Andreas Mikkelsen (born 22 June 1989) is a Norwegian rally driver. He is currently competing in the World Rally Championship for Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT. He previously drove for the factory teams of Volkswagen and Citroën, finishing third in the drivers' standings in 2014, 2015 and 2016. His current co-driver is Torstein Eriksen.

Andreas Mikkelsen
Mikkelsen at the 2015 Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo
Personal information
NationalityNorway Norwegian
Born (1989-06-22) 22 June 1989 (age 35)
Oslo, Norway
World Rally Championship record
Active years2006–present
Co-driverCurrent
Norway Torstein Eriksen
Former
United Kingdom Phil Hall
United Kingdom Elliott Edmondson
Norway Ola Fløene
Norway Anders Jæger
Finland Mikko Markkula
Republic of Ireland Paul Nagle
Sweden Jonas Andersson
TeamsStobart Ford, Volkswagen, Škoda, Citroën, Hyundai, Toksport WRT
Rallies125
Championships0
Rally wins3
Podiums25
Stage wins114
Total points827
First rally2006 Wales Rally GB
First win2015 Rally Catalunya
Last win2016 Rally Australia

He is a two-time Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion, having finished first in 2011 and 2012. In 2021, Mikkelsen became the drivers' champion in both the WRC-2 and the European Rally Championship. He won WRC-2 for a second time in 2023.

Career

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Mikkelsen has a broad background in sports. He has competed in slalom and giant slalom, and was a member of the national juniors' alpine skiing team. In 2003 and 2004, he competed in motocross, also representing the national juniors' team.

2006–2010: Ford

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After turning 17 and getting a British driver's license, Mikkelsen started competing in rallies in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Driving a Ford Focus RS WRC, he won the Quinton Stages, the Coracle, the Plains, the Bulldog and the Cambrian Rally, as well as the Saaremaa Rally in Estonia.[1] He finished 38th overall in 2007 in the famous Donegal International Rally in his Ford Focus, finishing almost an hour behind eventual winner Sébastien Loeb.[2]

Mikkelsen debuted in the World Rally Championship at the 2006 Rally GB and retired from the 14th special stage after going off the road. In the 2007 season, he competed in eight WRC events, and also took part in the Irish Tarmac Championship and the Norwegian Rally Championship. His best WRC results were ninth at the 2007 Rally Ireland and tenth in Norway and Portugal.

For the 2008 season, Mikkelsen had some exclusive coaching from Ford's retired double world champion Marcus Grönholm.[3] Even though having major problems with turbocharger on Friday's stages, he achieved the best result of his WRC career so far by claiming fifth in the 2008 Swedish Rally, beating Matthew Wilson's 2006 record of being the youngest driver ever to score points in a WRC event.[4] He intended to compete in all of the championship rounds in Europe, whilst completing his final year in school.

During Rally Larvik in September 2009, Mikkelsen was involved in an accident, when he got a slide on his car and hit a 10-year-old spectator, killing her instantly.[5]

 
Mikkelsen, in the Ford Fiesta S2000, on his way to second place on the 2010 Rally Scotland.

In 2010, Mikkelsen competed in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge driving a Ford Fiesta S2000 with a best finish of second on the 2010 Rally Scotland. He placed seventh in the overall standings. Mikkelsen drove a Super 2000 car also on three WRC rounds, and won the SWRC class at the season-ending 2010 Wales Rally GB.

2011–2012: Škoda

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Following a strong 2010 campaign, Mikkelsen signed with the Skoda UK Motorsport team for the 2011 IRC season.[6]

During his 2011 season driving for Skoda UK Motorsport in the IRC, Mikkelsen were off to a rough start. The first rally of the season, Rally Monte-Carlo, Mikkelsen had to retire only after SS1. Sata Rallye Açores where a turning point of the season, where he placed second, his first ever podium in the IRC.[7] Prior to the last rally of the season, Rally Cyprus, five drivers were fighting for the drivers championship. Mikkelsen, winning Rally Cyprus took home the title, being the youngest person ever to win the IRC.[7]

Mikkelsen continued his dominance of the IRC in the 2012 season, claiming the drivers championship after winning at Azores and Romania plus collecting five second place finishes. Mikkelsen is the first ever to win the IRC (now ERC) two consecutive times.

