Ari Vatanen
Encyclopedia
Ari Pieti Uolevi Vatanen (born 27 April 1952 in Tuupovaara
) is a Finnish
rally driver turned politician and Member of the European Parliament
1999–2009. Vatanen won the World Rally Championship
drivers' title in 1981 and the Paris Dakar Rally four times.
in Eastern Finland
. His debut year in professional rallying was 1970, and he debuted in the World Rally Championship
at the 1974 1000 Lakes Rally. His first international rally was the 1975 Rothmans 747 Rally in Jamaica driving a Datsun 120Y. He placed 12th with co-driver Gerry Phillips. He won the British Rally Championship
in 1976 and 1980 with Peter Bryant and David Richards
. In 1977, Vatanen became a regular privateer contestant in the WRC with a Ford Escort RS1800. For the 1979 season, he was signed by Rothmans Rally Team. Continuing with an RS1800, he took his debut win at the 1980 Acropolis Rally and became the World Rally Champion in 1981
. From 1979 until the end of 1981, Vatanen was co-driven by David Richards
, who went on to become chairman of Prodrive
, the Banbury
based motorsport team and one of the most influential figures in British (and worldwide) motorsport. In the 1982 season
, Vatanen did not defend his title and competed in only three world rallies.
In 1984
, Vatanen signed to drive the Peugeot 205 T16 for Peugeot's factory team. From the 1984 1000 Lakes Rally to 1985
Swedish Rally
, Vatanen won five world rallies in a row. Close to death after a major accident on the 1985 Rally Argentina
, Vatanen spent 18 months winning a personal health battle over serious injury and depression. He went on to make a complete recovery and his return to motorsport in 1987 saw him go on to win the Paris-Dakar Rally four times; with Peugeot
in 1987, 1989 and 1990, and with Citroën
in 1991. He became the centre of controversy when his car was stolen whilst leading the same rally in 1988.
With Peugeot, Vatanen also won the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
, after Peugeot stopped participating in the World Rally Championship in 1986, due to the demise of Group B
rallying. Peugeot used the lessons learnt from its 205 T16 to create the 405 T16. With at least 600 bhp, large aerofoils, four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, Vatanen took the car up the hill in record time, his efforts being captured in the award-winning short film Climb Dance
.
Vatanen's autobiography Every Second Counts, detailing his life and career up until that point, was published in 1988 (SAF Publishing, ISBN 0-946719-04-7) and instantly became a best seller.
Vatanen continued competing in the World Rally Championship more or less actively until the 1998 season. He drove for Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe in four events in 1989
and in five events in 1990
. His best result with the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
was second at the 1990 1000 Lakes Rally. From 1992 to 1993, he competed for Subaru
in 11 events, finishing second three times, including on the debut event of the first Subaru Impreza in Finland. Vatanen briefly led the event before being overhauled by eventual winner Juha Kankkunen
. Even so, he was dropped by the Subaru team at the end of the 1993 season in favour of Carlos Sainz
.
The following year he returned to the wheel of a Ford, driving the Ford Escort Cosworth for a semi-private team, and then being co-opted into the Ford factory team where he stood in for the injured Francois Delecour
. His most notable result that year was a podium finish on Rally Argentina, the first time he had contested the event since his accident there nine years previously.
The 1995 and 1996 seasons were quiet for Vatanen, whose career as a top-line driver was slowly drawing to a close. At the time there was a surplus of drivers and those late in their careers, such as Vatanen, tended to lose out in favour of younger talents. Nevertheless, he continued to contest a few events then and in subsequent years, his best result being a podium finish at the 1998 Safari Rally
. He then briefly returned to a works Subaru for the season-ending Rally of Great Britain, marking his 100th World Rally Championship event.
Although he became much less active in rallying, his hunger for motorsport had not left him completely however, and Vatanen joined Nissan in the Paris-Dakar in 2003, finishing seventh. He also made an appearance at the 2003 Rally Finland with a Bozian Racing
-prepared Peugeot 206 WRC
, and finished eleventh. In 2004 and 2005, Vatanen drove the Dakar for Nissan as well, and in 2007 he made another attempt with Volkswagen
, but retired on the seventh stage.
