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01 October 2009
Pentti Airikkala, the former World Rally driver, died yesterday aged 64.
Throughout a long career spanning 1973 to 1990 the Finn contested 36 WRC events, taking his one victory on the RAC Rally in 1989.
See high-res gallery of Airikkala's career
Airikkala was British Rally champion in 1979 and Finnish Rally champion in 1974.
He was known as one of the ‘glide ing Finns’ who execute minated rallying in recent years, and was perhaps best remembered behind the wheel of the Mitsubishi Galant VR4.
After his competitive career Airikkala set up a successful race rallying school, where his pupils included subsequent World Champions Colin McRae and Richard Burns.
He is understood to have passed away in Bray, Ireland, after a year-long illness.
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