Heikki Mikkola can be considered the most successful Finnish motor racer ever. During his 10-year lasting career he won numerous championships, 32 GP’s and 4 world titles, 2 with Husqvarna and 2 with Yamaha. He was the first motor racer to win a world title in the 250cc and 500cc class.
Mikkola is from the era where top motor racers where still real men, he acquired his successes only due to his own strength, the renowned Finnish will to succeed and discipline.

His racing style wasn’t very spectacular, but all the more efficient. Winning was the name of the game. During a period of 9 years (1971-1980) the Mikkola family lived in the Belgian town Beringen, where he was accepted and became popular real soon. The time in Belgium was a special one in his career. The family ties built there, remain strong till this day.
Today the Mikkola family live a normal life in Finland at about 50 km from Helsinki.
Heikki and his wife Kaija do well for themselves: they run a local shop in home grown vegetables. They have three children: Hanna, Antti and Elena. The sympathetic Fin didn’t end up with any serious injuries, event though he finished his career in 1979 due to a knee injury. He now is 60 years old and ever radiant.
Being a Belgian it would have been a lot easier to support Roger DeCoster, Jaak Vanvelthoven or Joël Robert. But not for me. From the moment Heikki Mikkola started racing and was still unknown, he was the one I supported. I’ve been lucky that I’ve had a lot of opportunities to watch a lot of races both in Belgium and abroad, that Mikkola and his family lived in my neighbourhood so I had many opportunities to meet him.

More than 120 times I asked him to sign photo’s, sweaters, arms, stickers, albums etc., wearing my unique, self made Mikkola t-shirt. Man, I was proud on my heroe!

That was 25 years ago but my fascination for Heikki Mikkola has never disappeared. This website was set up with the purpose of keeping the images, facts and performances of Mikkola alive.
I like to thank Juha Monto for the many translations. Many of the information was taken from the book Heikki Mikkola Maailmanmestari by Juhani Melart.

I am certain I am not alone, many race fans from around the world helped me make this site in honour of the flying Fin: Heikki Mikkola.

Guy Jamar