On this day: Born April 27, 1952. Ari Vatanen, rally champion

FILE PHOTO: Born on April 27, 1952: Ari Vatanen, Finnish rally driver and MEP Ari Vatanen from Finland gives a thumbs up before the start of the Granada-Dakar rally. December 30, 1994. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

LONDON (Reuters) - Ari Vatanen's father died in a car crash while driving his family to a funeral when the future world rally champion was eight years old.

The vehicle was new and although seatbelts were optional he had fitted them only the day before but was not using one. He had, it transpired, also got the day wrong and the funeral had already happened.