Rauno Aaltonen
Encyclopedia
Rauno August Aaltonen also known as "The Rally Professor", is a Finnish
former professional rally
driver who competed in the World Rally Championship
throughout the 1970s. Before WRC was established Aaltonen competed in the European Rally Championship
. He won the championship in 1965, with Tony Ambrose
as his co-driver
. He also won the Finnish Rally Championship
in 1961 and 1965. In 1966 he partnered Bob Holden
in Australia
to win the premier touring car race, the Gallaher 500
, in a Mini Cooper S at Mount Panorama
in New South Wales
.
Aaltonen finished second on six occasions in the Safari Rally
, which is considered one of the most difficult courses in rallying. In 1985, he was leading the rally by two hours when his engine broke down before the last few special stages. His other merits include winning the 1000 Lakes Rally
in 1961, the RAC Rally in 1965, the Monte Carlo Rally
in 1967 and the Southern Cross Rally
in 1977. In 1966, he won the Australian endurance race Bathurst 500
with Bob Holden
.
Despite now being remembered as one of the Flying Finns
of rallying, Aaltonen started his career on speed boats and later moved on to motorcycles competing in road racing
, speedway
and motocross
. Before he became the first Finnish European Rally Champion, he was the first Finn to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing
competition.
He was a proponent of left-foot braking
.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
former professional rally
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
driver who competed in the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
throughout the 1970s. Before WRC was established Aaltonen competed in the European Rally Championship
European Rally Championship
The European Rally Championship is the European continental championship series in rallying. It is organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile .-History:...
. He won the championship in 1965, with Tony Ambrose
Tony Ambrose
John Anthony Ambrose was a British rally driver who, as co-driver, twice won the RAC Rally, in 1956 and 1965.-Early life and Oxford University:...
as his co-driver
Co-driver
Co-driver is the term given to the navigator of rally car in the sport of rally racing, who sits in the front passenger seat. The co-driver's job is to navigate, by reading off a set of pacenotes to the driver, often over a radio headset, due to the high level of noise in the car...
. He also won the Finnish Rally Championship
Finnish Rally Championship
The Finnish Rally Championship is the national rally championship in Finland. The series currently has three classes; Group A , Group N and a group "n" for Group N cars with a 2000 cc engine limit...
in 1961 and 1965. In 1966 he partnered Bob Holden
Bob Holden (racing driver)
Robin John Holden born December 1, 1932, is an Australian racing driver. Holden raced small-engined touring cars throughout his career, racing Peugeots in the early 1960s, establishing a reputation for himself which saw him become a regular part of BMC Australias racing program for Minis which...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to win the premier touring car race, the Gallaher 500
1966 Gallaher 500
The 1966 Gallaher 500 was an endurance motor race for production cars, held on 2 October 1966 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales in Australia. It was the seventh running of the Bathurst 500 race and the first time that the event had been staged under the Gallaher...
, in a Mini Cooper S at Mount Panorama
Mount Panorama Circuit
Mount Panorama Circuit is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Bathurst 12 Hour motor race, held each February, and the Bathurst 1000 motor race, held each October...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Aaltonen finished second on six occasions in the Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
, which is considered one of the most difficult courses in rallying. In 1985, he was leading the rally by two hours when his engine broke down before the last few special stages. His other merits include winning the 1000 Lakes Rally
Rally Finland
The Neste Oil Rally Finland is a rally event driven in the Jyväskylä area in Central Finland. It is the biggest annually organised public event in the Nordic countries, gathering over 500,000 spectators every year....
in 1961, the RAC Rally in 1965, the Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
in 1967 and the Southern Cross Rally
Southern Cross Rally
The Southern Cross Rally was a major international rally mainly held in the Port Macquarie region of New South Wales, Australia, between 1966 and 1980. The rally attracted many of the world's leading rally drivers and factory teams....
in 1977. In 1966, he won the Australian endurance race Bathurst 500
1966 Gallaher 500
The 1966 Gallaher 500 was an endurance motor race for production cars, held on 2 October 1966 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales in Australia. It was the seventh running of the Bathurst 500 race and the first time that the event had been staged under the Gallaher...
with Bob Holden
Bob Holden (racing driver)
Robin John Holden born December 1, 1932, is an Australian racing driver. Holden raced small-engined touring cars throughout his career, racing Peugeots in the early 1960s, establishing a reputation for himself which saw him become a regular part of BMC Australias racing program for Minis which...
.
Despite now being remembered as one of the Flying Finns
Flying Finn (athlete)
"The Flying Finn" is a nickname given to several Finnish athletes. Originally, it was given to several Finnish middle and long-distance runners...
of rallying, Aaltonen started his career on speed boats and later moved on to motorcycles competing in road racing
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
, speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
and motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
. Before he became the first Finnish European Rally Champion, he was the first Finn to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
competition.
He was a proponent of left-foot braking
Left-foot braking
Left-foot braking is the technique of using the left foot to operate the brake pedal in an automobile, leaving the right foot dedicated to the throttle pedal...
.