Look back in history Sunday: Hannu Mikkola in NZ

The passing of rally legend Hannu Mikkola will evoke many memories for Kiwi rally fans. He was the great flying Finn that came to our shores in the 1970s and twice won the Rally of New Zealand.

At the time, he wasn’t just another international driver venturing to our shores.

He came to compete in the 1973 Heatway Rally of New Zealand with a winning reputation, particularly having become the first overseas driver to win the East African Safari in 1972 and finishing fourth in his first WRC event, the 1973 Monte Carlo Rally. Both in a Ford Escort RS1600.

He was a seven-time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally (Rally Finland) and won the RAC Rally (Rally GB) four times and finally claimed his first and only WRC drivers’ title in 1983 in an Audi Quattro.

The 1973 Heatway Rally was over eight days which saw 120 drivers competing over 3,600 miles. In the end, Mikkola, with co-driver Jim Porter, driving a Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600, won by over forty minutes from team mate Mike Marshall and co-driver Arthur McWatts.

The second time he won our national rally was in 1979. This time it was part of the World Rally Championship in which Mikkola would finish second to Swede Bjorn Waldegard, by a mere one-point.

Mikkola, along with co-driver Arne Hertz, would again dominant the ’79 Rally NZ, winning by over 21 minutes from Blair Robson/Chris Porter with a future world champion, and fellow Finn, Ari Vatanen third. Vatanen’s co-driver was none other than David Richards, future chairman of Prodrive, Motorsport UK, Aston Martin, team principal of F1 teams’ BAR and Benetton.

He returned again in 1980, but this time as a works driver for the mighty Mercedes manufacturer. Driving a 500 SLC, which was clearly not suited to NZ roads, Mikkola finished third behind winner Timo Salonen/Seppo Harjanne (Datsun 160J) and Walter Rohl/Christian Geistdorfer (Fiat 131 Abarth).

The Audi Quattro A2s of Hannu Mikkola and Stig Blomquist lift performances to an unbelievable level on New Zealand’s demanding roads. Markku Alen in the beautiful Lancia 037 gives chase.

He would retire out of Rally NZ in both the 1982 and ’83 events. In 1984 Mikkola/Hertz finish third in an Audi Quattro A2 with team mate Stig Blomqvist winning (Audi Quattro A2) ahead of the Lancia 037 Rally of Markku Alen/Ikka Kivimaki. This was his last WRC appearance in the country.