‘Rally Professor’ Aaltonen’s drive a blast from the past

Blood pressure? Check. Blood sugar? Check.  Eye sight? Check. Heart rate? Check.
The system is perfect, and Rauno Aaltonen, 85, is fit enough to drive himself for 3,000km  in some of the routes he raced on during the Safari Rally of yesteryears, hitting speeds in excess of 200kph.

He has been on the famous roads daily in a Toyota Land Cruise Prado since Sunday in a drive known as the “70th Anniversary Safari Rally” .

The drive started in Nairobi with the route map showing they  will go to Eldoret, Nakuru, Amboseli, Diani, Tsavo and back to Nairobi.

After covering 443km from Amboseli National Park, Aaltonen  arrived in Diani, Mombasa for an overnight halt before embarking on return 70th Anniversary Safari Rally fun road trip last evening.

Accompanied by two other drivers, the respected Finn is expected back in Nairobi on Friday after a six-day, 3,000km journey.

For a man who started driving at six, developed and tested cars from 11 manufacturers teams, is a rally driving tutor, pilot and para-glider, film producer and author,  the nostalgic run should be feel like a Sunday leisurely cruise.

Also know as the Rally Professor, he  is still very fast and last competed in a rally two years ago. He also competed in the 2017  Monte Carlo Historique  in a Mini 50.
Aaltonen managed Rauno Aaltonen Ice Racing driving school until recently because of old age.

He first came to Kenya in 1962 and said that he was amazed by the level of infrastructure  development in Nairobi now.

He raced his last Safari Rally in 1987 in an Opel Kadett,  marking the end of  37 years in the Kenyan wilderness without a single victory.

However,  he was the Safari Rally champion for 24 hours, in 1981,  the shortest reign by any driver before being stripped of his title following an appeal from team mate, the late Shekhar Mehta.

The incident happened 42 year ago and though mellowed by age, he still believes he was robbed of his victory after rules were changed to favour the Kenyans, allegedly by some powerful forces who had put heavy bets on Mehta to win.

Both men were in the Datsun team. Aaltonen left in a huff to join Opel Euro Team the following year. He gave the team a second position result in 1984.

The two men never reconciled. Mehta passed on in 2006.

But this is water under the bridge said Aaltonen during a reception in Nairobi before he embarked on the 3,000km drive.

His  legion of fans have been delighted to catch a glimpse at one of the most famous names of the iconic rally.