Henri Toivonen

[Josti]

Not sure if I can argue this, but apart from Antero Lindqvist, I don't think many got fired. Piironen just went on to sit alongside Kankkunen and I would pressume that White and Wilson were merely hired to do those RAC's with Henri due to their local knowledge of the forests. Don't know much about his pre-Talbot codrivers though.

Please correct me if I'm wrong Fred.

[Fred Gallagher]

Not sure if I can argue this, but apart from Antero Lindqvist, I don't think many got fired. Piironen just went on to sit alongside Kankkunen and I would pressume that White and Wilson were merely hired to do those RAC's with Henri due to their local knowledge of the forests. Don't know much about his pre-Talbot codrivers though.

Please correct me if I'm wrong Fred.

I'm not trying to be superior here - after all I was "fired" at the end of 1983!

Maybe fired is the wong word - it was just that Henri (and maybe Pauli) always thought there was an even better way to do things.

Lindqvist was fired at the end of 1980, Ian Grindrod lasted about half a season in 1984, Juha Piironen completed that year but was falling out of favour by mid-1985, hence Neil Wilson for the RAC, and then poor Sergio Cresto took over.

I mostly enjoyed my time with Henri; we had some good results and lots of fun. I admit it was also difficult at times and my move to Toyota did me a lot of good so no regrets there.

Fred

[Nenukknak]

Is the "whistling pig" still your favorite car? Do you own one by now?

[Fred Gallagher]

Is the "whistling pig" still your favorite car? Do you have one by now?

Yes it is and no I don't! I could never afford one now.

Fred

[noel157]

Yes it is and no I don't! I could never afford one now.

Fred

Slight threadjack.

Bout ye Fred, good to see you here. What are you up to these days? Last I heard you were consulting for FIA etc. Get back to NI much?

[WRCfan]

Wow a real pleasure to have Fred on the forum. Welcome! Henri is my all time favourite driver so to hear from the man who sat alongside him is great!

[driveace]

[img]file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Barry%20Clark/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/RALLY%20Folder/Henri%20memorial%20corsica.jpg[/img]Attachment 2213
As promised for those who have not seen the Memorial to Henri Toivonen and Sergio Cresto at the opposite side of the road to where the fatal accident took place .

[Japé]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYGgw...PXcog&index=48

Please, does someone know the real source, from where this clip is taken from? There is a WRC logo on left upper corner and TF1 logo in upper right corner. So, I can be at least sure that french TV channel TF1 has presented this clip in their channel, but in which program, what program it might have been, or if they have done it by themselves, where they have got this clip from Henri's accident? All comments are welcome.

In finnish motorsport forum we have topic related to Henri's accident on Corsica. Topic is already a 13 pages long. It is of course finnish, but can be found from here:
Henri Toivosen onnettomuus korsikalla - Keskusteluforum

[Tofrallye29]

This is extract from automoto on TF1, several years ago now (2006 I think)

It was the best motor broadcast during many years in France, but now it's too stupid. They stopped to talk motorsport, it's only stupid tests of cars and a bit F1

[Kielder]

It was a pleasure to read this thread, thank you all for sharing your memories. Besides, it's been incredible to find the words of such a legend as Fred Gallagher.
There are here some posts talking about the talent of Toivonen as circuit racer. I add this article: Henri Toivonen: Racing driver!, some kind of crossroads. It is worth reading it.
In the photo below, which is shown in the article, you can see the Finn behind Senna at Thruxton's starting grid in 1983: