Markku Alén

This Finnish driver won 19 rallies over his career, five of them in Portugal.
Markku Alén started racing when he was just 17, in domestic races at the wheel of a Renault R8 Gordini and quickly became one of the best Finnish drivers. Five years later, in 1973, he made his first appearance in the World Rally Championship at the Thousand Lakes race in Finland at the wheel of a Volvo 142.
He began a long relationship with the Fiat Group in 1974 and had a competitive Fiat 124 Abarth. That year he stood out in various races, namely the ‘Rali de Portugal’, a race he would become a specialist in. He won in Portugal for the first time the following year and became one of the Portuguese fan’s favourite drivers.
Alén came very close to becoming the world champion in 1986 after winning the last race in the championship in a Lancia Delta S4. The prize went to Juha Kankkunen after the FIA decided not to accept a protest by the Alén team against Peugeot and Kankkunen for alleged irregularities. He came third in 1987 and then second in 1988. He won 19 rallies over his career and five of them were in Portugal.