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Simo from the 1000 Lakes
Simo Lampinen, Clerk of the Course of
Rally d’Italia Sardegna, talks about
“his” Sardinia
He is one of the most charismatic figure
of the international rallying, a wise
man who during his life was able to live
deeply in the rallying world. When he
was young he was one of the best rally
drivers, then he became organizer, race
director, member of several FIA
commissions and he has been also tv
commentator for the Finnish television.
It is difficult to teach him something,
lot easier is listening to him, for
hours and hours, enraptured by the
thousands stories he can tell. He is
strictly bound with Italy, he has been
official Lancia and FIAT driver for nine
years, when three years ago he has been
offered by Gino Macaluso and Ninni Russo
the direction of Rally d’Italia
Sardegna, he accepted with enthusiasm.
“Part of my heart is Italian and I had
no uncertainties when I accepted the
work I have been offered. Since the
beginning I considered this as a big
challenge: to create a brand new rally,
in a place absolutely fresh in the world
rallying scenery. Today on the eve of
the third edition we can say we won and
we made a very important rally with
peculiar characteristics”. Simo Lampinen
goes on talking about these
peculiarities “It is impossible to find
somewhere else what Sardinia can offer.
The charm of this island and the charm
of rallies together, an unrepeatable
cocktail that makes unique this great
competition. We didn’t want to make a
common rally and we succeeded. We chose
the right way since the beginning and we
made changes along the way following our
experiences. I can say that the route
now is a high level one. We slightly
increased the average speed of the rally
and I believe drivers will be pleased.
We didn’t change the main
characteristics of this event, that it
is still a medium fast rally, very
technical and drivers need to be
concentrated all the time. Naturally we
still have to grow, but there is the
base for this to happen”. Lampinen is
happy with the job done by his group and
by the job done by the Organising
Committee especially by Angelo Sticchi
Damiani and Antonio Turitto. “At the
beginning someone here in Sardinia was
looking at us with distrust, but now
they are on our side. It is absolutely
important to be accepted by the
territory and the people living in it”.
To all appearance Lampinen looks fragile
but is implacable when he is doing his
job of clerk of the course, the role he
has in Rally Turkey, World rally
Championship, Rally Oman, Middle East
Championship and Rally Thailand, Asia
Pacific Championship. “Clerk of the
Course is a very delicate job. One have
to be absolutely reactive, particularly
firm, but also be capable to face the
others and listen to everyone. It is
nevertheless important to be aware that
the last decision is up to you”.
Simo Lampinen -
File Card
He was born in Helsinki, Finland on June
22nd 1943, he is married with Milli and
has 3 children and six grand-children.
He has been in competition for 20 years,
9 of which, from 1970 till 1978, with
the Lancia and FIAT manufactured cars:
Fulvia, Beta Coupè, Stratos and 131
Mirafiori Abarth. An excellent Palmares,
among his records he entered 18 times
consecutively the 1000 Lakes Rally,
obtaining three wins and four second
places. Among his best results the
victories at the RAC Rally, Rally
Portugal and Rally Morocco . After
retiring from races when he was 36 years
old, he was for a short time commentator
of one of the most important Finnish
televisions and then he started his
career as official and he became pretty
soon Clerk of the Course of the 1000
Lakes. He remained there for 20 years.
In 1985 he entered FIA filling different
roles, Observer, member of the FIA Rally
Commission and now also member of the
WRCC Safety Working Group.
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