He is the man who inspired four-time Australian rally car champion Neal Bates to pursue a racing career. Now former world champion Ari Vatanen is coming back to Canberra, more than 30 years after racing in the territory.
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Vatanen, the 1981 world rally champion, will be the guest speaker at the Australian Rally Hall of Fame gala dinner in Canberra on February 27, on the eve of the National Capital Rally.
It's the first time the legendary Finnish driver has returned to Canberra since racing at the 1980 Castrol Rally in the city, where he finished runner-up.
Back then, stages were held where the Tuggeranong suburb of Fadden has since been built, and a young Neal Bates was in the crowd.
''He was an unbelievably spectacular driver, he's the man that inspired me to pursue rally driving,'' Bates said of Vatanen, who also won the Paris-Dakar four times.
Organisers were shocked when Vatanen accepted the invitation.
''I'm looking forward to coming back to Australia for many reasons,'' Vatanen said.
''Life is a big circle, a big special stage. I think the older you become the more nostalgic you become.
''You look back over the life you have done and what stands out, the memories are in your spirit and attached to you.
''At that time it was like a jump into the deep end to come to Canberra and my battle against Greg Carr. At the time I couldn't figure it out how some unheard-of guy could be so fast - maybe he knew the forest better than I did - but regardless, those sort of memories stay engraved in your mind.''
The Australian Rally Hall of Fame dinner will be held at Rydges Lakeside on February 27, with 10 drivers to be inducted.
- Tickets can be booked at trybooking.com/71530.