He currently holds the position of 'Club Patron' to the Ireland's Donegal Motor Club since 2002. He has a long association with the Donegal Motor Club and the Donegal International Rally
, competing twice early in his career, 1975 and 1978.
In September 2008, Vatanen took part in the Colin McRae
Forest Stages Rally, a round of the Scottish Rally Championship
centred in Perth
in Scotland. His co-driver was once again David Richards
and they competed in the same Rothmans sponsored Ford Escort RS1800 that they drove in 1981. He was one of a number of ex-world champions to take part in the event in memory of McRae, who died in 2007.
rally team, in 1993 he settled in southern France where he bought a farm and a winery. He soon developed an interest in politics, and in 1999 he was elected to the European Parliament
from the list of the conservative Finnish National Coalition
party, despite continuing to live in France. The issues he has worked on include car taxation, traffic policies, development aid, and agricultural policy.
In 2004 he was re-elected, this time from the list of the conservative French Union for a Popular Movement
. In 2009 European Parliament elections
Vatanen was again a National Coalition candidate in Finland, but he did not get elected this time.
In July 2009 Vatanen declared his interest in being a candidate to stand against Max Mosley
in the FIA presidential elections in October, should current president Mosley decide to restand for another term. He later confirmed that he will run for the presidency. On 23 October 2009, Vatanen failed in his bid to be elected as president of the FIA, which was won by his former team boss at Peugeot, subsequently Scuderia Ferrari
manager Jean Todt
.
He is a signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
.
Tuupovaara
Tuupovaara is a former municipality of Finland, located in the province of Eastern Finland. It was consolidated, together with Kiihtelysvaara, to municipality of Joensuu on January 1, 2005. The municipality had a population of 2,176 and covered an area of 661.34 km² of which 56.55 km² is water...
) is a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
rally driver turned politician and Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
1999–2009. Vatanen won the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
drivers' title in 1981 and the Paris Dakar Rally four times.
Biography
Vatanen was born and grew up in rural TuupovaaraTuupovaara
Tuupovaara is a former municipality of Finland, located in the province of Eastern Finland. It was consolidated, together with Kiihtelysvaara, to municipality of Joensuu on January 1, 2005. The municipality had a population of 2,176 and covered an area of 661.34 km² of which 56.55 km² is water...
in Eastern Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. His debut year in professional rallying was 1970, and he debuted in the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
at the 1974 1000 Lakes Rally. His first international rally was the 1975 Rothmans 747 Rally in Jamaica driving a Datsun 120Y. He placed 12th with co-driver Gerry Phillips. He won the British Rally Championship
British Rally Championship
The Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship is a yearly rallying series based in the United Kingdom. It comprises seven events with eight scoring opportunities throughout the British Isles. The first championship was run in 1958 and it has been licensed by the MSA Motor Sports Association since...
in 1976 and 1980 with Peter Bryant and David Richards
David Richards (racing)
David Pender Richards CBE is the chairman of Prodrive and Aston Martin, and a former team principal of the BAR and Benetton Formula One motor racing teams. He lives with his wife, Karen, in Warwickshire and has three children....
. In 1977, Vatanen became a regular privateer contestant in the WRC with a Ford Escort RS1800. For the 1979 season, he was signed by Rothmans Rally Team. Continuing with an RS1800, he took his debut win at the 1980 Acropolis Rally and became the World Rally Champion in 1981
1981 World Rally Championship season
The 1981 World Rally Championship season was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies...
. From 1979 until the end of 1981, Vatanen was co-driven by David Richards
David Richards (racing)
David Pender Richards CBE is the chairman of Prodrive and Aston Martin, and a former team principal of the BAR and Benetton Formula One motor racing teams. He lives with his wife, Karen, in Warwickshire and has three children....
