Flashback: 1988 RAC Rally winner Markku Alén sneaks through hotel kitchen

For many years, I worked in the media centre of the Lombard RAC Rally. After a season spent covering Formula 1, this was always an interesting change of pace and motor sport culture. Rally people, even at this top level, were generally open and friendly. And the event itself was a powerful test of skill and stamina. In 1988, this final round of the World Rally Championship covered 2904 road miles, starting and finishing in Harrogate. In between, 374 miles of flat-out driving took the top-class field through 52 special stages, from forests in Scotland, to Clocaenog in Wales and Hamsterley in Co Durham. With, unlike today, only a handful being repeated.

Being part of the media team, I knew about the carefully managed plans on the final day, when the winner would be whisked from the ceremonial finish outside Harrogate International Centre to a press conference inside the Moat International hotel, which acted as Rally HQ. To avoid the crowds and potential chaos at the front of the hotel, it was arranged for the winning driver to be spirited through a back entrance and make a grand entry to the media centre. Neglecting my duties for a couple of minutes, I nipped down to the hotel kitchen and caught the winner’s unheralded arrival.

If Markku Alén appears battle weary, it is with good reason. On 12 previous occasions he had tried and failed to win this iconic rally. His performance in 1988 had been one of consummate brilliance, interspersed with bouts of rage when gearbox trouble and a wrong choice of tyres reduced a five-minute lead to zero. Most of this had happened inside Northumberland’s notorious Kielder Forest, increasing Alén’s intense dislike of the place.

The weather conditions were so bad that almost all of the top 10 seeds had fallen victim at some point to the snow and ice. Alén won 26 of the special stages (almost twice as many as anyone else), but the result had been in doubt until the moment his Lancia Delta HF Integrale got through the very fast 18 miles of Dalby Forest in the North York Moors on the final morning. Judging by the reception when the charismatic Finn reached the media centre, it was a hugely popular victory. It would also turn out to be his last win in a world championship rally.

Speaking of which, this is the final Flashback… column. Many thanks for your company over the last four years. It’s been a lot of fun: hardly the words Alén had in mind as he reached the sanctuary of that hotel kitchen in Harrogate.