Don't quit your daytime job.

[Glee]

Making a living by driving rally can be hard. But what do rally drivers have as a plan B if everything fails?

I know that Colin McRae was a plumber and Petter Solberg a painter (however I don't know if he has a education as a painter).

Is there anyone who can extend this list over the drivers "civilian profession"?

[jparker]

I think my first rally hero Fabrizio Tabaton is pharmacist.

[raybak]

Simon Evans in Australia is a concreter, he's also now got his brother Eli working for him, they did a story about them on RPM the other day.

Ray

[grugsticles]

Ive been under the impression that a lot of Scandinavian drivers are farmers ie. Tommi, Marcus

[shurik]

I have an impression that only theree or four drivers wrc are make living by driving and rest is paying money, and this trend is true down to national groups.. Though you can make some money on side projects - car tuning, sports preparation, training, etc

[Livewireshock]

Chris Atkinson was a financial planner & stock broker on the Gold Coast.

[shurik]

Loeb was electrician before going pro

[Ranger]

Loeb was electrician before going pro

Wasn't he also a gymnast?

And Atko has a Uni degree in commerce, or at least was studying it before rallying took over his priorities.

[Woodeye]

Marcus Grönholm was a farmer, Tommi Mäkinen was a farmer, KKK was a farmer and I think Ari Vatanen was a farmer also. Got the picture? :)

[Priorat]

King Carlos is a king. That means living the live.
Joking. He has some small business and teachers his daughter to ride a bicycle

[WRC2006]

Marcus Grönholm was a farmer, Tommi Mäkinen was a farmer, KKK was a farmer and I think Ari Vatanen was a farmer also. Got the picture? :)

This is true, because all these drivers are among the best drivers in WRC and being farmer means they got used with trucks since their childhood (2,3.. years old) while accompagning their farthers and grand farthers in the farms!!!

If you can driver a truck in narrow and impraticable roads in farms, how can't do it in proper road where everything is clear?!

Like Brazil produce best footballers, Scandinavians countries produce best drivers in all racing and rally championships!!!!

[Glee]

Most of the drivers has some sort of education before they became full time drivers. Sebastien as an electrician was new to me, but Chris being an stock broker was something I have heard of before.

Does anybody know the background to the co-drivers?

[Mihai]

Ilka Minor-Petrasko (Stohl's co-driver) is some sort of civil engineer in Austria. She actually takes a week off to go to a rally with Manfred. A couple of years ago, Stohl came in Romania for an OMV exhibition and I asked him about Ilka and he said she couldn't come because she's working.

[PuddleJumper]

I seem to recall one of the Finnish drivers sells boats. Is it Harri Rovanperä? I guess there will be quite a lucrative market for them considering how many lakes there are in Finland. :p :

[Woodeye]

Yep. Harri sells boat nowdays in Jyväskylä. That's the firm in the link.

http://www.jyvasmarine.com/ajankohtaista.php

If someone knows Jani Soininen, former ski jumping WC, he's working there also. And former co-driver Timo Hantunen seems to be there also, although I'm not 100% sure if he's THE Timo.

[Zico]

King Carlos is a king. That means living the live.
Joking. He has some small business and teachers his daughter to ride a bicycle

Wasn't Carlos a champion Squash player also?

[Mihai]

Carlos Sainz comes from a wealthy family. I strongly doubt he had a secondary job to support himself. And he plays football whenever has the chance. He was quite good at when he played in the drivers' team.

[Magnus]

carlos also have some education/degree of juridics.
P Solbergs co driver, forgot his name, used to be a Volvo-mech.

[WelshLegend]

carlos also have some education/degree of juridics.
P Solbergs co driver, forgot his name, used to be a Volvo-mech.



Don't you mean Phil Mills :D

[MJW]

Don't you mean Phil Mills :D

And it was a Honda dealership that he worked in not Volvo.

[jonas_mcrae]

also some of them used to motocross riders, Gigi and villagra i think, maybe someone else too

[Zico]

also some of them used to motocross riders, Gigi and villagra i think, maybe someone else too

Colin and Allister too.. something Colin still does in his spare time for fun.

[jonas_mcrae]

well then motocross is a good way to start LOL, look at pastrana too

[Zico]

Isnt that what they say about bikers.. they are better practiced at reading the terrain?