, who went on to become chairman of Prodrive
Prodrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
, the Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
based motorsport team and one of the most influential figures in British (and worldwide) motorsport. In the 1982 season
1982 World Rally Championship season
The 1982 World Rally Championship season was the tenth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies. By this time, the schedule format had become generally stable, with only one or two changes to venues year to year...
, Vatanen did not defend his title and competed in only three world rallies.
In 1984
1984 World Rally Championship season
The 1984 World Rally Championship season was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu...
, Vatanen signed to drive the Peugeot 205 T16 for Peugeot's factory team. From the 1984 1000 Lakes Rally to 1985
1985 World Rally Championship season
The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter...
Swedish Rally
Swedish Rally
The Uddeholm Swedish Rally , formerly the Swedish Rally, is an automobile rally competition held in Värmland, Sweden in early February. First held in 1950, when it was called the Rally to the Midnight Sun with start and finish at separate locations, seventeen years later both start and finish...
, Vatanen won five world rallies in a row. Close to death after a major accident on the 1985 Rally Argentina
Rally Argentina
The Rally Argentina is an Argentine rally competition that has been both a round of the World Rally Championship and also the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. The rally is also a round of the South American Rally Championship and the Argentine Rally Championship...
, Vatanen spent 18 months winning a personal health battle over serious injury and depression. He went on to make a complete recovery and his return to motorsport in 1987 saw him go on to win the Paris-Dakar Rally four times; with Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
in 1987, 1989 and 1990, and with Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
in 1991. He became the centre of controversy when his car was stolen whilst leading the same rally in 1988.
Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb , also known as The Race to the Clouds, is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado, a distance of over 156 turns, climbing from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway at on grades averaging 7% over...
, after Peugeot stopped participating in the World Rally Championship in 1986, due to the demise of Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
rallying. Peugeot used the lessons learnt from its 205 T16 to create the 405 T16. With at least 600 bhp, large aerofoils, four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, Vatanen took the car up the hill in record time, his efforts being captured in the award-winning short film Climb Dance
Climb Dance
Climb Dance is a famous cinéma vérité short film, which features Finnish rally driver Ari Vatanen setting a record time in a highly modified four-wheel drive, all-wheel steering Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 GR at the 1988 Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in Colorado, USA. The film was produced by Peugeot...
.
Vatanen's autobiography Every Second Counts, detailing his life and career up until that point, was published in 1988 (SAF Publishing, ISBN 0-946719-04-7) and instantly became a best seller.
Vatanen continued competing in the World Rally Championship more or less actively until the 1998 season. He drove for Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe in four events in 1989
1989 World Rally Championship season
The 1989 World Rally Championship season was the 17th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, with some adjustments to the schedule versus the previous season...
and in five events in 1990
1990 World Rally Championship season
The 1990 World Rally Championship season was the 18th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 12 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Carlos Sainz in a Toyota Celica GT-Four, ahead of Didier Auriol and Juha Kankkunen...
. His best result with the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
The Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 was the range-topping version of Mitsubishi Motors' Galant model, available in the sixth , seventh and eighth generations of the vehicle...
was second at the 1990 1000 Lakes Rally. From 1992 to 1993, he competed for Subaru
Subaru World Rally Team
The Subaru World Rally Team was Subaru's World Rally Championship team. It used a distinctive blue with yellow color scheme that is a throwback to the sponsorship deal with State Express 555, a BAT cigarette brand popular in Asia. 555 logos were found on Subaru cars from 1993 to 2003...
in 11 events, finishing second three times, including on the debut event of the first Subaru Impreza in Finland. Vatanen briefly led the event before being overhauled by eventual winner Juha Kankkunen
Juha Kankkunen
Juha Matti Pellervo Kankkunen is a Finnish former rally driver. His factory team career in the World Rally Championship lasted from 1983 to 2002. He won 23 world rallies and four drivers' world championship titles, which were both once records in the series...
. Even so, he was dropped by the Subaru team at the end of the 1993 season in favour of Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz Cenamor is a Spanish rally driver. He won the World Rally Championship drivers' title with Toyota in 1990 and 1992, and finished runner-up four times...
.
