In Brazil next week Anton Alén will be treading in the hallowed footsteps of history, his legendary father Markku came to the populous Latin American nation exactly 30 years ago to contest the first ever Rally Internacional de Brasil.

In Brazil next week Anton Alén will be treading in the hallowed footsteps of history: his legendary father Markku came to the populous Latin American nation exactly 30 years ago to contest the first ever Rally Internacional de Brasil with the Finn romping away to victory ahead of his factory Fiat 131 Abarth team mate Walter Röhrl.

Markku, who during a long and hugely successful rally career that was for the most part entwined with the Fiat Group, drove a string of Italian machines that have entered into the annals reserved for only the greatest competition cars of all time, such as the Fiat 131 Abarth and Lancia's Stratos, 037, Integrale and Delta S4. His 25-year-old son Anton is quickly following the path his father trod as he enters his second full season with the Abarth squad in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Last year he proved that rallying is embedded deep into the family DNA when won the Rally Russia in style at the first time of asking behind the wheel of the Grande Punto Abarth S2000.

Despite a glittering career Markku never actually won the FIA World Drivers' Championship which was formed in 1979; however the Finn triumphed in its predecessor, the FIA Drivers' Cup, in 1978, and then in 1986, at the wheel of the mighty Gp B Lancia Delta S4 he came agonisingly close: he was crowned FIA World Rally Champion for 11 days before the FIA took the title away after an appeal by Peugeot was upheld. Fabled for his association with the phrase "maximum attack", Markku always drove on the edge and former Lancia team manager Cesare Fiorio has said on occasion that the Finn was the only driver to ever tame the fearsome Delta S4. Markku, who also drove for Toyota and Subaru, holds the record for the number of WRC stage wins.

Exactly 30 years ago Fiat turned up for the inaugural Rally Internacional do Brasil, at the behest of the local importer, with a pair of factory prepared 131 Abarths for Markku and his then team mate Walter Röhrl. Encountering little local opposition they swept up, the Finn leading the German to a comfortable 1-2 finish. Of historical note also was Wilson Fittipaldi, the former F1 driver who contested 38 grands prix and is the elder brother of double F1 World Champion Emerson, who finished fourth. The Rally Internacional do Brasil went on to make it into the WRC calendar two years later, yielding wins for Ari Vatanen (Ford Escort RS1800) in 1981 and Michele Mouton (Audi Quattro (1982). Not a popular rally with the teams or drivers it wasn't lamented when it quietly faded from the WRC programme after these two events.

Now Anton is looking forward to making his Brazilian rallying debut in a week's time and the youngster is buoyed by gravel testing that Abarth undertook near Siena in Tuscany earlier this month. “We know that the car is very quick," said Anton a week ago as he prepared for Brazil, "now we are trying to develop it a little more. I do not know well what to expect on the Rally of Curitiba, it will be a new experience for me, but I can say the idea looks impressive. It will be an interesting experience for everyone."