Name:

Jakke Honkanen

Age:

40 years old

Marital status:

married

Children:

two children, they are twins, a son and a daughter, two years old

Occupation:

co-driver

Place of birth:

Finland

Country or county where you live:

Finland

Does your spouse / partner like rallying?

Yes, I have met her in Manx Rally

Any other hobbies?

Cross Country skiing, orienting, running 

Favourite food:

I like the strong taste of wild animals like reindeer, moose or hare with mushrooms and red wine sauce

Favourite drink:

red wine

Favourite motorsport paper / magazine:

Vauhdin Maailma in Finland and Motoring News in UK

Favourite sports person (other than rallying):

Cross Country skiers Mika Myllyla and Harri Kirvesniemi 

Favourite film star:

Mr. Bean

Favourite holiday destination:

Lappland in Finland

Which TV sports programmes do you watch?

F1 and rallying, but mostly teletubbies with children 

How did you start out?

1974 co-driving for my father in road rallies, I was 14 years old

1976 enduro racing with motorbikes

1978 driving in road rallies

1982 driving in stage rallies

1987 co-driving in rallies 

First driver you sat with:

Mika Kokko

First event:

Vantaa Rally in Finland 

Type of licence held:

International

Which motor club do you belong to?

Blue Rose Team

Have you ever driven on a rally?

Yes I know how difficult it is, but it also gives you an idea what the driver needs from co-driver 

Did you ever marshal on events? When and where?

Yes in 70's 

How many events do you get to watch? (eg. per year)

two - three events per year

How many rallies do you take part in? (eg. per year)

10 - 15 per year

Have you competed abroad? Where and when?

Yes in 15 different countries 

Favourite rally car:

I am co-driving in Mitsubishi, but I would like to try also Peugeot 206 WRC

Favourite rally driver:

Juha Kankkunen and all top Finnish drivers

Favourite rally co-driver:

Juha Repo and all top Finnish co-drivers

Favourite bit of road or forest:

Motu in New Zealand, long and twisty

Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events?

pace notes, it was difficult in UK to do with maps. 

Things you dislike about rallying?

I have learned to accept travelling, hotels, retirements 

Who do you think will win this year’s World Rally Championship ?

I am patriotic, Marcus Gronholm

Drivers you have sat with:

Mikael Sundstrom, Sebastian Lindholm, Jouko Puhakka, Teemu Tahko etc

This year I have co-driven Jani Paasonen

Best driver you have ever sat with?

Mikael Sundstrom

Best result:

fourth overall in New Zealand 1992

The winner of group N in Swedish Rally 1999 & 2000

The winner of group N in Rally Finland 1999 

Worst result:

A lot of poor results, but mostly driven by myself 

Championships contested:

WRC in group N

ERC

Finnish Rally Championship

Finnish Junior Championship 

Best Championship result:

No victories yet, but it is coming... 

Best rally memory:

To go as a private team to New Zealand, friendly people there, beautiful countryside and good result 

Strangest incident on a rally:

I did a short cut in Portugal 1999. After that, I have said that everything can happen to co-driver. 

Biggest accident:

No bad injuries. 

How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance?

I would like to do more fitness exercises. I used to do it every day, but after the born of children I have to share my time with family, too. 

How could you improve your current driver’s performance?

To give him more experience in WRC events with World Rally Car. 

If you had £50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do?

To support young and promising driver or co-driver. 

Where would you most like to compete (in the world):

Australia and Africa

Which rally would you most like to compete in?

Safari

Which driver(s) would you most like to co-drive for?

I prefer drivers who speak English, Swedish, German or Finnish and is capable to win WRC 

Ambition in rallying for the future:

I still have a spirit of winning deeply inside me. 

What would you like to put back into rallying?

Education of young drivers and co-drivers. 

Which up-and-coming rally driver can you recommend?

Jani Paasonen from Finland.

Manfred Stohl from foreign countries, He is 27 years old and he has done already 50 WRC events and he is capable to win group N in tarmac and gravel rallies. I think he should need a chance to show his ability in World Rally Car. 

Which up-and-coming rally co-driver can you recommend?

Esko Mertsalmi, the co-driver of Juuso Pykalisto 

What would be the best tip you could give to other co-drivers?

Do rallies with different drivers, you will learn something from every driver. 

Please look at my Web Site www.kolumbus.fi/jakke.honkanen 

I have also a rally school for drivers and co-drivers who want to go to international level.