The following year he returned to the wheel of a Ford, driving the Ford Escort Cosworth for a semi-private team, and then being co-opted into the Ford factory team where he stood in for the injured Francois Delecour
François Delecour
François Delecour is a rally driver.In the employ of Ford Motor Company as a driver of the factory-fettled Ford Escort RS Cosworth, he finished as runner-up in drivers' standings in the 1993 World Rally Championship season. He was still driving for Ford by January 1994, when he won the...
. His most notable result that year was a podium finish on Rally Argentina, the first time he had contested the event since his accident there nine years previously.
The 1995 and 1996 seasons were quiet for Vatanen, whose career as a top-line driver was slowly drawing to a close. At the time there was a surplus of drivers and those late in their careers, such as Vatanen, tended to lose out in favour of younger talents. Nevertheless, he continued to contest a few events then and in subsequent years, his best result being a podium finish at the 1998 Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
. He then briefly returned to a works Subaru for the season-ending Rally of Great Britain, marking his 100th World Rally Championship event.
Although he became much less active in rallying, his hunger for motorsport had not left him completely however, and Vatanen joined Nissan in the Paris-Dakar in 2003, finishing seventh. He also made an appearance at the 2003 Rally Finland with a Bozian Racing
Bozian Racing
Bozian Racing is a French auto racing team founded in 1969 by Arthur Bozian. Although it also run in circuits, the rally represents the principal activity of the team. It was related to Renault for a long time...
-prepared Peugeot 206 WRC
Peugeot 206 WRC
Peugeot 206 WRC is a World Rally Car based on the Peugeot 206. It was used by Peugeot Sport, Peugeot's factory team, in the World Rally Championship from 1999 to 2003. The car brought Peugeot the manufacturers' world title three years in a row from 2000 to 2002...
, and finished eleventh. In 2004 and 2005, Vatanen drove the Dakar for Nissan as well, and in 2007 he made another attempt with Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
, but retired on the seventh stage.
He currently holds the position of 'Club Patron' to the Ireland's Donegal Motor Club since 2002. He has a long association with the Donegal Motor Club and the Donegal International Rally
Donegal International Rally
The Donegal International Rally is an annual sporting event held in County Donegal, Ireland. It is one of Ireland's oldest annual rally competitions and is a top event in the Irish Rallying calendar. It has a reputation for being one of the country's most challenging rallies...
, competing twice early in his career, 1975 and 1978.
In September 2008, Vatanen took part in the Colin McRae
Colin McRae
Colin Steele McRae, MBE was a Scottish rally driver born in Lanark.The son of five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae and brother of rally driver Alister McRae, Colin McRae was the 1991 and 1992 British Rally Champion and, in 1995, became the first British person and the youngest to win the...
Forest Stages Rally, a round of the Scottish Rally Championship
Scottish Rally Championship
The Scottish Rally Championship is a rallying series run throughout Scotland over the course of a year, that comprises seven gravel rallies and one tarmac event . Points are awarded to the top placed drivers and the driver scoring the highest number of points over the season is declared Champion...
centred in Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
in Scotland. His co-driver was once again David Richards
David Richards (racing)
David Pender Richards CBE is the chairman of Prodrive and Aston Martin, and a former team principal of the BAR and Benetton Formula One motor racing teams. He lives with his wife, Karen, in Warwickshire and has three children....
and they competed in the same Rothmans sponsored Ford Escort RS1800 that they drove in 1981. He was one of a number of ex-world champions to take part in the event in memory of McRae, who died in 2007.
Political career
Following his years of working with a FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rally team, in 1993 he settled in southern France where he bought a farm and a winery. He soon developed an interest in politics, and in 1999 he was elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
from the list of the conservative Finnish National Coalition
National Coalition Party (Finland)
The National Coalition Party is a liberal conservative political party in Finland founded in 1918.The National Coalition Party is one of the four largest parties in Finland, along with the Social Democratic Party, the Centre Party and the True Finns...
party, despite continuing to live in France. The issues he has worked on include car taxation, traffic policies, development aid, and agricultural policy.
