Rally Drivers

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Rally Racing is a form of auto racing in which automobiles are driven over public roads under normal traffic conditions as contrasted to other car races that are run on a circuit. The rules and regulations regarding speed, time and route are predetermined for these races. The term rally racing has been in use since 1911 when the first Monte Carlo Rally was held. Most rally race drivers up to the 1950s were amateurs and paid little. The 1960s brought about the era of professional drivers when young and enthusiastic drivers were recruited and provided training to hone their skills. The increasing popularity of this type of racing led to the World Rally championship which is organized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). There are two forms of rally races: stage rallies and road rallies. Road rally is the original form that is held on highways under normal traffic—these are primarily amateur events. Stage rallies are the professional form of the sport. In order to participate in rally car racing, one needs to hold a valid driver’s license and have lots of practice driving on gravel roads and difficult terrains. Read on know about various famous rally drivers from all over the world.

Vote for Your Favourite Rally Drivers
 1 
Colin McRae
(Scottish Rally Driver: The First British Driver to Win the World Rally Championship Drivers' Title)
Colin McRae
4
Birthdate: August 5, 1968
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lanark, Scotland
Died: September 15, 2007

Colin McRae was a British rally driver who won the British Rally Championship title in 1991 and 1992. In 1995, he became the youngest person and the first British driver to win the World Rally Championship Drivers' title. Colin McRae's career was cut short by his sudden demise in 2007 when he was killed in a helicopter crash. 

 2 
Carlos Sainz Sr.
(Rally driver)
Carlos Sainz Sr.
3
Birthdate: April 12, 1962
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
 3 
Sébastien Loeb
(French Professional Racecar Driver)
Sébastien Loeb
4
Birthdate: February 26, 1974
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Haguenau, France
 4 
Sébastien Ogier
(Rally driver)
Sébastien Ogier
6
Birthdate: December 17, 1983
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Gap, France
 5 
Michèle Mouton
(Rally driver)
Michèle Mouton
3
Birthdate: June 23, 1951
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Grasse, France
 6 
Richard Burns
(Race car driver)
Richard Burns
2
Birthdate: January 17, 1971
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Reading, Berkshire, England
Died: November 25, 2005
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 7 
Ott Tänak
(Rally driver)
Ott Tänak
0
Birthdate: October 15, 1987
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kärdla, Estonia
 8 
Henri Toivonen
(Finnish Rally Driver Who Became the Youngest Driver Ever to Become the World Rally Champion)
Henri Toivonen
2
Birthdate: August 25, 1956
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Jyväskylä, Finland
Died: May 2, 1986

Henri Toivonen was a Finnish rally driver who became the youngest driver ever to become the World Rally Champion in 1980. The record was later broken by his countryman Jari-Matti Latvala in 2008. Henri Toivonen is also known as the son of Pauli Toivonen, who won the 1968 European Rally Championship title.

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 9 
Craig Breen
(Irish Rally Driver)
Craig Breen
1
Birthdate: February 2, 1990
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Waterford, Ireland
Died: April 13, 2023
 10 
Kalle Rovanperä
(Finnish Professional Rally Driver)
Kalle Rovanperä
1
Birthdate: October 1, 2000
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Jyväskylä, Finland
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 11 
Walter Röhrl
(Race car driver)
Walter Röhrl
0
Birthdate: March 7, 1947
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Regensburg, Germany
 12 
Tommi Mäkinen
(One of the Most Successful World Rally Championship Drivers of All Time)
Tommi Mäkinen
1
Birthdate: June 26, 1964
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Puuppola

Tommi Mäkinen is a Finnish former racing driver. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful World Rally Championship (WRC) drivers of all time; he won four World Rally Championship titles during his career. After retiring as a driver, Tommi Mäkinen established himself as a racing executive.

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 13 
Petter Solberg
(Rally driver)
Petter Solberg
0
Birthdate: November 18, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Askim

Norwegian rally and rallycross driver Petter Solberg was a teenager when he won the Norwegian Tamiya Cup and later won 10 FIA World Rallycross Championships and 13 World Rally Championships. He is married to Pernilla Walfridsson, who is herself a leading former rally driver and the daughter of rally driver Per-Inge "Pi" Walfridsson.

