Birth : 28 May 1959 / Joupajoki, Finland Lives : Espoo, Finland A decade ago, Risto Mannisenmaki agreed to drive a farmer's son who had been rallying for little more than year. The farmer's son, undecided whether to treat rallying as a hobby or a career, was Tommi Makinen. 10 years later, there is a natural logic to the renewed partnership between the two Finns, but no doubt either that Mannisenmaki has earned his chance to replace his renowned predecessor, Seppo Harjanne. When he first navigated Makinen on the 1000 Lakes Rally, Mannisenmaki had been competing as an amateur for seven years and wasn't sure if he could make his living from the sport. Soon afterwards, he decided to make it his living and since then he has co-driven some of Finland's most able drivers, including Sebastian Lindholm and Ari Mokkonen. He proved his mettle as a professional by joining forces with Tapio Laukkanen, who showed a blistering turn of speed in Volkswagen Golfs. Together, the pair won the Finnish F2 Rally Championship and took on a hectic programme, contesting 14 events in 1997, divided between the Finnish and British Championships. It was invaluable experience, both of working for a factory team and of competing abroad on a regular basis. Mannisenmaki is no stranger to hard work then, but he realises that the World Rally Championship is an altogether tougher goal. The cars are faster, the drivers are better and the pressure of sitting beside a double World Champion is infinitely greater. Merely winning a World Rally Championship is cause for celebration.

Career highlights
2000		1st overall Rallye Monte Carlo 2nd overall International Swedish Rally 4th overall Rallye Catalunya 3rd overall Rally Argentina 4th overall Rally Finland 5th overall Cyprus Rally 3rd overall Rallye Sanremo 3rd overall Rally of Great Britain
1999		1st overall Rallye Monte Carlo 1st overall International Swedish Rally 5th overall Rallye de Portugal 3rd overall Rallye Catalunya 6th overall Tour de Corse 4th overall Rally Argentina 3rd overall Acropolis Rally 1st overall Rally New Zealand 1st overall Rallye Sanremo 3rd overall Rally Australia
1998		FIA World Rally Champion 1st overall Swedish Rally 3rd overall Rally Catalunya 1st overall Rally Argentina 3rd overall Rally New Zealand 1st overall Rally Finland 1st overall Rally Sanremo 1st overall Rally Australia
1997		Finish F2 Championship British F2 Championship