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Flying Finn Hannu Mikkola passes away

The Ford and Audi driver, known as the Flying Finn won the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 1983 and Finland's notoriously unnerving 1000 Lakes Rally seven times.

Hannu Mikkola

Bengaluru, February 27: Rally legend Hannu Mikkola, known more in motorsport circles as the Flying Finn, passed away at the age of 78 after losing his battle with cancer.

The Ford and Audi driver won the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 1983 and Finland's notoriously unnerving 1000 Lakes Rally seven times.

Mikkola began his career at Volvo, won his first WRC race in a Ford Escort and secured his only championship with Audi.

He came close to winning his first title several years earlier, finishing runner-up to Bjorn Waldegard in 1979 and Walter Rohrl the following year.

Mikkola would go on to join Mazda before he retired from motorsport in 1993.

His sons paid tribute to him on social media.

"We lost my father Hannu to cancer this weekend," tweeted Vesa Mikkola, one of the driver's two sons.

"Most knew him as a rallying great who ushered in the golden years of the sports. To me he was dad - and an incredible one at that."

Other WRC winners -- Carlos Sainz, Sebastien Ogier and Petter Solberg mourned his death.

"Heart warming to see the posts remembering my dad," Juha Mikkola, the Finnish driver's other son, wrote on witter."

Most knew Hannu Mikkola as a rally driver; I'll remember him as an amazing husband to my mom Arja, father to Vesa and me, and grandfather.

"Thank you for everything dad, you set an incredible example for us to follow in life."

(With inputs from Agencies)

Story first published: Saturday, February 27, 2021, 17:00 [IST]
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