In 2004 he was re-elected, this time from the list of the conservative French Union for a Popular Movement
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
. In 2009 European Parliament elections
European Parliament election, 2009
Elections to the European Parliament were held in the 27 member states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Members of the European Parliament were elected to represent some 500 million Europeans, making these the biggest trans-national elections in history...
Vatanen was again a National Coalition candidate in Finland, but he did not get elected this time.
In July 2009 Vatanen declared his interest in being a candidate to stand against Max Mosley
Max Mosley
Max Rufus Mosley is the former president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide...
in the FIA presidential elections in October, should current president Mosley decide to restand for another term. He later confirmed that he will run for the presidency. On 23 October 2009, Vatanen failed in his bid to be elected as president of the FIA, which was won by his former team boss at Peugeot, subsequently Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
manager Jean Todt
Jean Todt
Jean Todt was born on February 25, 1946, in Pierrefort, Cantal, France. After a successful career as a rally co-driver he made his reputation in motor sport management, first with Peugeot Talbot Sport, then with Scuderia Ferrari, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari from 2004...
.
He is a signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
The Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism , which was signed on 3 June 2008, was a declaration signed by prominent European politicians, former political prisoners and historians, including past signatories of Charter 77 such as Václav Havel, which called for condemnation of and...
.
WRC victories
| Number | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Greece 27th Acropolis Rally |
1980 1980 World Rally Championship season The 1980 World Rally Championship season was the eighth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies... |
David Richards David Richards (racing) David Pender Richards CBE is the chairman of Prodrive and Aston Martin, and a former team principal of the BAR and Benetton Formula One motor racing teams. He lives with his wife, Karen, in Warwickshire and has three children.... |
Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 2 | Greece 28th Acropolis Rally |
1981 1981 World Rally Championship season The 1981 World Rally Championship season was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies... |
David Richards | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 3 |  Brazil 3° Marlboro Rallye do Brasil |
1981 1981 World Rally Championship season The 1981 World Rally Championship season was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies... |
David Richards | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 4 |  Finland 31st 1000 Lakes RallyRally Finland The Neste Oil Rally Finland is a rally event driven in the Jyväskylä area in Central Finland. It is the biggest annually organised public event in the Nordic countries, gathering over 500,000 spectators every year.... |
1981 1981 World Rally Championship season The 1981 World Rally Championship season was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies... |
David Richards | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 5 |  Kenya 31st Marlboro Safari RallySafari Rally The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II... |
1983 | Terry Harryman | Opel Ascona 400 |
| 6 | Finland 34th 1000 Lakes Rally Rally Finland The Neste Oil Rally Finland is a rally event driven in the Jyväskylä area in Central Finland. It is the biggest annually organised public event in the Nordic countries, gathering over 500,000 spectators every year.... |
1984 1984 World Rally Championship season The 1984 World Rally Championship season was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu... |
Terry Harryman | Peugeot 205 T16 |
| 7 |  Italy 26° Rallye SanremoRallye Sanremo Rallye Sanremo is a rally competition held in Sanremo, Italy. Except for the 1995 event, the event was part of the FIA World Rally Championship schedule from the 1973 season to the 2003 season. Currently, it is a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the Italian national rally... |
1984 1984 World Rally Championship season The 1984 World Rally Championship season was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu... |
Terry Harryman | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 |
