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The always-cheerful Tommi Mäkinen scored four World Rally Champion titles with Mitsubishi before becoming the team principal of the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC team in 2016. He put 3000 test miles into the Yaris WRC during development, and currently runs an operation involving around 130 people. With three consecutive race wins from driver Ott Tänak, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT is currently leading the Manufacturers' Championship as the team prepares for muddy Wales.
We caught up with Tommi for five minutes at WRC Turkey to talk about rally history and the special-edition Mitsubishi Lancer Evo named after him—even though Tommi doesn't own one.
R&T: When I say "failed rally car," which one pops into your mind?
Tommi Mäkinen: Nissan [Sunny GTI-R] in the early days. The Nissan was one that wasn’t absolutely ready, and it also failed in an important place: 1992 in Finland. A long time ago [laughs].
R&T: Which rally car do you wish you could have driven?
TM: During my career, I wanted to drive Toyota. But I've never driven that car, the Corolla. I mean, I drove it, but not in a proper rally, just during the Race of Champions. I remember it very well, I had my latest and best version of the Mitsubishi. I took the World Champion title with that car. And that was in Race of the Champions in Gran Canaria. But then we were competing with the Toyota rally car, which was kind of a customer spec car, not the proper latest works development. But still, I went absolutely flat out with my Mitsubishi, and then I jumped into that customer spec Toyota for the first time ever, and I was nearly two seconds faster straight away. I went to see my team boss Andrew Cowan saying, what is it? Do you have any idea?
R&T: Should all Tommi Mäkinen Edition* Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIs be red, paying respect to your rally car, or do you find the other factory colors acceptable too?
TM: [Laughing] Well, yeah. They also look great in black. I have also seen white ones, and there’s no problem with those. It was an absolutely brilliant car.
*The Tommi Mäkinen Edition Evo VI was a limited edition that many people call the Evo 6.5, due to it being optimized for tarmac use. It came in five colors: Red, blue, silver, black or white. Two trims were available: The RS version came with a close-ratio five-speed gearbox, lowered ride height, a Ralliart-inspired front bumper, and a turbocharger turbine made of titanium; the GSR added fancy Recaro seats and white powder-coated 17" Enkei wheels. With 276 horsepower, 275 lb ft of torque, it had a massive fully-adjustable rear wing and all the tunabilty one could ask for. Too bad Tommi Mäkinen doesn't own one.
