Rallye LONDON MEXICO 1970 World Cup. "Tribute Hannu Mikkola

The 1970 London-Mexico World Cup Rally was the first of two World Cup Rallies to be held and the second of four marathon rallies to be held in a nine-year period beginning with the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon. The motor rally started at Wembley Stadium in London on 19 April 1970 and finished in Mexico City on 27 May 1970, covering approximately 16,000 miles (25,700 km) through Europe and South America. It was won by Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm, driving a Ford Escort.

Results
Pos No Entrant Drivers Car Penalties (Time)
1 18 United Kingdom Daily Telegraph-Ford Motor Company Limited Finland Hannu Mikkola
Sweden Gunnar Palm Ford Escort 1850 GT Mark I 9hr 7min
2 88 United Kingdom British Leyland Cars-The Football Association United Kingdom Brian Culcheth
United Kingdom Johnstone Syer Triumph 2.5 PI Mark II 10hr 25min
3 46 United Kingdom Daily Express-Ford Motor Company Limited Finland Rauno Aaltonen
United Kingdom Henry Liddon Ford Escort 1850 GT Mark I 10hr 46min
4 98 United Kingdom British Leyland Cars-The Football Association United Kingdom Paddy Hopkirk
United Kingdom Tony Nash
United Kingdom Neville Johnson Triumph 2.5 PI Mark II 12hr 26min
5 103 United Kingdom Daily Telegraph-Ford Motor Company Limited Finland Timo Mäkinen
Belgium Gilbert Staepelaere Ford Escort 1850 GT Mark I 14hr 31min


The course covered approximately 16,000 miles (25,700 km) through Europe, South America and Central America. Two boats were needed to convey the rally, one to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro and a second from Buenaventura, Colombia across the Gulf of Panama to Panama to avoid the impassable Darién Gap. Some of the principal towns and cities visited were, in orde.

Other cars run in the event included:

BMW 2002ti
Datsun 1600SSS
Ford Cortina Lotus
Ford Escort Mk I
Hillman Hunter
Jeep Wagoneer
Mercedes-Benz 280SE
Peugeot 404
Porsche 911
Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud
Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
Trident Venturer
VW-based beach buggy.

Competitors
Many rally drivers of the day entered the event, including:

Rauno Aaltonen
Roger Clark
Andrew Cowan (winner of the 1968 London-Sydney marathon)
Brian Culcheth
Tony Fall
Paddy Hopkirk
Timo Mäkinen
Hannu Mikkola
Jack Murray
Gilbert Staepelaere
Rene Trautmann
Guy Verrier
Gastón Perkins
Jose Migliore
Alcides Rodriguez (Peugeot #33)