2013–2016: Volkswagen

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Mikkelsen driving a Volkswagen Polo R WRC at the 2013 Rally de Portugal.

From 2013 to 2016, Mikkelsen competed for Volkswagen Motorsport II in their factory Polo WRC. He did not reach the podium during the 2013 season, but won several special stages, placing 10th in the overall standings. 2014 saw more favourable results, with three second placed finishes, and two third place results, he completed the year in an impressive third place in the championship overall standings. In 2015, he achieved his first rally victory in Spain, and seven third place results, giving him another third place in the world championship. Mikkelsen followed that by two more wins in Poland and Australia during the 2016 season, and two more second places, resulting in yet another third place in the championship overall. Mikkelsen had finished 3rd in the championship three times consecutively from 2014 to 2016. Volkswagen retired from WRC at the end of 2016, leaving Mikkelsen without a drive for 2017.[8]

2017: Škoda, Citroën and Hyundai

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Citroën C3 WRC of Andreas Mikkelsen at 2017 Rallye Deutschland

In early 2017, Mikkelsen entered three rounds of the WRC-2 with a factory Škoda Fabia R5, winning the Monte Carlo Rally and Tour de Corse. He joined the Citroën World Rally Team in mid 2017, debuting at Italy with a Citroën C3 WRC. After finishing second in Germany, Mikkelsen signed a deal for 2018 with Hyundai Motorsport, joining close friend Thierry Neuville, Dani Sordo and Hayden Paddon. He finished fourth in Welsh Rally GB before the end of that year.

2018–2019: Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT

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2018 started promisingly with third place in Sweden, but Andreas suffered a series of setbacks, and finished the year 6th place overall. 2019 was significantly better. Despite missing out or retiring from six of the fourteen WRC events that year, Mikkelsen scored one second place and two third places, to finish the season in 4th place overall. His contract with Hyundai was not renewed at the end of 2019, leaving Mikkelsen without a WRC drive.[9]

2020: Pirelli tests and Eurosol Racing Team

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Mikkelsen was left without a drive for 2020 season, so at Rally Sardegna he co-drived for 2003 World Drivers' Champion Petter Solberg. They contested the rally in Shakedown and Power Stage using Saintéloc-prepared Citroen C3 WRC equipped with Pirelli tyres to be used for the 2021 season. At Rally Monza, together with Eurosol Racing Team he finished 6th in WRC-2 and won in WRC-3 category.

2021–2022: Toksport WRT and Škoda Motorsport

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Mikkelsen driving a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo at the 2021 Barum Czech Rally Zlín.

For 2021, Mikkelsen joined Toksport for a combined WRC-2 and ERC campaign, driving a Škoda Fabia R5/Rally2 evo. He become the first driver to win both WRC-2 and ERC title in the same year.[10][11] He stayed with the team in 2022 and is currently leading the WRC-2 standings. Between the races, he also helped Škoda Motorsport to develop the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 and he drove it at the 2022 Bohemia Rally Mladá Boleslav as course car.

 
Mikkelsen at the 2022 Bohemia Rally Mladá Boleslav, driving the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2

WRC victories

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 #  Event Season Co-driver Car
1   51º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada 2015   Ola Fløene Volkswagen Polo R WRC
2   73rd Rally Poland 2016   Anders Jæger Volkswagen Polo R WRC
3   25th Rally Australia 2016   Anders Jæger Volkswagen Polo R WRC

