Rallye LONDON MEXICO 1970 World Cup. “Tribute Hannu Mikkola

The 1970 London-Mexico World Cup Rally was the first of two World Cup Rallies to be held and the second of four marathon rallies to be held in a nine-year period beginning with the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. The motor rally started at Wembley Stadium in London on 19 April 1970 and finished in Mexico City on 27 May 1970, covering approximately 16,000 miles (25,700 km) through Europe and South America. It was won by Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm, driving a Ford Escort. Results Pos No Entrant Drivers Car Penalties (Time) 1 18 United Kingdom Daily Telegraph-Ford Motor Company Limited Finland Hannu Mikkola Sweden Gunnar Palm Ford Escort 1850 GT Mark I 9hr 7min 2 88 United Kingdom British Leyland Cars-The Football Association United Kingdom Brian Culcheth United Kingdom Johnstone Syer Triumph 2.5 PI Mark II 10hr 25min 3 46 United Kingdom Daily Express-Ford Motor Company Limited Finland Rauno Aaltonen United Kingdom Henry Liddon Ford Escort 1850 GT Mark I 10hr 46min 4 98 United Kingdom British Leyland Cars-The Football Association United Kingdom Paddy Hopkirk United Kingdom Tony Nash United Kingdom Neville Johnson Triumph 2.5 PI Mark II 12hr 26min 5 103 United Kingdom Daily Telegraph-Ford Motor Company Limited Finland Timo Mäkinen Belgium Gilbert Staepelaere Ford Escort 1850 GT Mark I 14hr 31min The course covered approximately 16,000 miles (25,700 km) through Europe, South America and Central America. Two boats were needed to convey the rally, one to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro and a second from Buenaventura, Colombia across the Gulf of Panama to Panama to avoid the impassable Darién Gap. Some of the principal towns and cities visited were, in orde. Other cars run in the event included: BMW 2002ti Datsun 1600SSS Ford Cortina Lotus Ford Escort Mk I Hillman Hunter Jeep Wagoneer Mercedes-Benz 280SE Peugeot 404 Porsche 911 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Trident Venturer VW-based beach buggy. Competitors Many rally drivers of the day entered the event, including: Rauno Aaltonen Roger Clark Andrew Cowan (winner of the 1968 London-Sydney marathon) Brian Culcheth Tony Fall Paddy Hopkirk Timo Mäkinen Hannu Mikkola Jack Murray Gilbert Staepelaere Rene Trautmann Guy Verrier Gastón Perkins Jose Migliore Alcides Rodriguez (Peugeot #33)