Mikko Hirvonen, rally driver

- Date of birth: 31 July 1980
- Lives: Jyväskylä, Finland
- Marital status: Engaged to Karoliina, one child
- First rally: 1998
- First world rally: 2002 Rally Finlan
- World rallies started (up to 1.1.2008): 72
- Best Results: 1st in WRC Australia 2006, 1st in Norway and in Wales GB 2007

It would be fair to say that rallying is in Mikko Hirvonen’s blood, as his earliest memory is sitting on his father's knee learning to drive a rally car on a frozen lake beside his house.

Determined and realistic about his career path, the young Finn decided the best way to learn to drive was in a front-wheel drive vehicle. So in 1998 he made his first rally car purchase, a two-litre Opel Kadett. With his cousin navigating, he entered his first rally and despite going off the road twice, incurring penalties and damaging his gearbox, a delighted Hirvonen crossed the finish line.

Over the next two years his rally activities became a true family affair, with his cousin and sister sharing the co-driver's seat and the remaining family members helping with the running of the car. In 2000 Hirvonen felt he was ready to take on a new challenge – the first year of the junior Finnish Championship. Open to Group N front wheel drive cars, he upgraded to an Opel Astra and finished a commendable seventh out of 20 competitors.

He set his sights on the 2001 Finnish Championship in a rebuilt Astra. Hirvonen faced his first full year with the prospect of using pacenotes for the first time and enlisted the help of Sirpa Jokinen, whose husband is one of Finland's most experienced co-drivers at national level. The experience that Jokinen bought to the partnership saw Hirvonen’s true talent show through, and he led the championship until the very last day of the last round when he hit a rock, relegating him to second.

Buoyed by his success, he set himself a 12-month development programme with help and guidance from manager Timo Jouhki, with the aim of competing in the 2003 FIA World Rally Championship. Hirvonen competed in over 20 rallies in 2002 to gain the experience that would help him achieve this goal. Partnered by Miikka Antilla, he tackled the Finnish Championship and won the F2 category in a Volkswagen Golf Kit Car.

The pair also competed in some Italian asphalt rallies in a Citroen Saxo Kit Car as Hirvonen, becoming more confident with each rally on gravel, was determined to gain experience on asphalt. He also contested part of the Italian Subaru Trophy Championship with Jarmo Lehtinen and three rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship.

His hard work paid off, and in 2003 he found himself at the wheel of a 2002 Focus RS contesting a full 14-round WRC programme. Sixth on the Cyprus Rally was his best result. In 2004 he joined the Subaru World Rally Team, gaining further valuable experience on all 16 events of the championship. His best results came on Rally Argentina and Rally Australia with fourth overall.

Last season he drove five events in a privately-entered Focus RS and one with the factory Skoda team. He excelled in the Focus RS, with three top six finishes, including a career-best third on the Rally Catalunya. He also became the first privateer driver to lead a WRC round since 2001 on the Acropolis Rally in Greece.

Jarmo Lehtinen, co-driver

- Date of Birth: 3 January 1969
- Lives: Lahti
- Marrital status: Married, wife Tanja
- First rally: 1988
- First world rally: 1997 Rally Finland
- World Rallies started (up to 1.1.2008): 77
- Best Results: 1st in WRC Australia 2006, 1st in Norway and in Wales GB 2007

Jarmo Lehtinen cannot remember when rallying was not a feature in his life. His father took a young Jarmo and friend Jari Mikkola to rallies almost as soon as they were old enough to walk. They became addicted to the sport and spent every spare moment spectating and dreaming of the day when they would be old enough to compete. So it was no surprise when in 1988 Mikkola asked Lehtinen if he wanted to co-drive his first rally car - a Ford Escort.

Both were surprised to find themselves leading their first event as they went into the last stage before a roll dropped them to 10th overall, but they still won their class. They moved up to the Finnish Junior Championship in 1989 in their trusty Escort and moved to an Ascona for the 1990 season. In 1991 and 1992, the pair concentrated on the Group F Cup, which consisted of national rallies. Without financial backing, they ran the car on a tiny budget and obtained good results.

At the age of 24, Lehtinen was drafted into the Army for one year of compulsory training. Luckily he was posted to the car division with responsibility for logistics, which allowed him to develop the skills learned as a co-driver. After completing his training, an advertisement in his local newspaper caught his eye. It was seeking interest in a newly established Rally Coaching School for co-drivers. Lehtinen applied and was one of only six people chosen to participate. His reputation as a co-driver grew and he assisted a number of drivers for the remainder of that year and in 1996.

His partnership with Marko Ramanen in a Group N Honda Civic started a three-year affiliation that saw them take on the Finnish Championship in 1997. Despite leading their Group N class for most of the year they finished second – beaten by just one second on the last stage of the last round.

The following year they finished fourth in their Group A class in the Finnish Championship and also tackled the Rally of Great Britain. Their WRC outing saw them lead the S1600 class on the first day before dropping to the bottom of their class with a broken driveshaft. The duo put up a great fight to climb to third, only to retire on the penultimate stage with gearbox problems.

In 1999 Lehtinen partnered Ramanen in the British Championship and accompanied Jouni Ampuja to sixth in Group N in the Finnish Championship. The partnership with Ampuja extended into the following two seasons and they finished second in Group N in the 2001 Finnish Championship.

Lehtinen began 2002 with Ampuja, again competing in the Finnish Championship, but he had also met Mikko Hirvonen who had set himself such a busy development programme that he needed two co-drivers. They joined forces for international events and Lehtinen also took up a new role in the gravel crew for Skoda driver Toni Gardemeister on the world championship. He worked on every event from the Safari Rally, gaining a valuable insight into the championship rallies.

Since 2003 Lehtinen has partnered Hirvonen on all his WRC outings – at Ford in 2003, at Subaru in 2004 and as a privately-entered driver last season. With a reduced WRC programme in 2005, Lehtinen also renewed his partnership with Ampuja on the Finnish Championship in a Ford Focus RS WRC.

Seasons 2006 and 2007 Lehtinen co-drived Mikko Hirvonen as Ford manufacturer driver. Season was finished with bronze medal. In season 2008 Mikko and Jarmo seeks title of World Rally Champion!