Henri Pauli Toivonen
Sports & Athletics • Historical Archive • 🇫🇮 Finland • 6 views

Henri Pauli Toivonen 🇫🇮

Henri Pauli Toivonen (Known as "Henri Toivonen")
["rally driver", "Group B rally legend"]
Born Aug 25, 1956 🇫🇮 Jyväskylä, Finland
Passed Away May 02, 1986 Corte, France
Lifespan 29 years old
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Notice / Correction
"This car is crazy, but when you go fast, there is nothing like it."

Archival Overview

Finnish rally driver, celebrated as one of the fastest and most thrilling talents of the legendary and ferocious Group B rally era.

Biographical Record

Henri Pauli Toivonen (1956–1986) was a Finnish rally driver of immense natural talent whose career was intertwined with the golden, lethal Group B era. In 1980, he became the youngest driver to win a WRC event by conquering the RAC Rally in a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus at age 24.

As lead driver for Martini Lancia driving the ferocious Delta S4, Toivonen dominated the 1986 Monte Carlo Rally. Tragically, on May 2, 1986, while leading the Tour de Corse, Toivonen and co-driver Sergio Cresto plunged off a mountain road; their car exploded into flames, prompting FISA to immediately ban Group B supercars.

Key Life Milestones

November 19, 1980

Youngest WRC Winner at the RAC

Won the Lombard RAC Rally in a Talbot Sunbeam, becoming the youngest WRC winner—a record held for 28 years.

January 24, 1986

Monte Carlo Rally Victory

Won the Monte Carlo Rally in the ferocious Lancia Delta S4 despite a severe road section crash earlier in the event.

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial
Espoo Church Cemetery
Corte, France
GPS: 60.2091, 24.6522
View on Memory Atlas
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