[Erki]

Jutta Kleinschmidt used to work as an engineer in BMW.

[Glee]

Henning Solbergs Co driver Cato Menkerud owns and run a petrol station in he's hometown Lillehamer.

[WRXedUSA]

Statoil!

[janneppi]

also some of them used to motocross riders, Gigi and villagra i think, maybe someone else too
Grönholm rode bikes too, i think he switched sports after messing up his knee or something.

[Ranger]

Grönholm rode bikes too, i think he switched sports after messing up his knee or something.

I somehow can't imagine a 6'5" guy on a dirtbike. :\

[Fischer]

Didier Auriol was an ambulance driver before he started rallying :D

[blu_for_subaru!]

I read somewhere that Carlos Sainz was good enough to play for Real Madrid football team

[imull]

he plays for Real Masters (senior) team still doenst he?

Certainly trialled for Real when he was younger. Also drove in F3 as well I think as well as being a national squash champion and being good at everything else he tries...

[Glee]

Amazing carer and achievement for Carlos Sainz
Remind me of Chuck Norris (http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/).

Maybe we should start rallydriversfacts.com?

[Glee]

Maybe we should start rallydriversfacts.com?

What about: Sebastien Loeb doesn't make mistakes, he just let other catch up...

[Eki]

There was someone called Pykälistö on TV today. He won a drag race. They said he was a former rally driver.

[Josti]

There was someone called Pykälistö on TV today. He won a drag race. They said he was a former rally driver.

He's test driver for Citroën and unemployed rallydriver.

[Tomi]

He's test driver for Citroën and unemployed rallydriver.

how can he be unemployed rallydriver if he gets money from citroen because he drives their rallycars

[Josti]

how can he be unemployed rallydriver if he gets money from citroen because he drives their rallycars


I already knew it sounded kind of strange :p :

Anyway, he's not an active driver is what I meant to say.

[duff]

Carlos studied law, and Luis Moya studied medicine before their rally careers.

[proco2020]

Dave Richards Accountant, Howard Davis Gas Man. Isn't Robert Reids family into farming?

[Flyinglex]

Marcus Grönholm was a farmer, Tommi Mäkinen was a farmer, KKK was a farmer and I think Ari Vatanen was a farmer also. Got the picture? :)

Wow, I'm gonna be WR champion.Such shocking news :cool:

[gloomyDAY]

He's been involved with Subaru for a few years, but his off-time dealings are amazing.

http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/otros_deportes/otros_deportes/es/desarrollo/1045591.html

Moya swam across the Strait of Gibraltar to raise money for Cocina Económica de La Coruña (charity involved with feeding and clothing the poor). His father, former president of Cocina Económica, passed away and as a tribute to his legacy Luis raised money by swimming across the strait. Apparently the strait is about 14km, but there was a strong current and Luis ended up swimming more than 20km.

Check out the video of him chatting about the charity! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsXGKARnZJg)

Not bad for someone in their late 40's.

[Viking]

Marcus Grönholm was a farmer, Tommi Mäkinen was a farmer, KKK was a farmer and I think Ari Vatanen was a farmer also. Got the picture? :)

Also Henning and Petter comes from a farm.

“Petter paint” (early nickname) was a painter (as in painting houses), I think his boss said once that he was not very effective as he was spending most of his time with his mobile phone chasing sponsors and stuff :D

[tmx]

He's been involved with Subaru for a few years, but his off-time dealings are amazing.

http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/otros_deportes/otros_deportes/es/desarrollo/1045591.html

Moya swam across the Strait of Gibraltar to raise money for Cocina Económica de La Coruña (charity involved with feeding and clothing the poor). His father, former president of Cocina Económica, passed away and as a tribute to his legacy Luis raised money by swimming across the strait. Apparently the strait is about 14km, but there was a strong current and Luis ended up swimming more than 20km.

Check out the video of him chatting about the charity! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsXGKARnZJg)

Not bad for someone in their late 40's.

Never heard about that, impressive.

[OldF]

This is one of Marcus business nowadays. http://www.sagen.fi/

Timo Rautiainen was a information security manager at Kesko (retail and wholesale company like Migros, Carrefour, Tesco etc.) before his co-driver career.