 14 
Ari Vatanen
(Finnish Rally Driver Turned Politician)
Ari Vatanen
1
Birthdate: April 27, 1952
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Tuupovaara, Finland

Ari Vatanen is a rally driver-turned-politician who won the drivers' title at the 1981 World Rally Championship as well as the prestigious Paris Dakar Rally on four occasions. He also won the World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies in 1997. Since 2013, Ari Vatanen has been serving as the president of the Autosport Union in Estonia.

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 15 
Thierry Neuville
(Belgian Rally Driver)
Thierry Neuville
1
Birthdate: June 16, 1988
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: St. Vith, Belgium
 16 
Juha Kankkunen
(Finnish Retired Rally Driver Who Won Four 'Drivers' World Championship' Titles)
Juha Kankkunen
1
Birthdate: April 2, 1959
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Laukaa, Finland

Juha Kankkunen is a Finnish retired rally driver. He is best known for winning four drivers' world championship titles and 23 world rallies during his illustrious career. A successful driver, Juha Kankkunen competed for popular teams like Toyota, Peugeot, Ford, Subaru, and Hyundai.  

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 17 
Marcus Grönholm
(One of the Most Successful 'World Rallycross Championship' Drivers of All Time)
Marcus Grönholm
5
Birthdate: February 5, 1968
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kauniainen, Finland

Marcus Grönholm is a Finnish retired rally and rallycross driver. With 34 rally wins and two championships under his belt, Marcus Grönholm is considered one of the most successful World Rallycross Championship (WRC) drivers of all time.

 18 
Jari-Matti Latvala
(Finnish Professional Rally Driver)
Jari-Matti Latvala
3
Birthdate: April 3, 1985
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Töysä, Finland

Jari-Matti Latvala is a Finnish rally driver. Best known for his aggressive driving style, which often draws comparison to the late Colin McRae, Jari-Matti Latvala is the most successful driver in the World Rally Championship (WRC) to not have won a championship.

 19 
Elfyn Evans
(Welsh Rally Driver)
Elfyn Evans
1
Birthdate: December 28, 1988
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Dolgellau, Wales
 20 
Jim Clark
(One of the Greatest Formula One Racing Drivers and Two-Time World Champion in 1963 and 1965)
Jim Clark
3
Birthdate: March 4, 1936
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kilmany, Fife, Scotland
Died: April 7, 1968

British Formula One racing-driver James Clark Jr. is counted among the greatest Formula One drivers of all time. He won his first World Driver’s Championships in 1963 making a record of winning seven out of ten races in a season. He again won the championship in 1965. His 1965 Indianapolis 500 win marked the first win for a rear-engined car.

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 21 
Hannu Mikkola
(Finnish Rally Driver)
Hannu Mikkola
0
Birthdate: May 24, 1942
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Joensuu, Finland
Died: February 25, 2021
Hannu Mikkola was a Finnish rally driver. A seven-time champion of the 1000 Lakes Rally, Mikkola also won the Great Britain's RAC Rally on four occasions. In 2011, he was made an inductee of the Rally Hall of Fame.
 22 
Keke Rosberg
(Former Finnish Racing Driver Who Won the 1982 'F1 World Championship')
Keke Rosberg
3
Birthdate: December 6, 1948
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Solna Municipality Solna, Sweden

Keke Rosberg is a Finnish retired racing driver best known for winning the Formula One World Championship in 1982. Rosberg was the first Finnish champion in the history of the Formula One World Championship. Keke Rosberg has also achieved popularity as the father of the 2016 F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg.

