Former world rally champion Ari Vatanen was in Australia as a special guest of the Australian Rally Hall of Fame presentation, which took place on the eve of Rally Canberra, the opening round of the Australian Rally Championship.
The 61 year-old Vatanen, who won world rallying’s greatest prize in 1981, is a legend among legends in the rallying world, an exceptionally talented driver with a flamboyant style that endeared him to fans worldwide. But what is he like out of the cockpit?
For those used to monosyllabic Finns from Formula One, prepare to be surprised.
Vatanen has a refreshing perspective on life and its riches which sprouted from an early age and was tempered when he stared death in the face… and made a complete recovery.
It’s Ari’s eyes that draw you in immediately -- and it is ‘Ari’, his facial features gently admonishing me for calling him “Mr Vatanen” as we sit down and order a pot of English Breakfast.
Fresh from driving an imposing Audi Quattro S1 Group B car on a series of “very gentle” passenger rides through the forests of Canberra, Ari expands on his presence in the nation’s capital:
“I’m here because I enjoy people. It’s what life is about -- mixing with different cultures. Everyone I meet here is very friendly, very passionate about rally.
“Some even remember when I drove here in the Escort in 1980! But it is the experiences I have had around the rally community that mean more than any victory or particular car from my career. It’s about the people,” he explains.
His passion for people led him into politics when his full-time WRC career concluded in 1994.
After several years in the European Parliament, serving both Finnish and French conservative interests, Ari stood for the presidency of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) against eventual victor Jean Todt, who had once been his team manager at Peugeot in the mid-1980s.
These days Ari is still involved with the FIA, working predominantly with the safety commission. He was also elected to the presidency of the Estonian Autosport Union, charged with developing motorsport pathways for young Estonians.
“Despite being Finnish! I like to think that I am breaking down barriers. In Finland it was unthinkable that a Finnish motoring organisation could be headed by anyone other than a Finn! So I was touched when I was elected. I feel that my FIA experience gives Estonia a credible link to the motorsport world.”
He also can’t resist a political opinion on Australia: “A country so wonderful… why are you not independent?”
He also jokingly suggests that with his apparent Aussie popularity, perhaps he should run for the Prime Minister!
Although we steer back to rallying tales, they are spiced with philosophical life discussion. It’s the Vatanen effect.
“At the end of the day, yes, I have won 10 WRC events, the Paris-Dakar four times. But did you know that the Peugeot 205 Group B rally program basically rescued the firm? That was my favourite time.
“At Peugeot, it was like a big family. I discovered places like Africa through them. The team atmosphere was wonderful. We’d all sit together for meals, enjoy wine together. These thoughts are what remain with me today.”
It was during his time with Peugeot that he stared death in the face.
“It was 1985, Rally Argentina. I’d had two wins already in the season, including winning the Monte Carlo rally. I was eight minutes behind and we were able to come back and win! It was my best victory.
“In Argentina we crashed at very high speed. I broke my cervical vertebrae, eight ribs. It was a very tough time for me,” Vatanen explains.
He also required an invasive knee operation and smashed an ankle. While convalescing he became depressed, almost convincing himself he had AIDS and cancer, but his mental strength -- not to mention family and friends, including Jean Todt, who offered him a return to motorsport when he was ready -- helped Ari pull through.
He did return with Peugeot, though not in the WRC, instead taking on Pikes Peak and Paris-Dakar. Both projects produced success, but he belonged in the frontline.
Former co-driver in Ari’s 1981 championship year, Dave Richards, was by the 1990s charged with developing Subaru into a formidable rallying force. As the head of engineering firm Prodrive, Richards recruited Ari into the team to drive the Legacy (Liberty in Australia) RS Group A and develop the first Impreza.
“Dave was very driven, always professional, and there was a respect between us that made me feel that we weren’t boss and employee.
“The cars were interesting technically, but rewarded a smoother style. With the Peugeot it was possible to drive straight or sideways with all the power, and before that the Escort were just sliding all the time!”
It was at Subaru that Ari grew close to Colin McRae, who Ari took under his wing.
“Colin drove like me, on and over the limit,” Ari remembers of the man who won the 1995 WRC title before passing in an avoidable helicopter accident in 2007, an incident that is clearly still emotive for the Finn.
It is this most human reaction that endears one to Ari. “You know, I rate who I am as a man by these questions: ‘What does my wife Rita think of me as a husband? What do my children think of their father?’
“For me these questions are far more a measure of a life than motorsport success. Yes the cars are wonderful, but it is the human element that I live for.”
Register to comment on this article.