| 8 |  United Kingdom 33rd Lombard RAC RallyRally GB Wales Rally GB is the largest and most high profile motor rally in the United Kingdom. It is a round of the FIA World Rally Championship and was formerly a round of the MSA British Rally Championship and is based in and around the city of Cardiff in Wales... |
1984 1984 World Rally Championship season The 1984 World Rally Championship season was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu... |
Terry Harryman | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 |
| 9 |  Monaco 53ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-CarloMonte Carlo Rally The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and... |
1985 1985 World Rally Championship season The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter... |
Terry Harryman | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 |
| 10 |  Sweden 35th International Swedish RallySwedish Rally The Uddeholm Swedish Rally , formerly the Swedish Rally, is an automobile rally competition held in Värmland, Sweden in early February. First held in 1950, when it was called the Rally to the Midnight Sun with start and finish at separate locations, seventeen years later both start and finish... |
1985 1985 World Rally Championship season The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter... |
Terry Harryman | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 |
WRC Results
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Ari Vatanen | Opel Ascona 19 | POR 1974 Rally Portugal The 1974 Rally of Portugal was the 8th running of the Rallye de Portugal and was the first round of the 1974 World Rally Championship season after the oil crisis forced the cancellation of the Monte Carlo and Swedish rallies.... |
KEN 1974 Safari Rally The 1974 Safari Rally was the 22nd East African Safari Rally and the second round of the shortened 1974 World Rally Championship season. It took place between April 11 and April 15, 1974. The Safari Rally didn't use special stages at this time to decide a winner... |
FIN Ret |
ITA | CAN | USA | GBR | FRA | - | - | ||||||
| 1975 | Ari Vatanen | Ford Escort RS 1600 | MON | SWE | KEN | GRC | MOR | POR | FIN Ret |
ITA | FRA | - | - | |||||
| Ford Escort RS 1800 | GBR Ret |
|||||||||||||||||
| 1976 | Ari Vatanen | Ford Escort RS 1800 | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | GRC | MOR | FIN Ret |
ITA | FRA | GBR Ret |
- | - | ||||
| 1977 | Ari Vatanen | Ford Escort RS 1800 | MON | SWE | POR Ret |
KEN Ret |
NZL 2 |
GRC Ret |
FIN Ret |
CAN Ret |
ITA Ret |
FRA | GBR Ret |
- | - | |||
| 1978 | Ari Vatanen | Ford Escort RS 1800 | MON | SWE 5 |
KEN | POR Ret |
GRC | FIN Ret |
CAN | ITA | CIV | FRA | - | - | ||||
| Marlboro | GBR DSQ |
|||||||||||||||||
| 1979 | Rothmans Rally Team | Ford Escort RS 1800 | MON 10 |
SWE Ret |
POR Ret |
KEN | GRC | FIN 2 |
CAN 3 |
ITA | FRA | GBR 4 |
CIV | 5th | 50 | |||
| Ford Motor Co BP Ford World Rally Team The Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, also known as the Ford Motor Co. Team prior to 2005, is Ford Motor Company's full factory World Rally Championship team. In its current form, it has been a competitor since the 1997 season, when Ford Motor Company's motorsport arm selected the Malcolm Wilson... |
NZL 3 |
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| 1980 1980 World Rally Championship season The 1980 World Rally Championship season was the eighth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies... |
Publimmo Racing | Ford Escort RS 1800 | MON Ret |
4th | 50 | |||||||||||||
| Rothmans Rally Team | SWE | POR Ret |
KEN | GRC 1 |
ARG | FIN 2 |
NZL | ITA 2 |
FRA | GBR Ret |
CIV | |||||||
| 1981 1981 World Rally Championship season The 1981 World Rally Championship season was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies... |
Rothmans Rally Team | Ford Escort RS 1800 | MON Ret |
SWE 2 |
POR Ret |
KEN | FRA | GRC 1 |
ARG Ret |
BRA 1 |
FIN 1 |
ITA 7 |
CIV 9 |
GBR 2 |
1st | 96 | ||
| 1982 1982 World Rally Championship season The 1982 World Rally Championship season was the tenth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies. By this time, the schedule format had become generally stable, with only one or two changes to venues year to year... |
David Sutton Motorsport | Ford Escort RS 1800 | MON | SWE 2 |
POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | BRA | 13th | 15 | ||||||
| MCD / Mobira | FIN Ret |
ITA | CIV | |||||||||||||||
| Rothmans Opel Rally Team | Opel Ascona 400 | GBR Ret |
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| 1983 | Rothmans Opel Rally Team | Opel Ascona 400 | MON 5 |
SWE 6 |
POR | KEN 1 |
FRA | 6th | 44 | |||||||||
| Opel Manta 400 | GRC 4 |
ARG | BRA | FIN Ret |
ITA Ret |
CIV | GBR Ret |
