Kenneth Eriksson

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Kenneth Eriksson
Personal information
NationalitySweden Swedish
Born (1956-05-13) 13 May 1956 (age 65)
Äppelbo
World Rally Championship record
Active years1980 – 2002
Co-driverSweden
Sweden
West Germany
TeamsSubaru, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Škoda
Rallies138
Championships0
Rally wins6
Podiums21
Stage wins214
Total points489
First rally1980 Swedish Rally
First win1987 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire
Last win1997 Rally New Zealand
Last rally2002 Rally Great Britain

Kenneth Eriksson (born 13 May 1956 in Äppelbo, in the kommun of Vansbro) is a now retired World Rally Championship rally driver. He drove for several manufacturer teams, including the Subaru World Rally Team, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Škoda. He was the 1986 Group A Champion in the competition's only year, his best performance, overshadowed by the fatalities that occurred in that season.

His finest showing in the top-tier World Rally Championship was third place overall for Mitsubishi in 1995. He controversially won the Swedish Rally that year under pressure on the road from second-placed young teammate Tommi Mäkinen, as well as winning directly ahead of the Champion-elect, Subaru World Rally Team's Colin McRae in Australia. He then switched to Subaru for the 1996 season to drive the Impreza WRC alongside McRae.[1] He excelled for them as a second points-scorer on the championship's loose-surface rounds. Conversely, Italian Piero Liatti often took on the same responsibility for asphalt rounds. By the end of the 1997 season Eriksson and regular co-driver had collected six individual World Rally victories. These included a famous win aboard the Impreza in New Zealand in 1997, on which occasion he took advantage of the altercation with a sheep that befell long-time leader, Ford's Carlos Sainz. Between 1995 and 1997, he also notched up a hat-trick of Asia-Pacific rally titles.

Eriksson with a Hyundai Accent WRC at the 2001 Rally Finland.

After finishing fourth on the 1998 Swedish Rally, Eriksson was released from his contract at Subaru in order to pursue a kit-car and latterly a World Rally Car chance with Hyundai. He was joined as factory driver of both the Hyundai Coupe and eventual Hyundai Accent WRC by fellow eventual one-time Subaru driver, Alister McRae. 6th on the 2001 Rally Great Britain marked his solitary points finish for the team, on his last outing with them. He then enjoyed his final season with Škoda, in 2002, alongside female navigator Tina Thörner in the light of Parmander's retirement and with his teammate in the sister Octavia WRC being the young Finn Toni Gardemeister.

Eriksson departed the 'works' world rally scene at the end of 2002. He has since been competing in the Race to the Sky hillclimb event held in Cardrona Valley, New Zealand. He finished second in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

WRC victories[]

 #  Event Season Co-driver Car
1 Ivory Coast 19ème Rallye Côte d'Ivoire 1987 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V
2 Sweden 40th International Swedish Rally 1991 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
3 Sweden 44th International Swedish Rally 1995 Staffan Parmander Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution II
4 Australia 8th Telstra Rally Australia 1995 Staffan Parmander Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III
5 Sweden 46th International Swedish Rally 1997 Staffan Parmander Subaru Impreza WRC 97
6 New Zealand 27th Smokefree Rally New Zealand 1997 Staffan Parmander Subaru Impreza WRC 97

WRC results[]

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Points
1980 Kenneth Eriksson Saab 96 V4
51 		- 0
1981 Kenneth Eriksson Saab 96 V4
31 		- 0
1982 Kenneth Eriksson Saab 96 V4
15 		- 0
1983 Kenneth Eriksson Opel Ascona 400
16 		- 0
1984 Opel Team Sweden Opel Kadett GT/E
7 		36th 4
Kenneth Eriksson Opel Kadett GSI
Ret
1985 Peugeot Talbot Sport Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
10 		68th 1
1986 Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTi 16V
9
7
Ret
Ret
8
7
7
5
12
5*
11 		10th 25
1987 Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTi 16V
5
8
3
Ret
Ret
Ret
2
4
1
9 		4th 70
1988 Toyota Team Europe Toyota Supra Turbo
4 		12th 22
Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
6
Ret
Ret
6
Ret
1989 Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
3
Ret
4
2
4 		6th 47
1990 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
Ret
Ret
Ret
3
Ret
2 		8th 27
1991 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
Ret
1
7
3
2
2 		5th 66
1992 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
Ret
Ret
Ret
7 		41st 4
1993 Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer RS
4
5
Ret 		NZL
5
2 		6th 41
1994 Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer RS
5 		12th 18
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II
Ret
4
1995 Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II MON
1 		3rd 48
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III
5
1
Ret
1996 555 Subaru WRT Subaru Impreza 555
5
2
Ret
5
3
5
2
5
7 		4th 78
1997 555 Subaru WRT Subaru Impreza WRC'97
1
Ret
Ret
3
Ret 		NZL
1
Ret
3
Ret
Ret 		5th 28
1998 555 Subaru WRT Subaru Impreza WRC'97 SWE
4 		KEN 14th 3
Hyundai Motor Sport Hyundai Coupé Kit Car
Ret
21
Ret
Ret
Hyundai Coupe Kit Car Evo2 NZL
20
Ret
Ret
22 		GBR
Ret
1999 Hyundai Motor Sport Hyundai Coupe Kit Car Evo2
Ret
14
Ret
15 		NZL
17
Ret
11
Ret
9
25 		- 0
2000 Hyundai Castrol WRT Hyundai Accent WRC MON SWE
13 		KEN POR
Ret 		ESP
23
8
Ret 		NZL
5
15
Ret
45
4
Ret 		11th 5
2001 Hyundai Castrol WRT Hyundai Accent WRC
8 		21st 1
Hyundai Accent WRC2
7
Ret
Ret
Ret
12 		NZL
10
12
6
2002 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Octavia WRC Evo2 MON
13 		SWE
Ret 		FRA
Ret 		ESP
17 		CYP
9 		ARG
6 		GRE
14 		KEN
Ret 		18th 1
Škoda Octavia WRC Evo3 FIN
Ret
10
11 		NZL
Ret
8
13

References[]

  1. ^ "Subaru in International Rallying: 1993-1996". Drive Performance Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-05-13. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Inaugural event
 Race of Champions
Rally Master
1990 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship
1995, 1996 & 1997 		Succeeded by
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