| Miikka Anttila |
If it wasn’t for a former neighbour, Miikka Anttila may never have discovered his talents in the co-driving seat. In 1993, while studying for a bachelor degree in automotive engineering, Anttila noticed his neighbour hard at work on a Toyota Starlet and curiosity got the better of him. Discovering the work was to be a Group F car for local rallies in Finland, he dismissed his friend’s invitation to assist with servicing and asked if he could co-drive instead. Firmly bitten by the rallying bug, the following year Anttila and a university classmate competed in the B Juniors F-Cup championship in a Ford Escort, finishing fourth. Early in 1995 he answered an advertisement in the Finnish Automobile Sport Federation’s newspaper seeking interest in a coaching school for co-drivers, and Anttila was one of only six people chosen to participate. His reputation as a co-driver grew and he was asked to assist a number of drivers at different events for the remainder of that year. He was determined to finish his studies so in 1996 he moved to Britain for a one-year Masters’ degree in automotive engineering, returning home to a management position with Nokian Tyres. In 1999, he struck up a partnership with Janne Tuohino, which lasted for two seasons. It brought many highlights - including winning the national Group N Championship and entering his first ever WRC event, the 1999 Rally Finland, where they finished eighth in a Ford Escort WRC. The following year they finished fourth in the Finnish Championship in a Toyota Corolla WRC. In 2001 Anttila partnered Jani Pirttinen in the German Championship and the following season he joined forces with Mikko Hirvonen, whose programme was so busy that he needed two co-drivers. They won the F2 category in the Finnish Championship in a Volkswagen Golf Kit Car and also tackled two world rallies, Finland and San Remo, winning their class in Rally Finland. In 2003 he joined forces with Jari-Matti Latvala during the second half of the season, a partnership that has remained unbroken ever since. Anttila guided his young colleague through several seasons of learning in the WRC in a variety of cars, before stepping up to a full-time programme with the Stobart VK M-Sport team in 2007. In 2008 Anttila moved up to the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team with Latvala and claimed his maiden WRC victory in Sweden, adding a second success in Italy in 2009. Two more wins followed in 2010, including Ford’s record-breaking 75th WRC victory in New Zealand, and a fifth career success on the final round of the 2011 series in Britain. In the little spare time that he has, Anttila enjoys cross-country and downhill skiing, jogging, mountain biking, land skating and, when he can, enjoys renovating his 'new' old house.
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