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| 1984 1984 World Rally Championship season The 1984 World Rally Championship season was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu... |
Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA Ret |
GRC Ret |
ARG | BRA | FIN 1 |
ITA 1 |
CIV | GBR 1 |
4th | 60 | ||
| 1985 1985 World Rally Championship season The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter... |
Peugeot Talbot Sport | Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 | MON 1 |
SWE 1 |
POR Ret |
KEN Ret |
FRA Ret |
GRC Ret |
NZL 2 |
ARG Ret |
FIN | ITA | CIV | GBR | 4th | 55 | ||
| 1987 1987 World Rally Championship season The 1987 World Rally Championship season was the 15th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies in the same venues of the previous season... |
Fuji Heavy Industries Subaru ; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as... |
Subaru RX Turbo Subaru Leone The Subaru Leone was a compact car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Fuji Heavy Industries from 1971 to 1994. The word "leone" is Italian for lion.... |
MON | SWE | POR | KEN 10 |
FRA | GRC | USA | NZL | ARG | 19th | 16 | |||||
| Ford Motor Co BP Ford World Rally Team The Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, also known as the Ford Motor Co. Team prior to 2005, is Ford Motor Company's full factory World Rally Championship team. In its current form, it has been a competitor since the 1997 season, when Ford Motor Company's motorsport arm selected the Malcolm Wilson... |
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth Ford Sierra RS Cosworth The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.- Development :... |
FIN 2 |
CIV | ITA | GBR | |||||||||||||
| 1988 1988 World Rally Championship season The 1988 World Rally Championship season was the 16th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship... |
Prodrive BMW Prodrive Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford... |
BMW M3 BMW M3 The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, developed by BMW's in-house motorsport division, BMW M. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series, and sold with coupé, sedan and convertible body styles... |
MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | USA | NZL | ARG | FIN Ret |
CIV | ITA | - | 0 | ||
| Ralliart Europe Ralliart Ralliart was the high-performance and motorsports division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally racing and off-road racing vehicles, as well as the development of high-performance models and parts available to the public... |
Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 The Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 was the range-topping version of Mitsubishi Motors' Galant model, available in the sixth , seventh and eighth generations of the vehicle... |
GBR Ret |
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| 1989 1989 World Rally Championship season The 1989 World Rally Championship season was the 17th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, with some adjustments to the schedule versus the previous season... |
Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Ralliart Ralliart was the high-performance and motorsports division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally racing and off-road racing vehicles, as well as the development of high-performance models and parts available to the public... |
Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 The Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 was the range-topping version of Mitsubishi Motors' Galant model, available in the sixth , seventh and eighth generations of the vehicle... |
SWE | MON 87 |
POR | KEN | FRA | GRC Ret |
NZL | ARG | FIN Ret |
AUS | ITA | CIV | GBR 5 |
40th | 8 | |
| 1990 1990 World Rally Championship season The 1990 World Rally Championship season was the 18th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 12 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Carlos Sainz in a Toyota Celica GT-Four, ahead of Didier Auriol and Juha Kankkunen... |
Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Ralliart Ralliart was the high-performance and motorsports division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally racing and off-road racing vehicles, as well as the development of high-performance models and parts available to the public... |
Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 The Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 was the range-topping version of Mitsubishi Motors' Galant model, available in the sixth , seventh and eighth generations of the vehicle... |
MON Ret |
POR Ret |
KEN | FRA | GRC Ret |