 23 
Kris Meeke
(Irish Professional Rally Driver)
Kris Meeke
1
Birthdate: July 2, 1979
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Dungannon, Northern Ireland
 24 
Stig Blomqvist
(Swedish Retired Rally Driver)
Stig Blomqvist
1
Birthdate: July 29, 1946
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Örebro, Sweden
 25 
Jean Todt
(President of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile & Former Rally Co-Driver)
Jean Todt
2
Birthdate: February 25, 1946
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Pierrefort, France

French former rally driver Jean Todt has been the director of Peugeot Talbot Sport and the principal of the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team. He was also the CEO of Ferrari and the president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, and was named the UN’s Special Envoy for Road Safety.

 26 
Peter Brock
(Australian Motor Racing Driver)
Peter Brock
4
Birthdate: February 26, 1945
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Died: September 8, 2006

Peter Brock was an Australian professional racing driver best remembered for his association with Holden. A three-time Australian Touring Car champion, Brock was honored with the prestigious Australian Sports Medal in 2000. In 2001, he was made an inductee of the V8 Supercars Hall of Fame. Also known for his humanitarian efforts, Brock was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001.

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 27 
Ken Block
(Rally Driver)
Ken Block
0
Birthdate: November 21, 1967
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Long Beach, California, United States
Died: January 2, 2023

Hoonigan Racing driver Ken Block has had many accomplishments throughout his career, including 16 Rally American wins. He also has 5 X Games medals in his kitty. His globally hit YouTube videos of the Gymkhana series drew over 500 million views. His interests also include sports such as skateboarding and snowboarding.

 28 
Jody Scheckter
(South African racing driver)
Jody Scheckter
3
Birthdate: January 29, 1950
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: East London, South Africa

The only Formula One World Champion from Africa, Jody David Scheckter made his debut at the US Grand Prix in 1972, shortly after moving from South Africa to Britain. Two years later he registered his first win with the Swedish Grand Prix. His last win was at the 1979 Italian Grand Prix. In 1980, he retired from motor racing.

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 29 
Markku Alen
(Finnish Retired Rally and Race Car Driver)
Markku Alen
1
Birthdate: February 15, 1951
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland

Markku Alen is a Finnish retired rally and race car driver. He had an impressive record in the World Rally Championship, although he never won the championship itself. Markku Alen is credited with coining and popularizing the phrase, now maximum attack.  

 30 
Takuma Sato
(Japanese Professional Racing Driver)
Takuma Sato
3
Birthdate: January 28, 1977
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
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 31 
Dani Sordo
(Spanish Rally Driver)
Dani Sordo
1
Birthdate: May 2, 1983
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Puente San Miguel, Cantabria
 32 
Pastor Maldonado
(Racing driver)
Pastor Maldonado
3
Birthdate: March 9, 1985
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Maracay, Venezuela
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 33 
Markko Märtin
(Estonian Rally Driver)
Markko Märtin
1
Birthdate: November 10, 1975
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tartu, Estonia
 34 
Bruno Senna
(Brazilian Professional Racing Driver)
Bruno Senna
2
Birthdate: October 15, 1983
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: São Paulo, Brazil

Bruno Senna is a Brazilian racing driver best known for his brief Formula One career from 2010 to 2012. In 2012, he became the 19th driver to receive the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy. Bruno Senna has also appeared on TV shows such as Vroom Vroom.

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 35 
Andreas Mikkelsen
(Norwegian Rally Driver)
Andreas Mikkelsen
0
Birthdate: June 22, 1989
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Oslo, Norway
 36 
Paul di Resta
(British Racing Driver Who Competes in 'Formula One')
Paul di Resta
0
Birthdate: April 16, 1986
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Uphall, West Lothian, Scotland

Paul di Resta is a British racing driver who competed for Force India in Formula One from 2011 to 2013. Currently, he is one of the reserve F1 drivers for McLaren. Paul di Resta also works as a commentator for Sky Sports.

 37 
Jean Alesi
(Racecar driver, Racing driver)
Jean Alesi
2
Birthdate: June 11, 1964
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Avignon
 38 
Mikko Hirvonen
(Former Finnish Rally Driver, Who Has Had 15 Wins in the World Rally Championship)
Mikko Hirvonen
0
Birthdate: July 31, 1980
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kannonkoski, Finland

Legendary Finnish rally driver Mikko Hirvonen had an illustrious 13-year World Rally career. The Scandinavian racing sensation has scored 15 wins and 69 podium finishes in the World Rally Championship, and been a 4-time runner-up. He is known for his successful stints with co-drivers Jarmo Lehtinen and Miikka Anttila.

