# Pentti Airikkala

Pentti Airikkala (4 September 1945 – 30 September 2009) was one of the "Flying Finns" who dominated world rallying in the past four decades. His career was more sporadic than many of his contemporaries, and he competed in only three World Rally Championship (WRC) events regularly; the two Scandinavian rallies (the 1000 Lakes and the Swedish Rally) and the RAC Rally in the United Kingdom.
Airikkala was born in Helsinki, Finland. Most of his top flight competitive experience was behind the wheel of various rear wheel drive Vauxhall/Opels like the Chevette HS and Magnum coupé, but his greatest success came in the twilight of his career, when he won the 1989 RAC Rally in a Group A Mitsubishi Galant VR-4. He is still the third oldest driver to win a WRC event.
Altogether he competed in 36 WRC events between 1973 and 1990, and a 37th in 2003, scoring 102 points and achieving a best of 9th overall in the 1981 Drivers' Championship. He also contested the British Rally Championship in the 1970s/80s, becoming British Rally Champion in 1979. Since retiring from full-time international competition he operated a highly successful rally driving school in Oxfordshire teaching left-foot braking, where his roster of pupils included subsequent World Champions Colin McRae and Richard Burns.

## Death

Airikkala died at Bray, Berkshire, UK, aged 64. He had been battling illness in recent years and was admitted to hospital shortly before his death after suffering liver problems and a fall.

## WRC victories

| # | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
| 1 | 38th Lombard RAC Rally | 1989 | Ronan McNamee | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 |

## Racing record
### Complete IMC results

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 1971 | Opel Mobil Team | Opel Kadett Rallye | MON | SWE | ITA | KEN | MAR | AUT | GRE | GBR Ret |

### Complete WRC results

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | WDC | Pts |
| 1973 | Auto-Airikkala Oy | Opel Kadett GT/E | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | MOR | GRE | POL | FIN Ret | AUT | ITA | USA | GBR | FRA | | N/A | N/A |
| 1974 | Auto-Airikkala Oy | Vauxhall Magnum Coupé | MON C | SWE C | POR | KEN | GRE C | FIN 16 | ITA | CAN | USA | | | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1974 | Centre Hotels / Clarke & Simpson | Ford Escort RS1600 | | | | | | | | | | GBR Ret | FRA | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1975 | Dealer Team Vauxhall | Vauxhall Magnum Coupé | MON | SWE | KEN | GRE | MOR | POR | FIN Ret | ITA | FRA | GBR 20 | | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1976 | Team Avon Tyres | Ford Escort RS1800 | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | GRE | MOR | FIN 2 | ITA | FRA | GBR DSQ | | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1977 | Toyota Team Europe | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | MON | SWE Ret | POR | KEN | NZL | GRE | | | | | | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1977 | Dealer Team Vauxhall | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS | | | | | | | FIN Ret | CAN | ITA | FRA | GBR 16 | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1978 | Dealer Team Vauxhall | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS | MON | SWE Ret | KEN | POR DNS | GRE | FIN 3 | CAN | ITA | CIV | FRA | GBR Ret | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1979 | Dealer Team Vauxhall | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS | MON | SWE 3 | POR | KEN | GRE | | FIN 3 | CAN | ITA | FRA | GBR 7 | CIV | | | 15th | 16 |
| 1979 | GM Dealer Team New Zealand | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS | | | | | | NZL Ret | | | | | | | | | 15th | 16 |
| 1980 | Dealer Team Vauxhall | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR | MON | SWE 6 | POR | KEN | GRC | ARG | FIN Ret | | | | GBR Ret | CIV | | | 36th | 6 |
| 1980 | Masport | Ford Escort RS1800 | | | | | | | | NZL Ret | ITA | FRA | | | | | 36th | 6 |
| 1981 | Rothmans Rally Team | Ford Escort RS1800 | MON | SWE 3 | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | ARG | BRA | FIN 5 | ITA | CIV | GBR 4 | | | 9th | 30 |
| 1982 | Team Ralliart | Mitsubishi Lancer 2000 Turbo | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | BRA | FIN 3 | ITA | CIV | GBR Ret | | | 15th | 12 |
| 1983 | Martini Racing | Lancia Rally 037 | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | ARG | FIN 5 | ITA | CIV | GBR | | | 21st | 8 |
| 1984 | Team Nissan Europe | Nissan 240RS | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | FIN Ret | ITA | CIV | GBR | | | NC | 0 |
| 1985 | British Telecom / GM Dealer Sport | Vauxhall Astra GTE | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | ARG | FIN | ITA | CIV | GBR Ret | | | NC | 0 |
| 1986 | British Telecom / GM Dealer Sport | Vauxhall Astra GTE | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | FIN | CIV | ITA | GBR 16 | USA | | NC | 0 |
| 1987 | GM Euro Sport | Opel Kadett GSi | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | USA | NZL | ARG | FIN | CIV | ITA | GBR Ret | | NC | 0 |
| 1988 | Safety Devices | Lancia Delta Integrale | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | USA | NZL | ARG | FIN | CIV | ITA | GBR 4 | | 30th | 10 |
| 1989 | Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | SWE | MON | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | ARG | FIN | AUS | ITA | CIV | GBR 1 | | 14th | 20 |
| 1990 | Q8 Team Ford | Ford Sierra Cosworth 4X4 | MON | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | ARG | FIN Ret | AUS | ITA 11 | CIV | GBR Ret | | | NC | 0 |
| 2003 | Pentti Airikkala | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | MON | SWE | TUR | NZL | ARG | GRC | CYP | GER | FIN | AUS | ITA | FRA | ESP | GBR Ret | NC | 0 |