Rauno Aaltonen
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Rauno Aaltonen (born January 7, 1938) is a Finnish former professional rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1970s. Before WRC was established Aaltonen, like all the top drivers, competed in the European Rally Championship. He won the championship in 1965. In 1966 he partnered Bob Holden in Australia in winning the premier touring car race, the Gallaher 500, in a Mini Cooper S at Mount Panorama in New South Wales.
Aaltonen finished second in the Safari Rally, which is considered one of the most difficult courses in rally racing, six times. 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 RAC Rally in 1965 and Monte Carlo Rally in 1967.
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 would move on to become the first Finnish European Rally Champion, he became the first Finn to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing competition.
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