 39 
Jack Brabham
(Australian Race Car Driver)
Jack Brabham
2
Birthdate: April 2, 1926
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia
Died: May 19, 2014

Jack Brabham was an Australian professional racing driver best remembered for winning the Formula One World Championship thrice during his illustrious career that lasted 15 years. He is credited with founding the eponymous Formula One racing team and racing car manufacturer. Early in his career, Brabham contributed immensely to the design of racing cars introduced by the Cooper Car Company.

 40 
Possum Bourne
(New Zealand Rally Car Driver)
Possum Bourne
1
Birthdate: April 13, 1956
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Waikato Region
Died: April 30, 2003
 41 
Gerhard Berger
(Austrian Retired Formula One Racing Driver)
Gerhard Berger
2
Birthdate: August 27, 1959
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Wörgl, Austria

Gerhard Berger is an Austrian retired Formula One racing driver who competed in 14 Formula One seasons, finishing twice as the third overall in the championship. Berger won ten Grands Prix during his illustrious career that spanned more than a decade. With 210 starts under his belt, Gerhard Berger is counted among the most experienced F1 drivers of all time.

 42 
Didier Auriol
(Rally driver)
Didier Auriol
0
Birthdate: August 18, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Montpellier, France
 43 
Will Power
(Racing Driver)
Will Power
2
Birthdate: March 1, 1981
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Toowoomba, Australia
Son of racer Bob Power, Australian motor-sports champion and IndyCar Series driver William Steven Power, better known as Will Power, has 19 series wins in his kitty. He is married to former Walker Racing receptionist Liz Cannon. He has voiced a character in the animated film Turbo.
 44 
Roger Clark
(British Rally DriverRally driver)
Roger Clark
0
Birthdate: August 5, 1939
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: United Kingdom
Died: January 12, 1998
 45 
Heikki Kovalainen
(Finnish Racing Driver, Who Competed in the Formula 1 Between 2007 and 2013)
Heikki Kovalainen
4
Birthdate: October 19, 1981
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Suomussalmi, Finland

Finnish F-1 racing driver, who has driven for teams such as Caterham-Renault, Lotus F1, and McLaren. He was the 100th driver to win a F-1 Grand Prix. Though he has competed in the Australian and Brazilian Grand Prix, he scored his only win at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2008.

 46 
Attilio Bettega
(Italian Rally Driver)
Attilio Bettega
1
Birthdate: February 19, 1953
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Trento, Italy
Died: May 2, 1985
 47 
Sébastien Bourdais
(Racing driver)
Sébastien Bourdais
4
Birthdate: February 28, 1979
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Le Mans
 48 
Timo Makinen
(Finnish Rally Driver)
Timo Makinen
1
Birthdate: March 18, 1938
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland
Died: May 4, 2017
 49 
Robby Gordon
(American Auto Racing Driver and NASCAR Team Owner)
Robby Gordon
2
Birthdate: January 2, 1969
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Robby Gordon is an auto racing driver who has raced in NASCAR, CART, Trans-Am, IndyCar, IMSA, and Dakar Rally. He began his career in off-road racing and also participated in selected Traxxas TORC Series events. He owns the Stadium Super Trucks, a short course off-road racing series he launched in 2013. He also operates the Speed family of brands. 

 50 
Timo Salonen
(Finnish Retired Rally Driver)
Timo Salonen
0
Birthdate: October 8, 1951
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland

Timo Salonen is a Finnish retired rally driver best known for winning the 1985 World Rally Championship for Peugeot. Salonen was initially written off by the media and the experts as he was overweight, smoked heavily, and wore thick glasses. However, Timo Salonen proved his critics wrong by becoming the most successful driver of World Rally Championship's Group B era.