Thanks for the memories, Mikko

A blustery Sunday afternoon in Cardiff, 2009. Mikko Hirvonen's world must have caved in, but he was still smiling. He and Jarmo Lehtinen had missed becoming World Rally champions by one point.

One point.

Lehtinen is a big, second row-sized Finn and not a man known for emotion.

As Hirvonen fielded the inevitable questions about the one that got away, Lehtinen looked on. We chatted about the year and what a thoroughly decent fella Mikko is.

He turned and smiled. Momentarily, those steely eyes had dampened.

"He is the man. And he will be champion."

Unfortunately for Mikko and Jarmo, that 2009 Rally GB was as good as it would get.

Hirvonen came close to winning the 2009 title in Wales © LAT

And last weekend the pair turned and waved one final wave to the World Rally Championship.

They were gone. But what a way to go. After what has been at best a mediocre season, Hirvonen was back in business in Britain. Forget the images of him looking forlorn and troubled earlier this year, remember him going through the finish of Brenig first time around: right foot buried so hard it might actually burst the bulkhead, as much left lock as the Fiesta will give to get through the right-hander.

And the finish gantry demolished.

Classic. Hirv at his absolute best.

And at his best in a moment that reminded me of another moment of breathtaking bravery. Remember Finland, 2007, coming through the insanely quick left-hander up to Kakaristo junction? In the middle of a massive scrap with his master and mentor Marcus Gronholm, Hirvonen attacked the corner, dropped the right-rear into the ditch, but kept it absolutely pinned.

The difference between Gronholm and Hirvonen was marked at the end of the stage. I don't remember who was quickest, but the elder of the two Finns talked of this getting silly. The speed was too much. Mikko? The man who's just danced with the devil in a ditch?

"I want to go to the start and do it again!" He couldn't stop grinning.

Moments like that endeared him to fans around the world.

I found a good number of them at Chirk last Saturday.

The crowd surrounding me caught sight of the black Ford howling down the stage towards them. And went wild. I didn't like to point out that Elfyn Evans had already been through. Just as well I didn't.

Hirvonen during his first full WRC season in 2003 © LAT

"We love you Mikko!" bellowed one of them. Listening in, their adoration for Hirvonen had little to do with his 15 world rally wins and more to do with the fact that he kept a MkII Escort in the garage.

"He is," the crowd agreed, "one of us."

Keeping it real has always been a strongpoint of Hirvonen's - largely because he is such a genuinely decent chap. Has that been his downfall? There's the theory that the good guy never wins; would Mikko have eclipsed Sebastien Loeb through Crychan and Halfway in 2009 if he'd been Mr Nasty? No.

And that's not inferring Loeb is Mr Nasty. Actually - Loeb's the exception that proves, or should that be disproves, the rule? I digress.

The video Hirvonen produced to mark his retirement came from the heart. His two sons are everything to him. And what they have to offer from an ice hockey game means far more to Mikko than firing up another World Rally Car in one of the earth's more distant four corners.

There are people who struggle to comprehend that, but good on Hirvonen to take that decision utterly regardless of what others might think. In his own words, he's led his life for 13 years, it's now time to think about the others in his life.

In fairness, down those 13 years, he really has captured plenty of fans. Watching him orchestrate a Mexican wave at his final, end-of-day press conference in Deeside last week was testament to just how much he means to rally fans across the world.

To a man, the thousands of fans packed into the service park carried out Hirvonen's wishes. Then stood, applauded and gave their man lots of love one last time.

AUTOSPORT's rally man Evans gets a ride from Hirvonen

I'm a fan. I'm a big fan. I've been fortunate enough to report on Hirvonen's career from top to bottom and, while we've had our moments of disagreement - mostly this season, it has to be said - he's always been fiercely fair, decent, honest and a lot of fun.

Down the years, I've been fortunate enough to do a few jobs with Mikko, but the one that will stay with me forever is when the pair of us said goodbye to the Ford Focus RS WRC at the end of 2010.

I'd been invited up to Carlisle Airport to share the moment of his last drive in the car that came so close to putting him on top of the world. I was even allowed a go behind the wheel, where I was given huge encouragement from a deeply amused Hirvonen.

My father had accompanied me on the trip north, but was too ill to get out of the car to watch. Mikko settled the Focus alongside the passenger side of my car and launched it into the wildest set of donuts you could possibly imagine. Dad loved it.

Like I said, a thoroughly decent fella.

Who received a thoroughly decent send-off. Last week's Rally GB was an odd one in that there was no afternoon service - the final control was in Llandudno at the finish. So, if you wanted to catch Mikko and Jarmo with the M-Sport team for their final moment, you had to be up early. Plenty were.

Hirvonen and Lehtinen were clapped in and out of service and tears were forced back in an effort to allow the Finns to focus on the massive battle for second place in which they were engaged.

Had it not been for a couple of Frenchmen called Sebastien, it's not inconceivable to think Hirvonen could have been cashing his chips as a third four-time Finnish world champion. It doesn't matter to him. For a couple of Finns, one six and one eight, their Dad will always be a world champion.

And never more so than now he's home with them.

Enjoy it Mikko, you've earned it. And thanks for the memories.