The rally world is in mourning. Today, at the age of 78, the Finn passed away Hannu mikkola, who was champion of WRC en 1983 and "father" of Audi Quattro, one of the most emblematic vehicles of the specialty.
Mikkola was born in 1942 in the small town of Joensuu. The rally attracted him from a very young age and in 1963, at 21, he participated in a local race with a Volvo 444. Three years later he achieved his first victory over a Volvo 122.
The beginning of his international activity was in 1968. That same year, on a 122, he achieved the first of his seven victories in the famous 1000 Lakes Rally, in his native country.
In 1981 his relationship with Audi was born and he was responsible for the development of the Audi Quattro. Two years later, sharing a Audi Quattro A1 with Arne Hertz, became the first World Rally Champion in history with a four-wheel drive car. In that season he achieved four victories: Sweden, Portugal, Argentina and Finland.
Mikkola's pending accounts were two classics: the Monte Carlo Rally and of Acropolis, in which some misfortune always separated him from triumph. In both cases he had to settle for second place.
Until the formal titles ended in the early 1990s, Mikkola was involved in the involvement of Mazda in the WRC with him 323, but without much success.
Between 1973 and 1993 he played 123 races for the World Cup. He won 18 and was on the podium 44 times.
