESPRet CYP3 ARGRet GRERet KENRet FIN6 GER7 ITARet NZL3 AUSDSQ GBR4 2003 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC2003 MONRet SWE2 TUR8 NZL7 ARGRet GRE5 CYPRet GERRet FIN6 AUS6 ITA10 FRA7 ESP8 GBR3 8th 30
WRC summary SeasonTeamStartsVictoriesPodiumsStage winsDNFPointsFinal result 1987 Private 1 0 0 0 1 0 NC 1988 Private 1 0 0 0 1 0 NC Mu-Uutiset 4 Rombi Corse 1 0 0 0 1 0 1989 Private 2 0 0 0 2 0 NC 1990 Pro Sport Rally Team 5 0 0 0 1 10 24th 1991 Promoracing Finland 2 0 0 0 1 0 31st Mazda Rally Team Europe 2 0 0 0 1 8 Private 1 0 0 0 1 0 1992 Nissan Motorsports Europe 4 0 0 1 2 5 40th 1993 Astra 3 0 0 3 0 26 10th 1994 Nissan F2 2 0 0 0 1 2 10th Ford Motor Co 1 1 1 14 0 20 Mitsubishi Ralliart 1 0 0 0 1 0 1995 Mitsubishi Ralliart 7 0 1 24 3 38 5th 1996 Mitsubishi Ralliart 9 5 6 70 2 1231st 1997 Mitsubishi Ralliart 14 4 9 78 4 631st 1998 Mitsubishi Ralliart 13 5 7 41 6 581st 1999 Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart 14 4 7 56 3 621st 2000 Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart 14 1 5 27 5 36 5th 2001 Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart 14 3 4 21 6 413rd 2002 555 Subaru World Rally Team 14 1 3 16 7 22 8th 2003 555 Subaru World Rally Team 14 0 2 10 4 30 8thTotal 139 24 45 361 53 544
See also International Rally Championship
References
External links
Tommi Mäkinen Racing Ltd. Toyota Gazoo Razing