NZL | ARG | FIN 2 |
AUS | ITA | CIV | GBR Ret |
16th | 15 | ||
| 1991 1991 World Rally Championship season The 1991 World Rally Championship season was the 19th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 14 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Juha Kankkunen in a Lancia Delta Integrale 16V, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Didier... |
Milk Team | Ford Sierra Cosworth RS 4x4 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.- Development :... |
MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | FIN 7 |
AUS | ITA | CIV | ESP | 22nd | 12 | |
| Subaru Rally Team Europe | Subaru Legacy RS | GBR 5 |
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| 1992 | Subaru Rally Team Europe | Subaru Legacy RS | MON | SWE Ret |
POR | KEN | FRA | GRC Ret |
NZL Ret |
ARG | FIN 4 |
AUS Ret |
ITA | CIV | ESP | GBR 2 |
11th | 25 |
| 1993 | 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru World Rally Team The Subaru World Rally Team was Subaru's World Rally Championship team. It used a distinctive blue with yellow color scheme that is a throwback to the sponsorship deal with State Express 555, a BAT cigarette brand popular in Asia. 555 logos were found on Subaru cars from 1993 to 2003... |
Subaru Legacy RS | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC Ret |
ARG Ret |
NZL | AUS 2 |
ITA | ESP | 7th | 38 | |||
| Subaru Impreza 555 | FIN 2 |
GBR 5 |
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| 1994 | SMS | Ford Escort RS Cosworth Ford Escort RS Cosworth The Ford Escort RS Cosworth was a sports derivative of the Ford Escort. It was available from 1992-96 in very limited numbers.It was instantly recognisable due to its large "whale tail" rear spoiler... |
MON | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC 5 |
FIN Ret |
ITA | GBR 5 |
9th | 28 | ||||||
| Ford Motor Co BP Ford World Rally Team The Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, also known as the Ford Motor Co. Team prior to 2005, is Ford Motor Company's full factory World Rally Championship team. In its current form, it has been a competitor since the 1997 season, when Ford Motor Company's motorsport arm selected the Malcolm Wilson... |
ARG 3 |
NZL Ret |
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| 1996 | Ford Motor Co BP Ford World Rally Team The Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, also known as the Ford Motor Co. Team prior to 2005, is Ford Motor Company's full factory World Rally Championship team. In its current form, it has been a competitor since the 1997 season, when Ford Motor Company's motorsport arm selected the Malcolm Wilson... |
Ford Escort RS Cosworth Ford Escort RS Cosworth The Ford Escort RS Cosworth was a sports derivative of the Ford Escort. It was available from 1992-96 in very limited numbers.It was instantly recognisable due to its large "whale tail" rear spoiler... |
SWE Ret |
KEN | IDN | GRC | ARG | FIN | AUS | ITA | ESP | - | 0 | |||||
| 1997 | Motorsport Consultancy | Ford Escort WRC | MON | SWE | KEN | POR | ESP | FRA | ARG | GRC | NZL | FIN | IDN | ITA | AUS | GBR 8 |
- | 0 |
| 1998 | Ford Motor Co BP Ford World Rally Team The Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, also known as the Ford Motor Co. Team prior to 2005, is Ford Motor Company's full factory World Rally Championship team. In its current form, it has been a competitor since the 1997 season, when Ford Motor Company's motorsport arm selected the Malcolm Wilson... |
Ford Escort WRC | MON | SWE | KEN 3 |
POR 5 |
ESP | FRA | ARG | GRC | NZL | FIN Ret |
ITA | AUS | 11th | 6 | ||
| 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru World Rally Team The Subaru World Rally Team was Subaru's World Rally Championship team. It used a distinctive blue with yellow color scheme that is a throwback to the sponsorship deal with State Express 555, a BAT cigarette brand popular in Asia. 555 logos were found on Subaru cars from 1993 to 2003... |
Subaru Impreza WRC 98 | GBR Ret |
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| 2003 | Bozian Racing Bozian Racing Bozian Racing is a French auto racing team founded in 1969 by Arthur Bozian. Although it also run in circuits, the rally represents the principal activity of the team. It was related to Renault for a long time... |
Peugeot 206 WRC Peugeot 206 WRC Peugeot 206 WRC is a World Rally Car based on the Peugeot 206. It was used by Peugeot Sport, Peugeot's factory team, in the World Rally Championship from 1999 to 2003. The car brought Peugeot the manufacturers' world title three years in a row from 2000 to 2002... |
MON | SWE | TUR | NZL | ARG | GRC | CYP | GER | FIN 11 |
AUS | ITA | FRA | ESP | GBR | - | 0 |