Toyota has changed Tommi Mäkinen's life. At 55, the farmer of Puuppola, world champion with Mitsubishi in the late 90s, has begun a new stage in Tallinn (Estonia), from where he directs with his current partner one of the most powerful teams in the World Cup, architect of the Impressive Yaris WRC with which the new star of this world, Ott Tänak, is now running to dethrone Ogier.

What have the rallies brought you as a person, before and now?
Very much. I have had a very rich life thanks to this sport. Many things have happened to me during all these years, mostly positive. If I had not dedicated myself to this, I would surely have continued working on the family farm. I still keep her with my cousins, who are the ones who take care of her, but the thing is complicated by the drought and the cold of this summer. We should make better contacts up there ... [Laughs].
Isn't it rare military now in a brand that rivaled for so many years?
[Laughs] It's funny, yes! The other day he remembered the scandal of 95, when they disqualified them from the World Cup because of an irregularity in the turbo. The FIA ​​began investigating during the Rally of Australia. We did a super special in Perth, with a first asphalt line that we went out in pairs. I had Juha Kankkunen next to me, with Celica, and I remember that, when the traffic light went out, it flew! We all hallucinate ... It was stupid of him to accelerate to the maximum, if he had raised his foot a little, nobody would have realized that there was something strange ... [Laughs].
What do you remember about the RAC Rally of 98?
It was a hard time ... I had to retire the first day because of a serious mistake by the organizers. They did not clean enough a curve where a classic caravan car had broken the oil radiator. I left opening track and, upon reaching that area, I skidded and started the right rear wheel. I managed to finish, but the cops didn't let me go on like this for the link. On the last day of the rally I was doing a television interview at the hotel reception, about to leave for the airport, when they called me on the phone telling me that a fire incident had occurred in Carlos Sainz's car, and that I was stopped 300 meters from the arrival. I thought they were playing a joke, I couldn't believe it ... I didn't like winning the World Cup like that, it was the stupidest way to finish the championship.
What was it like to compete against Sainz? Do you consider him your greatest rival?
Carlos has always been a very elegant adversary, very good guy. I have very good memories of when we were running together. At that time we were always fighting among several drivers: Didier Auriol, Juha Kankkunen, Richard Burns ... I remember facing Colin McRae many times. We always gave the maximum of both. If he left or I left, most of the time it was because we crashed. We were going to the limit ... [Laughs].

Mäkinen, answering a question from our editor; Nacho Villarín.
Mäkinen, answering a question from our editor; Nacho Villarín.

What happened to Carlos Sainz? I didn't like winning the World Cup like this "

What was more effort: winning four World Cups or raising a team like this in just one year?
Without a doubt, the first. When you get behind the wheel, you have to concentrate one hundred percent and do your best. As a team leader, you have 200 people around you, helping you. They are two very different roles. When I ran, I needed professionals around me to be able to perform my task, and I trusted them, of course, but in the end, I was the decision maker. Now I let the people next to me do their part of the job. As chief, I am lucky to know what my pilots think, I try to give them what they need and always support them, because I have been through the same situations before them.
Have rallies changed a lot since the end of his career with Subaru?
It's very interesting, I used to see this world through the windshield, and now from the outside. Cars evolved a lot during the last years of my career, the way of driving changed with the incorporation of active differentials. Now they behave even more differently, especially because of the evolution that suspension and shock absorber geometries have been experiencing. The degree of adhesion has increased greatly. That makes cars can be pushed to the limit.
Does the Tänak-Toyota binomial roll back yours with Mitsubishi?
Ott is very similar to how I was. I was always alone, in silence, locked in myself. I hated doing interviews, I didn't like being distracted ... He is very strong minded, knows very well what he wants and has a very precise working method. It is always very concentrated. It is very fast, very clever and very difficult to beat. He understands the car very well and what there must be to get the most out of it.
It perfectly conserves mechanics and tires. He is even stronger than I was with the Lancer Evo Group A.

Tänak is very similar to what I was; it's very fast, very clever and very difficult to beat "

Mäkinen celebrates with Tänak the triumph in the Thousand Lakes. / Toyota

I know that last year he suggested signing Sordo. Would you be willing?
I am very interested. I assure you that it is very high on our list. He is a very good guy and tremendously constant. After the Rally of Germany we will analyze more seriously what path we take for next year.
Would you like Alonso to try the Yaris?
Yes, why not? We talked at the time, but we didn't move anything. It is a bit complicated, because we do not have many days of tests. It would have to be at a promotional event or something. At the moment we do not have it planned. A few days ago he was shooting with the Valtteri Bottas car, I was very surprised, it was very fast ..

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