MAKINEN’S BROTHER IN MONTE CARLO DEBUT

Timo’ s sibling tapio to tackle histori que in triumph

The brother of the late Timo Makinen will drive Timo’s first rally car on this week’s Rallye Monte Carlo Historique.

Tapio Makinen will make an emotional debut on the rally in his elder brother’s Triumph TR3.

The Finnish driver will be among more than 300 starters on the event that recreates the Monte Carlo Rally of the 1950s. The week-long event starts today from multiple points and concludes with a night section on the Col de Turini. The cars starting from Glasgow will visit Banbury town centre tomorrow (Thursday).

Tapio Makinen celebrated his 70th birthday recently with a special present from his children. They secretly arranged for him to be entered in the Monte Historique in Timo’s first rally car, a Triumph TR3. Co-driver Kari Temonen has contested the rally as a co-driver three times before.

Timo’s career started in 1959 and his first rally car was the 1957 Triumph TR3, purchased in the spring of 1959. Timo, who worked as a delivery driver in their family business, wanted to contest the biggest motorsport events in Finland and the 1959 1000 Lakes Rally, now Rally Finland, was only his second event.

He went on to take many successes at the top of the sport, but his younger brother Tapio focused his attention on the family business. Timo passed away in 2017.

Brothers Steve and Tony Graham (Lancia Fulvia) are among 10 British crews on the entry list, which also includes John Buffum (Porsche 911), Jurgen Barth (Porsche 924) and former GT racer Daniele Perfetti (Lancia Stratos).