Racing record

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Complete WRC results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos. Points
2006 Stobart VK Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 04 MON SWE MEX ESP FRA ARG ITA GRE GER FIN JPN CYP TUR AUS NZL GBR
Ret
NC 0
2007 Stobart VK Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 04 MON SWE NOR
10
MEX POR
10
NC 0
Ramsport ARG ITA GRE FIN
12
GER
24
NZW ESP
25
FRA
DSQ
JPN IRE
9
Ford Focus RS WRC 06 GBR
Ret
2008 Ramsport Ford Focus RS WRC 06 MON SWE
5
MEX ARG JOR ITA
Ret
GRE TUR
19
FIN
12
16th 5
Ford Focus RS WRC 07 GER
11
NZL ESP
8
FRA
11
JPN GBR
2009 Andreas Mikkelsen Subaru Impreza WRX STi IRE NOR
Ret
NC 0
Škoda Fabia WRC CYP POR ARG ITA GRE POL
Ret
FIN AUS ESP GBR
2010 Andreas Mikkelsen Ford Fiesta S2000 SWE
11
MEX JOR TUR NZL POR BUL FIN GER JPN 26th 1
Škoda Fabia S2000 FRA
18
ESP
Czech Ford National Team GBR
10
2011 Volkswagen Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 SWE MEX POR JOR ITA ARG GRE FIN
Ret
GER AUS FRA ESP GBR NC 0
2012 Volkswagen Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 MON SWE
13
MEX POR ARG
Ret
GRE
Ret
NZL FIN
27
GER
7
GBR FRA
12
ITA
7
ESP
21
14th 13
2013 Volkswagen Motorsport II Volkswagen Polo R WRC MON SWE MEX POR
6
ARG
8
GRE
4
ITA
Ret
FIN
10
GER
WD
AUS
7
FRA
7
ESP
Ret
GBR
5
10th 50
2014 Volkswagen Motorsport II Volkswagen Polo R WRC MON
7
SWE
2
MEX
19
POR
4
ARG
4
ITA
4
POL
2
FIN
4
GER
3
AUS
3
FRA
2
ESP
7
GBR
Ret
3rd 150
2015 Volkswagen Motorsport II Volkswagen Polo R WRC MON
3
SWE
3
MEX
3
ARG
Ret
POR
3
ITA
36
POL
2
FIN
Ret
GER
3
AUS
4
FRA
3
ESP
1
GBR
3
3rd 171
2016 Volkswagen Motorsport II Volkswagen Polo R WRC MON
2
SWE
4
MEX
Ret
ARG
3
POR
2
ITA
13
POL
1
FIN
7
GER
4
CHN
C
FRA
3
ESP
Ret
GBR
12
AUS
1
3rd 154
2017 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON
7
SWE MEX FRA
7
ARG POR
Ret
12th 54
Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT Citroën C3 WRC ITA
8
POL
9
FIN GER
2
Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC ESP
18
GBR
4
AUS
11
2018 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC MON
13
SWE
3
MEX
4
FRA
7
ARG
5
POR
16
ITA
18
FIN
10
GER
6
TUR
5
GBR
6
ESP
10
AUS
11
6th 84
2019 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC MON
Ret
SWE
4
MEX
Ret
FRA ARG
2
CHL
7
POR ITA
3
FIN
4
GER
6
TUR
3
GBR
6
ESP AUS
C
4th 102
2020 Eurosol Racing Team Hungary Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX EST TUR ITA MNZ
6
15th 8
2021 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON
7
ARC
11
CRO
39
POR
WD
ITA
Ret
KEN
WD
EST
9
BEL GRE
9
FIN ESP MNZ
16
17th 10
2022 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo MON
7
SWE
7
CRO POR
Ret
ITA
Ret
KEN EST
8
FIN BEL
7
GRE
13
NZL ESP JPN 14th 25
2023 Toksport WRT 3 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 MON SWE MEX CRO POR
8
ITA
5
KEN EST
9
FIN
10
GRE
7
CHL EUR
23
JPN
7
11th 29
2024 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 MON
6
SWE KEN CRO
6
POR ITA POL
6
LAT FIN GRE CHL EUR JPN 9th* 29*

* Season still in progress.

