Heikki Mikkola

Heikki Mikkola
NationalityFinnish
Born6 July 1945 (1945-07-06) (age 79)
Mikkeli, Finland
Motocross career
Years active1967–1979
TeamsHusqvarna, Yamaha
Championships500cc – 1974, 1977, 1978
250cc – 1976
Wins34

Heikki Antero Mikkola (born 6 July 1945) is a Finnish former professional motocross racer and motocross team manager. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1967 to 1979, most prominently as a member of the Husqvarna factory racing team where he became the first competitor to win both the 250cc and 500cc world championships.[1][2]

During the 1970s, Mikkola challenged perennial champion Roger De Coster for supremacy of the 500cc motocross world championships.[1] After 12 seasons racing for Husqvarna, he joined the Yamaha factory racing team where he won two more 500cc world championships.[1] As with many Finns involved in racing activities, he was nicknamed the Flying Finn and, was known for his trademark goatee beard and his fierce mein.[1][3]

After his racing career, he became a Yamaha race team manager. In 2006, Mikkola was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and, in 2015, he was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycle racing achievements.[1][4]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Heikki Mikkola". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  2. ^ "Finnish Sisu". husqvarna-motorcycles.com. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Heikki Mikkola #1". Canadian Motorcycle Association. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  4. ^ "FIM Legends". fim-live.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2020.