Mikko Hirvonen facts for kids
Hirvonen in Germany, 2014.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Finnish |
| Born | 31 July 1980 Kannonkoski, Finland |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 2002–2014 |
| Co-driver | Jarmo Lehtinen Miikka Anttila |
| Teams | Citroën, Ford, Subaru, Škoda, M-Sport |
| Rallies | 163 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Rally wins | 15 |
| Podiums | 69 |
| Stage wins | 260 |
| Total points | 1210 |
| First rally | 2002 Rally Finland |
| First win | 2006 Rally Australia |
| Last win | 2012 Rally Italia Sardegna |
| Last rally | 2014 Wales Rally GB |
Mikko Hirvonen, born on July 31, 1980, is a famous Finnish former rally driver. He also competes in rally-raid races. Mikko was a top driver in the World Rally Championship.
He helped the Ford team win the manufacturers' title in 2006 and 2007. Mikko finished second in the drivers' championship four times. This was in 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012. He was often right behind the champion, Sébastien Loeb. His main co-driver was Jarmo Lehtinen from 2003 until Mikko retired in 2014.
Contents
Mikko's Rally Journey
Early Years (2002–2005)
In 2002, Mikko Hirvonen won the Finnish Rally Championship for cars under 2000 cc. He was one of the youngest drivers in the World Rally Championship. In 2003, he joined the Ford World Rally Team full-time. He scored his first points by finishing sixth at the Cyprus Rally.
In 2004, Mikko joined the Subaru World Rally Team. He replaced Richard Burns, who became ill. Mikko scored points in ten rallies that year. His best results were fourth place at the Rally Argentina and Rally Australia. These results were not enough to keep his spot for 2005.
In 2005, Mikko raced as a private driver. He drove an older Ford Focus RS WRC 03. He even led one rally during the year. He achieved his best career finish, third place, at the Rally Catalunya.
Becoming a Top Driver (2006–2007)
Mikko's strong performances brought him back to Ford. He signed with the factory Ford team for the 2006 season. He drove the new Ford Focus RS WRC 06 alongside Marcus Grönholm.
Mikko won his first World Rally Championship race at the Rally Australia. He also finished second in three other rallies. By getting on the podium six times in a row, he secured third place in the drivers' championship.
In 2007, Mikko continued his success. He won his second WRC victory in Norway. He also won the 2007 Rally Japan and the final race of the season, the 2007 Wales Rally GB. He finished third in the championship again. With his teammate Grönholm, Mikko helped Ford win the manufacturers' title for the second year in a row.
Championship Battles (2008–2014)
In 2008, Mikko became the main driver for the BP-Ford Abu Dhabi team. His teammate was Jari-Matti Latvala. Mikko started the season well, finishing second at the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally. He won his first race of the season at the 2008 Jordan Rally.
He won again in Turkey. At his home event, the 2008 Rally Finland, he finished second to his rival, Sébastien Loeb. In New Zealand, Mikko was leading but had a flat tire. This dropped him to third place. He finished the season in second place in the championship.
In 2009, Mikko had a close fight for the championship with Sébastien Loeb. He finished second to Loeb in several early rallies. At the 2009 Acropolis Rally in Greece, Mikko won his first race of the season. Loeb crashed out, which helped Mikko close the gap in points.
Mikko then won two more rallies in a row, in Poland and his home event in Finland. He took the lead in the championship. In Australia, he won after other drivers received penalties. The championship came down to the last race. Mikko needed to win, but a problem with his car's hood cost him time. He finished second in the championship, just one point behind Loeb.
In 2010, Mikko continued with Ford. In 2011, he switched to the new Ford Fiesta RS WRC. For the 2012 season, Mikko moved to the Citroën World Rally Team. He became teammates with Sébastien Loeb.
He won his first rally for Citroën in Portugal in 2012. However, he was later disqualified because of issues with his car. He finished second in the championship again that year.
The year 2013 was tough for Mikko. He finished on the podium five times but did not win any rallies. He ended the season in fourth place.
In 2014, Mikko returned to the M-Sport World Rally Team, which used to be Ford. He had a good season, getting two podium finishes. He also won three "power stages," which give extra points. He finished fourth in the championship.
On November 6, 2014, Mikko announced he would retire from rally driving. This was just before the start of the Wales Rally GB.
Rally-Raid Adventures (2015-Present)
After retiring from WRC, Mikko started competing in rally-raid events in 2015. He joined the X-Raid team and drove a Mini Countryman. He finished third at the Baja Aragón rally.
In January 2016, he finished fourth in the famous 2016 Dakar Rally. He also won the Hungarian Baja rally in 2016. Mikko finished 13th at the 2017 Dakar Rally and 19th at the 2018 Dakar Rally.
WRC Victories
| No. | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  19th Telstra Rally Australia |
2006 | Jarmo Lehtinen | Ford Focus RS WRC 06 |
| 2 |  2nd Rally Norway |
2007 | ||
| 3 |  4th Rally Japan |
Ford Focus RS WRC 07 | ||
| 4 |  63rd Wales Rally of Great Britain |
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| 5 |  26th Jordan Rally |
2008 | ||
| 6 |  9th Rally of Turkey |
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| 7 | 5th Rally Japan |
Ford Focus RS WRC 08 | ||
| 8 |  56th Acropolis Rally of Greece |
2009 | Ford Focus RS WRC 09 | |
| 9 |  66th Rally of Poland |
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| 10 | 59th Neste Oil Rally Finland |
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| 11 | 20th Repco Rally Australia |
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| 12 |  58th Rally Sweden |
2010 | ||
| 13 | 59th Rally Sweden |
2011 | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | |
| 14 | 21st Rally Australia |
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| 15 |  9º Rally d'Italia Sardegna |
2012 | Citroën DS3 WRC |
IRC Victories
| No. | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  78ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo |
2010 | Jarmo Lehtinen | Ford Fiesta S2000 |
Dakar Rally Results
| Year | Class | Vehicle | Position | Stages won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Cars | Mini |
4th | 1 |
| 2017 | 13th | 0 | ||
| 2018 | 19th | 0 |
See also
In Spanish: Mikko Hirvonen para niños
