The pressure was on Ari Vatanen in 1981. Photo: Maurice Selden
"I would need at least two weeks off for the practice and the rally itself. Would I have to cross it off because the Army was short of one man?"No, it was alright," he adds. "Once again the Army displayed exemplary flexibility: as they couldn't grant me any more leave, they would give me a mission order to compete in the Thousand Lakes Rally! "And that is what they did." Now the pressure was really on the unpredictable Finn. Always fast, but often ending his rally off the road, Vatanen had increased pressure to perform. Not only was his World Championship campaign on the line as he battled against Fiat's Markku Alen, but he'd also have his Army superiors looking over his shoulder as well. Finally, after three days and 46 special stages coverage 453km of competitive driving, Vatanen took a tremendous victory, finishing 59 seconds ahead of Alen. "What satisfaction," Vatanen recalled.
"It was with a certain feeling of having done my duty that I returned to barracks: I had not betrayed the confidence that my superiors had put in me."I drove the winner car back from Jyvaskyla and was able to give the officers a taste of rally driving. "For once it was the enlisted man leading the officer!" Vatanen went on to win the 1981 World Rally Championship and remains one of the most popular rally drivers of all time. With stories like this, it's not hard to see why.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssou4k-ZG_o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8d-Dka9IHE
VIP Exclusive Content
Get full, exclusive access for only $6.55/month.
- Full access
- Exclusive news
- Store & Tour discounts
Subscribe Now
Already have an account? Sign in
