Juha Kankkunen

Juha Kankkunen, born in Laukaa, Finland on April 2 1959 made his name principally as a rally driver. Post-retirement in 2002, Kankkunen announced his intention to enter politics, echoing the career path of rallying compatriot Ari Vatanen. Kankkunen grew up on his family's farm near Jyväskylä.

Related Topics:
Laukaa - Finland - April 2 - 1959 - Rally driver - 2002 - Ari Vatanen - Jyväskylä

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He is a four time World Rally Champion and was the first driver to win three and then four WRC championship titles. He has won 23 World Championship rallies making him one of the most successful drivers of all time. His first win came with the Safari Rally in 1985 on his first attempt, as a 100-1 outsider.

Related Topics:
World Rally Champion - WRC - Safari Rally - 1985

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He went on to haul Peugeot (1986), Lancia (1987 and 1991) and Toyota (1993) cars to world driver's titles, a record only matched by 1996-1999 World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen.

Related Topics:
Peugeot - 1986 - Lancia - 1987 - 1991 - Toyota - 1993 - 1996 - 1999 - Tommi Makinen

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Despite winning two titles with the Lancia team that had steamrollered the WRC timesheets during the hiatus between the Group B era and the matured Group A one, Kankkunen's uneasy acceptance of team-orders designed to benefit the 'Italian hero in an Italian car', Miki Biasion (such as on the Monte Carlo Rally) pre-empted a move elsewhere. That happened in 1993 when, on rejoining Toyota, Kankkunen stormed to a fourth world title, despite having to fare from mid-season with two substitute co-drivers after his original in-car partner, Juha Piironen suffered a stroke.

Related Topics:
Lancia - Group B - Group A - Italian - Miki Biasion

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Sadly for Kankkunen, this relationship also went somewhat awry eventually, for with the Finn still at the team during 1995 Toyota were found guilty of the implementation of illegal turbo restrictor bypasses on their Celica ST205 cars. At the discretion of the FIA's Max Mosley Toyota were subject to a public humiliation, and duly banned from the World Championship until 1997. Part of the Finn's rehabiliation from this episode came in the shape of Ford, who took him on to replace a disappointing Armin Schwarz mid-way through 1997. He stayed, clocking up more victories in the newly-refettled M-Sport outfit's Escort WRC until the end of 1998, when Kankkunen left, understandably - given previous experiences - unwilling to chance possible subordinate status to new superstar signing Colin McRae.

Related Topics:
1995 - Celica ST205 - FIA - Max Mosley - 1997 - Ford - Armin Schwarz - Escort WRC - 1998 - Colin McRae

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Kankkunen has driven for, in addition to the aforementioned teams, Subaru and Hyundai. His tenure at the former included a brace of victories in 1999 in the Impreza WRC, his first since the last of his championship-winning years albeit minus the same final result. At the Rally Argentina, he was to famously - and controversially - upstage victor-elect Richard Burns to win amid a team-order wrangle, triggering the singular remark from Burns's co-driver Robert Reid, that "wherever there's a Finn, there's a shark."

Related Topics:
Subaru - Hyundai - 1999 - Impreza WRC - Argentina - Richard Burns - Robert Reid - Shark

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Accompanying achievements include winning the 4-wheel class at the Dakar Rally in 1988. He also won the 1988 and 1991 Race of Champions.

Related Topics:
Dakar Rally - Race of Champions

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Kankkunen is today one of shareholders in the Flying Finn airline.

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