Pentti Airikkala
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| Pentti Airikkala | |
|---|---|
 Pentti Airikkala |
|
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Nationality |  Finnish |
| Active years | 1973–90, 2003 |
| Teams | Privateer, Vauxhall, Rothmans Ford, Mitsubishi Ralliart, Martini Lancia, Nissan, Q8 Team Ford |
| World rallies | 37 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Podium finishes | 6 |
| Stage wins | 147 |
| Points | 102 |
| First world rally | 1973 1000 Lakes Rally |
| First win | 1989 Lombard RAC Rally |
| Last world rally | 2003 Wales Rally GB |
| edit | |
Pentti Airikkala (born Helsinki, Finland, September 4, 1945) was one of the 'Flying Finns' who have dominated world rallying for the past four decades. His career was more sporadic than many of his contemporaries, and he competed in only three World Rally Championship (WRC) events regularly; the two Scandinavian rallies (the 1000 Lakes and the Swedish Rally) and the RAC Rally in the United Kingdom.
Most of his top flight competitive experience was behind the wheel of various rear wheel drive Vauxhall/Opels like the Chevette HS and Magnum coupé, but his greatest success came in the twilight of his career, when he exploited his local knowledge as a longtime UK resident to win the 1989 RAC Rally in a Group A Mitsubishi Galant VR-4.[1] He is still the third oldest driver to win a WRC event.
Altogether he competed in 36 WRC events between 1973 and 1990, and a 37th in 2003, scoring 102 points and achieving a best of 9th overall in the 1981 Drivers' Championship.[2]
Since retiring from full-time international competition Airikkala has operated a highly successful race driving school in Oxfordshire. His roster of pupils is a Who's Who of international rallying, including subsequent World Champions Colin McRae and Richard Burns.[3]
[edit] Career WRC results
(podium positions highlighted in bold)
1973
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Opel Kadett Rallye (co-driver Heikki Haaksiala) ~ retired
1974
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Vauxhall Magnum Coupé (Heikki Haaksiala) ~ 16th
1975
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Vauxhall Magnum Coupé (Heikki Haaksiala) ~ retired
- RAC Rally: Vauxhall Magnum Coupé (John Davenport) ~ 20th
1976
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Ford Escort RS1800 (Risto Virtanen) ~ 2nd
- RAC Rally: Ford Escort RS1800 (Mike Greasley) ~ retired
1977
- Swedish Rally: Toyota Celica 2000GT (Risto Virtanen) ~ retired
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Risto Virtanen) ~ retired
- RAC Rally: Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Risto Virtanen) ~ 16th
1978
- Swedish Rally: Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Risto Virtanen) ~ retired
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Risto Virtanen) ~ 3rd
- RAC Rally: Dealer Team Vauxhall Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Mike Nicholson) ~ retired
1979
- Swedish Rally: Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Risto Virtanen) ~ 3rd
- Motogard Rally of New Zealand: GM Dealer Team New Zealand Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Rodger Freeth) ~ retired
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Risto Virtanen) ~ retired
- RAC Rally: Dealer Team Vauxhall/Castrol Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (Risto Virtanen) ~ 7th
1980
- Swedish Rally: Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR (Risto Virtanen) ~ 6th
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR (Risto Virtanen) ~ retired
- Motogard Rally of New Zealand: Ford Escort RS (Chris Porter) ~ retired
- RAC Rally: Dealer Team Vauxhall/Castrol Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR (Risto Virtanen) ~ retired
1981
- Swedish Rally: Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS1800 (Risto Virtanen) ~ 3rd
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS1800 (Risto Virtanen) ~ 5th
- RAC Rally: Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS1800 (Phil Short) ~ 4th
1982
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Team Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo (Juha Piironen) ~ 3rd
- RAC Rally: Team Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo (Juha Piironen) ~ retired
1983
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Martini Racing Lancia Rally 037 (Juha Piironen) ~ 5th
1984
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Team Nissan Europe Nissan 240RS (Seppo Harjanne) ~ retired
1985
- RAC Rally: British Telecom Mobile Phone Div Vauxhall Astra GT/E (Ronan McNamee) ~ retired
1986
- RAC Rally: GM Dealersport Vauxhall Astra GT/E (Ronan McNamee) ~ 16th
1987
- RAC Rally: GM Dealersport Opel Kadett GSI (Ronan McNamee) ~ retired
1988
- RAC Rally: Safety Devices Lancia Delta Integrale (Brian Murphy) ~ 4th
1989
- RAC Rally: Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 (Ronan McNamee) ~ 1st
1990
- 1000 Lakes Rally: Q8 Team Ford Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 (Ronan McNamee) ~ retired
- Rallye Sanremo: Q8 Team Ford Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 (Ronan McNamee) ~ 11th
- RAC Rally: Q8 Team Ford Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 (Ronan McNamee) ~ retired
2003
- Wales Rally GB: Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 (Nigel Gardner) ~ retired
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ 38th Lombard RAC Rally, Final classification, Rallybase.nl website
- ^ 1981 World Rally Championship for Drivers, Final classification, Rallybase.nl
- ^ Pentti's Champion Pupils, leftfootbraking.com
