Markku Alén

The 'now maximum attack' Finn who held the stage win record and was champion for eleven days.

via Wikipedia: Markku Alén · see source

Markku Allan Alén (born 15 February 1951) is a Finnish former rally and race car driver. He drove for Fiat, Lancia, Subaru and Toyota in the World Rally Championship, and held the record for most stage wins (801) in the series, until Sébastien Loeb overtook it at the 2011 Rally Catalunya. Alén's phrase "now maximum attack" became well known.

Quick Facts

Full name

Markku Allan Alén

Born

15 February 1951

Birthplace

Helsinki, Finland

Nationality

Finland Finnish

Years

1973–1993, 2001

Teams

Ford
Fiat
Lancia
Subaru
Toyota

Races

129

Championships

1 (1978)

Lore & Background

Alén never won the world championship itself, despite being for a long time the driver with the most wins to his credit. However, he did win the FIA Cup for Drivers in 1978, the precursor to the World Championship for Drivers established in 1979. In 1986, he was the world champion for eleven days, until Peugeot's appeal went through and the results of Rallye Sanremo, which Alén had won, were annulled.

Reader's Guide

Alén's interest in motorsport came from his father, who was the 1963 Finnish champion in ice racing. He started his rallying career in 1969 driving a Renault 8 Gordini, and finished ninth at the 1000 Lakes Rally at his first attempt. After a contract with the Finnish Volvo importer to drive the Volvo 142, he finished third at the 1000 Lakes in 1971 and 1972. At his World Rally Championship debut at the 1973 1000 Lakes Rally, he took second place behind Timo Mäkinen. His performances caught the attention of Fiat and Ford. With Ford's Escort RS 1600, he finished third on the 1973 RAC Rally despite rolling his car on the first day. This resulted in a "dream contract" with Fiat. In 1974 and 1975, he drove the Fiat 124 Abarth Rallye, achieving several podiums and his debut WRC win at the 1975 Rally Portugal. During 1976, Fiat debuted the Fiat 131 Abarth; Alén won the 1976 1000 Lakes and the 1977 Rally Portugal, helping Fiat to their first manufacturers' title in 1977. In 1978, he took two wins and five consecutive podiums, and won the Rallye Sanremo in a Lancia Stratos HF, bringing him the FIA Cup for Drivers title and Fiat their second manufacturers' title. He continued with Fiat for three more years, taking a win each season. After Fiat wound up their works rally team, Alén moved to Lancia. In 1982 he debuted the Lancia 037, a rear-wheel drive Group B car. His several wins in 1983 helped Lancia pip Audi to that year's constructors' championship. He was responsible for the car's final victory on the 1984 Tour de Corse, before it was replaced by the four-wheel drive Lancia Delta S4 from the final round of the 1985 season. After teammate Henri Toivonen's death in Corsica in 1986, Alén became team leader and narrowly lost the 1986 World Rally Championship to Juha Kankkunen. He won the Rallye Sanremo only after Kankkunen's Peugeot team was excluded; Peugeot appealed and the results were annulled, stripping Alén of the title after eleven days, leading him to boycott the 1987 Monte Carlo Rally. After Group B was abolished, Alén adapted to Group A, winning three events in the Lancia Delta HF 4WD in 1987 and another three in 1988, including his first victory in the RAC Rally. That was his last world championship victory. In 1990, he moved to the Prodrive-run Subaru World Rally Team, achieving early successes with the Subaru Legacy.