The co-drivers

Ilkka Kivimäki

Lancia · co-driver to Markku Alén

Photo: Rob Croes for Anefo via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Markku Alén and Ilkka Kivimäki were together for two decades. In the Group B years they finished on the podium 19 times in Lancias, though the world title always eluded them.

Grouve Sport documentary

Episode 8 — The Architects: Fiorio, Todt, Gumpert, Turner & the People Behind Group B

The people behind Group B, including the co-drivers.

Alén’s partner

Born in Salo on 20 July 1949, Kivimäki joined Markku Alén on the 1973 RAC Rally and stayed with him until 1993. Their Group B wins with Lancia:

• 1983 Tour de Corse and 1983 Rallye Sanremo in the 037.
• 1984 Tour de Corse.
• 1986 Olympus Rally in the Delta S4, a result that briefly made Alén world champion until the Sanremo annulment was confirmed.

He later headed the coaching programme of the Finnish motorsport federation (AKK).

Alén’s co-driver for twenty years: 19 Group B-era podiums in Lancias.

Career in the Group B years

World Rally Championship podiums of the co-driver, year by year (1982–1986). win 2nd 3rd

1982

0wins

0 podiums

1983

2wins

5 podiums

• Tour de Corse
• Rallye Sanremo

1984

1win

5 podiums

• Tour de Corse

1985

0wins

2 podiums

1986

1win

7 podiums

• Olympus Rally (USA)

4 WRC wins · 19 podium finishes, 1982–1986

More from Co-drivers

Sergio CrestoEuropean champion in 1984, Monte Carlo winner in 1986, killed with Toivonen in Corsica.Read more →Tiziano SivieroBiasion's co-driver: European champion in 1983, first world win in Argentina 1986.Read more →Bruno Berglund1980 Swedish Rally winner, and Blomqvist's co-driver at Peugeot in 1986.Read more →Fred GallagherFour African wins with Toyota, and Toivonen's co-driver at Opel.Read more →Juha PiironenToivonen's co-driver at Lancia, then Kankkunen's for the 1986 title.Read more →Seppo HarjanneSalonen's co-driver: seven wins and the 1985 world title.Read more →

Sources

1. Wikipedia (FI), Ilkka Kivimäki — https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilkka_Kivim%C3%A4ki
2. Jonkka's World Rally Archive (juwra.com), results and entry lists 1982–1986 — https://www.juwra.com/

All text is original writing for Grouve Sports Management Group, based on the sources above. Facts checked on 21 October 2026.

Thumbnail photos on this page: Mr.choppers (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0); Carlom1961 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0); Havard01 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0); Rutger van der Maar (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0); Unknown authorUnknown author (Wikimedia Commons, Public domain); Unknown authorUnknown author (Wikimedia Commons, Public domain).