PWRC results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pos. Points
2009 Andreas Mikkelsen Subaru Impreza WRX STi NOR
Ret
CYP POR ARG ITA GRE AUS GBR NC 0

SWRC results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos. Points
2010 Czech Ford National Team Škoda Fabia S2000 SWE MEX JOR NZL POR FIN GER JPN FRA GBR
1
11th 25

WRC-2 results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos. Points
2017 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON
1
SWE MEX FRA
1
ARG POR
Ret
ITA POL FIN GER ESP GBR AUS 9th 50
2021 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON
1
ARC
2
CRO
5
POR
WD
ITA
Ret
KEN
WD
EST
1
BEL GRE
1
FIN ESP MNZ
2
1st 149
2022 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo MON
1
SWE
1
CRO POR
Ret
ITA
Ret
KEN EST
1
FIN BEL
2
GRE
7
NZL ESP JPN 2nd 109
2023 Toksport WRT 3 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 MON SWE MEX CRO POR
3
ITA
1
KEN EST
1
FIN
4
GRE
1
CHL EUR
13
JPN
1
1st 137

* Season still in progress.

WRC-3 results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pos. Points
2020 Eurosol Racing Team Hungary Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX EST TUR ITA MNZ
1
8th 25

Complete IRC results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos. Points
2009   Andreas Mikkelsen Opel Corsa S2000 MON BRA KEN POR BEL RUS POR CZE
33
ESP ITA SCO 0
2010   Andreas Mikkelsen Ford Fiesta S2000 MON CUR ARG CAN SAR
Ret
YPR
5
AZO
4
MAD ZLI
5
SAN
Ret
SCO
2
CYP
Ret
7th 21
2011   Škoda UK Škoda Fabia S2000 MON
Ret
CAN
6
COR
6
YAL
4
YPR
Ret
AZO
2
ZLI
5
MEC
Ret
SAN
2
SCO
1
CYP
1
1st 153.5
2012   Škoda UK Škoda Fabia S2000 AZO
1
CAN
2
IRL
2
COR
5
TAR
2
YPR
Ret
SMR
2
ROM
1
ZLI
8
YAL SLI SAN CYP
2
1st 150

ERC results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points
2020 Topp-Cars Rally Team Škoda Fabia R5 Evo ITA LAT PRT HUN
1
ESP
6
5th 52
2021 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia R5 Evo POL
2
LAT
5
ITA
8
CZE
2
PRT1
1
PRT2
1
HUN
6
ESP 1st 191

* Season still in progress.

Skiing career

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Mikkelsen was an Alpine skier before concentrating on rallying.[12]

References

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  1. ^ Holmes, Martin. "Getting to know Andreas". Rally World Magazine. Archived from the original on 2017-01-28. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  2. ^ "Rally Results - Donegal International Rally, 2007".
  3. ^ "First class mentor in Marcus". andreasmikkelsen.com. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-02-23. [dead link]
  4. ^ "Mikkelsen beats Wilson's record". crash.net. 2008-02-11. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
  5. ^ "Fikk skrens i 130 km/t – varslet selv om ulykken". Dagbladet. 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2008-09-18.
  6. ^ Evans, David (11 November 2010). "Mikkelsen eyes title with Skoda UK". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Archived from the original on 13 November 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  7. ^ a b "Standings - IRC Intercontinental Rally Challenge - Eurosport". Archived from the original on 2013-12-10. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
  8. ^ Evans, David (1 November 2016). "Volkswagen to pull out of WRC at end of 2016". Archived from the original on 2021-04-27. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Andreas Mikkelsen out, Craig Breen in at Hyundai for Rally Australia". Motorsport Week. 2 November 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-10-03. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  10. ^ "ANDREAS MIKKELSEN JOINS STAR-STUDDED ROLL OF HONOUR AS 2021 FIA ERC CHAMPION*". FIA ERC.
  11. ^ "MIKKELSEN ADDS ERC TITLE TO WRC2 CROWN". DirtFish. 24 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Andreas MIKKELSEN". fis-ski.com. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Intercontinental Rally Challenge Champion
20112012
Succeeded by
Incumbent