Le Mans, Ouninpohja

Hannu Mikkola is not a man prone to exaggeration. So, when he talks of an out of body experience, it’s worth tuning in. His moment came in 1985 as he neared the end of his then record-breaking run through Ouninpohja in Audi’s brutal quattro S1 E2.

Mikkola said: “I drove Ouninpohja in full anger in 1985 and I’ll remember it for the rest of my days. It was the only time in my career that I got a sensation I was no longer sitting in that car. It was like being outside it all. I’ve been told fighter pilots get a similar feeling. This stage needs big heart and a lot of confidence.”

Finland is full of fast roads like this one, but Ouninpohja’s just a bit more special. For one day every year, this stretch of gravel is something else. It’s rallying’s very own heaven on earth. DE