Hannu Olavi Mikkola (24 May 1942 − 25 February 2021) 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 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.
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.
Mikkola 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.
Mikkola died on 25 February 2021 of cancer at the age of 78.
WRC victories {|class="wikitable" ! # ! Event ! Season ! Co-driver ! Car |- | 1 | 1000 Lakes Rally | 1974 | John Davenport | Ford Escort RS1600 |- | 2 | Rallye du Maroc | 1975 | Jean Todt | Peugeot 504 |- | 3 | 1000 Lakes Rally | 1975 | Atso Aho | Toyota Corolla |- | 4 | RAC Rally | 1978 | Arne Hertz | Ford Escort RS1800 |- | 5 | Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto | 1979 | Arne Hertz | Ford Escort RS1800 |- | 6 | Rally of New Zealand | 1979 | Arne Hertz | Ford Escort RS1800 |- | 7 | RAC Rally | 1979 | Arne Hertz | Ford Escort RS1800 |- | 8 | Rallye Côte d'Ivoire | 1979 | Arne Hertz | Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0 |- | 9 | Swedish Rally | 1981 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro |- | 10 | RAC Rally | 1981 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro |- | 11 | 1000 Lakes Rally | 1982 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro |- | 12 | RAC Rally | 1982 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro |- | 13 | Swedish Rally | 1983 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro A1 |- | 14 | Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto | 1983 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro A1 |- | 15 | Rally Argentina | 1983 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro A2 |- | 16 | 1000 Lakes Rally | 1983 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro A2 |- | 17 | Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto | 1984 | Arne Hertz | Audi Quattro A2 |- | 18 | Safari Rally | 1987 | Arne Hertz | Audi 200 Quattro
Racing record
Complete IMC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1970 Ford Motor Company Ltd Ford Escort Twin CamMONRetSWERet ITA KEN AUT GREGBRRet 1971 Ford Motor Company Ltd Ford Escort Twin Cam MON SWE ITA KENRet MAR AUT GRE FRA Ford Escort RS1600 GBR4 1972 Ford Motor Company Ltd Ford Escort RS1600 MON SWE KEN1 GRERet AUT ITA USA GBRRet Jean Guichet Peugeot 504MARRet
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 MON4 SWE POR KENRet N/A N/A Peugeot 504 Ti MORRet Volvo 142 GRE POL FINRet AUT ITA USA Milk Marketing Board - Ford Motor Co Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI GBRRet FRA 1974 Hannu Mikkola Peugeot 504 POR KENRet N/A N/A Ford Motor Co Ltd Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI FIN1 ITA CAN USA GBRRet FRA 1975 Fiat Rally Fiat 124 Abarth Rallye MON2 N/A N/A Hannu Mikkola SWERet POR2 Peugeot 504 KENRet GRE MOR1 HM-Racing Toyota Corolla Levin TE 27 FIN1 ITA FRA Toyota Toyota Celica GBRRet 1976 Hannu Mikkola Opel Kadett GT/E MONRet SWE N/A N/A Toyota Corolla Levin TE 27 PORRet GRERet Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé KENRet MORRet HM-Racing Toyota Celica 2000 GT FIN3 ITA Toyota Team Great Britain GBRRet Hannu Mikkola Peugeot 104 ZS FRA10 1977 Hannu Mikkola Toyota Corolla Levin TE 27 MON SWERet N/A N/A Toyota Celica 2000 GT PORRet GRERet FINRet CAN ITA FRA GBR2 Peugeot 504 KENRet NZL 1978 Hannu Mikkola Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII MON SWE2 KEN POR2 GRE 3rd 30 Ford Motor Co Ltd FINRet CAN ITA CIV FRA Eaton Yale GBR1 1979 Ford Motor Co Ltd Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII MON5 SWE5 POR1 FINRet CAN ITA FRA GBR1 2nd 111 D.T. Dobie / Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC KEN2 CIV1 Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII GRERet Masport NZL1 1980 Esso Porsche 911 SC MONRet 2nd 64 Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII SWE4 PORRet GRCRet ITA3 FRA GBR2 D.T. Dobie / Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC KENRet ARG2 NZL3 CIVRet Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica 2000 GT FINRet 1981 Audi Sport GmbH Audi Quattro MONRet SWE1 PORRet KEN FRARet GRCRet ARG BRA FIN3 ITA4 CIV GBR1 3rd 62 1982 Audi Sport GmbH Audi Quattro MON2 SWE16 PORRet KEN FRARet GRCRet NZLRet BRARet FIN1 ITA2 CIVRet GBR1 3rd 70 1983Audi Sport GmbH Audi Quattro A1 MON4 SWE1 POR1 KEN2 1st 125 Audi Quattro A2 FRARet GRCRet NZLRet ARG1 FIN1 ITARet CIV2 GBR2 1984 HB Audi Team Audi Quattro A2 MON3 SWE POR1 KEN3 FRA GRE2 NZL3 ARG2 ITA CIV2 GBR2 2nd 104 Audi Quattro Sport FINRet 1985 HB Audi Team Audi Quattro Sport MON SWE4 POR KENRet FRA GRC NZL ARG 22nd 10 Audi Quattro Sport E2 FINRet ITA CIV GBRRet 1986 HB Audi Team Audi Quattro Sport E2 MON3 SWE POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN CIV ITA GBR USA 18th 12 1987 HB Audi Team Audi 200 Quattro MON SWE POR KEN1 FRA GRE3 USA NZL ARG FINRet CIV ITA GBR 8th 32 1988 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 4WD MONRet SWERet POR4 GRCRet USA NZL ARG FINRet CIV ITA GBRRet 30th 10 GM Euro Sport Opel Kadett GSI KENRet FRA 1989 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 4WD SWE MON4 POR KEN FRA GRC NZL ARG FINRet AUS ITA CIV GBR9 27th 12 1990 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 4WD MONRet POR6 KEN FRA GRC NZL ARG FINRet AUS ITA CIV 34th 6 Mazda 323 GTX GBRRet 1991 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 GTX MONRet SWE7 PORRet KEN FRA GRE8 NZL ARG FINRet AUS ITA CIV ESP GBR7 25th 11 1993 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Legacy RS MON SWERet POR KEN FRA GRC ARG NZL 38th 4 Toyota Castrol Team Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD FIN7 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 Pts Class 1969 British Vita Racing Ford Escort TC BRH SIL SNE THR SIL CRY MAL CRO SIL OUL BRH BRHovr:5cls:3 35th 4 10th 1970 British Vita Racing Ford Escort TC BRH SNE THR SIL CRY SIL SIL CRO BRH OUL BRHRet BRH NC 0 NC
References
External links RallyBase profile WRC Archive stats page Hannu Mikkola documentary (in Swedish) Ögonblicken som förändrade sporten