Reeta Hämäläinen
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Reeta Hämäläinen is a Finnish rallying co-driver, born May 14, 1988. She began her career in 2009 and partners with Emil Lindholm.
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I realized in the first rally that no, I’m not scared, and this is still the thing that I want to do
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FULL BIO: Reeta Hämäläinen
Reeta Hämäläinen is a Finnish rallying co-driver who won the 2022 WRC-2 title alongside driver Emil Lindholm, showcasing her remarkable talent and resilience in the challenging world of motorsports.
EARLY YEARS
Born on May 14, 1988, in Finland, Reeta grew up in a family deeply connected to motorsports. Her father, Teuvo Hämäläinen, competed in rally events and introduced her to the service area at a young age. Initially more interested in horses than cars, she maintained this passion into adulthood, still caring for a horse of her own. As she approached the end of her teenage years, inspired by drivers like Dani Sordo, Hämäläinen gravitated toward rallying, with her first experience coming alongside her father at the Historic Vltava Rallye in the Czech Republic[1][5].
EARLY SUCCESS
Hämäläinen began her racing career in 2009 and made her World Rally Championship debut at the 2013 Rally Finland with Jouni Virtanen. After navigating for various amateur drivers, she briefly attempted driving herself before realizing her talents were better suited to co-driving. A significant moment in her development came through a Finnish federation training program where she partnered with Laura Suvanto. Despite suffering a broken back in a serious accident in Germany that required a month of hospitalization, her determination shone through as she returned to rallying in 2015, demonstrating the Finnish spirit of ‘sisu’ (resilience and determination)[1][5].
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2013: Made WRC debut at Rally Finland[1].
- 2018: Participated in Rally Sweden with ex-works driver Janne Tuohino[4].
- 2021: Began navigating with Emil Lindholm in the WRC-2 championship[1].
- 2021: Won a WRC rally without driving after being strategically entered as the driver of Lindholm’s Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo at Rally Spain to secure priority seeding[4].
- 2022: Won the WRC-2 championship title alongside Emil Lindholm[1][4].
- 2023: Signed with Hyundai Motorsport N to compete in the WRC-2 category[1].
REPUTATION
Hämäläinen has built a reputation as one of rallying’s most resilient competitors, embodying the Finnish concept of ‘sisu.’ Having overcome a serious back injury and battled cancer in 2019, her perseverance in returning to the highest levels of competition has earned widespread respect in the motorsports community. Her technical skills as a co-driver and successful partnership with Emil Lindholm have established her as a formidable talent in WRC-2, known for her precision, focus, and competitive spirit even in the face of significant personal challenges[1].
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Looking forward, Reeta has expressed aspirations to reach the pinnacle of rallying by securing a factory seat in the World Rally Championship. Her experience working with Škoda Motorsport has given her valuable insight into top-level competition, and despite previous setbacks, she remains determined to achieve her dreams in the sport’s highest echelon[5].
References:
The Finnish co-driver taking sisu to another level
Sad news ended Emil Lindholm and Reeta Hämäläinen’s Rally Latvia
WRC Driver Profile: Reeta Hämäläinen
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