lauantai 21. elokuuta 2010

"THE FLYING FINN" and WORLD STAR RALLY DRIVER: ARI VATANEN from FINLAND (SUOMI-FINLAND)

Ari Vatanen



Ari Vatanen
Ari Vatanen.jpg
Ari Vatanen
World Rally Championship record
Nationality Finland Finnish
Active years 1974 - 1998, 2003
Teams Ford, Opel, Peugeot, Subaru, BMW, Mitsubishi
Rallies 101
Championships 1 (1981)
Rally wins 10
Podiums 27
Stage wins 527
Total points 518
First rally 1974 1000 Lakes Rally
First win 1980 Acropolis Rally
Last win 1985 Swedish Rally
Last rally 2003 Rally Finland

Ari Pieti Uolevi VatanenAbout this sound pronunciation (help·info)) (born April 27, 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. (

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[edit] Biography

Vatanen's 1981 Ford Escort RS.

Vatanen was born and grew up in rural Tuupovaara 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. 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.

Vatanen's Peugeot 405 T16 GR on display.

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 (447 kW), 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. He later returned to the wheel of an Escort, driving now the Ford Escort WRC for Ford's factory team in a few events, most notably finishing on the podium at the 1994 Rally Argentina and at the 1998 Safari Rally.[1] 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.[2]

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.

Vatanen and Richards at the 2008 Colin McRae Forest Stages.

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.

[edit] Political career

Following his years of working with a French 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.[3]

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.[4] He later confirmed that he will run for the presidency.[5] On 23 October, 2009, Vatanen failed in his bid to be elected as president of the FIA, which was won by Ferrari's ex-racing boss Jean Todt.[6]

[edit] WRC victories

Number Event Season Co-driver Car
1 Greece 27th Acropolis Rally 1980 David Richards Ford Escort RS1800
2 Greece 28th Acropolis Rally 1981 David Richards Ford Escort RS1800
3 Brazil 3° Marlboro Rallye do Brasil 1981 David Richards Ford Escort RS1800
4 Finland 31st 1000 Lakes Rally 1981 David Richards Ford Escort RS1800
5 Kenya 31st Marlboro Safari Rally 1983 Terry Harryman Opel Ascona 400
6 Finland 34th 1000 Lakes Rally 1984 Terry Harryman Peugeot 205 T16
7 Italy 26° Rallye Sanremo 1984 Terry Harryman Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
8 United Kingdom 33rd Lombard RAC Rally 1984 Terry Harryman Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
9 Monaco 53ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo 1985 Terry Harryman Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
10 Sweden 35th International Swedish Rally 1985 Terry Harryman Peugeot 205 Turbo 16

[edit] 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 KEN 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




NZL
3








1980 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 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 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


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


1984 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 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 Fuji Heavy Industries Subaru RX Turbo MON SWE POR KEN
10
FRA GRC USA NZL ARG




19th 16
Ford Motor Co Ford Sierra RS Cosworth








FIN
2
CIV ITA GBR
1988 Prodrive BMW BMW M3 MON SWE POR KEN FRA GRC USA NZL ARG FIN
Ret
CIV ITA

- 0
Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4











GBR
Ret

1989 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 SWE MON
87
POR KEN FRA GRC
Ret
NZL ARG FIN
Ret
AUS ITA CIV GBR
5

40th 8
1990 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 MON
Ret
POR
Ret
KEN FRA GRC
Ret
NZL ARG FIN
2
AUS ITA CIV GBR
Ret


16th 15
1991 Milk Team Ford Sierra Cosworth RS 4x4 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
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 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

1994 SMS Ford Escort RS Cosworth MON POR KEN FRA GRC
5


FIN
Ret
ITA GBR
5




9th 28
Ford Motor Co




ARG
3
NZL
Ret







1996 Ford Motor Co Ford Escort RS Cosworth 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 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 Impreza WRC 98












GBR
Ret
2003 Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC MON SWE TUR NZL ARG GRC CYP GER FIN
11
AUS ITA FRA ESP GBR - 0

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Stig Blomqvist
Autosport
International Rally Driver Award
1984
Succeeded by
Timo Salonen
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Walter Röhrl
World Rally Champion
1981
Succeeded by
Walter Röhrl
Preceded by
René Metge
Dakar Rally Winner
1987
Succeeded by
Juha Kankkunen
Preceded by
Juha Kankkunen
Dakar Rally Winner
1989
-1991
Succeeded by
Hubert Auriol
Categories: 1952 births | Living people | People from Tuupovaara | World Rally Champions | World Rally Championship drivers | World Rally Championship people | Finnish rally drivers | People from Espoo | MEPs for South-East France 2004–2009 | Off-road racers | Finnish athlete-politicians | Dakar Rally drivers | Union for a Popular Movement MEPs | National Coalition Party MEPs | MEPs for Finland

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