Marcus Gronholm is a mysterious man and he surely works in mysterious ways. His temperament is known to change by the minute but to his advantage, he is as hard a man to beat, as he is to read.

His story began in 1987, when a young Gronholm started on the national rally circuit in Finland. In just his second year, he won the Finnish Junior Title, in 1988. In 1989 & 1990, Gronholm had two quiet seasons wherein he didn't have anything noteworthy. However, this was just the lull before the storm. And what a storm it was!!!

The flood gates weren't just opened; they were ripped off their hinges, broken into tiny pieces and blown away towards the horizon. He won 8 consecutive national titles from 1991 to 1998 and there almost wasn't any competition for him in these years. Despite his blistering performances, he somehow stayed off the radar on the international arena. He got his chance in 2000. Peugeot came in to give him a limited programme with runs in just a few events on the WRC Calendar. But Gronholm wasn't one to take things lying down and he shot to fame instantly. He grabbed four wins – at Sweden, Australia, Finland and New Zealand. He had proved his mettle and his skill and versatility was there for all to see.

He was then involved in a Championship showdown in the Wales Rally Great Britain and he held his nerve to win the title. In 2001, he wasn't as lucky as not only was Gronholm racing against his competitors; he was also battling to keep his car in line and running. 2002 saw him grab his second title in 3 years. 2003 and 2004 were similar to his 2001 season as he again battled his machine to the brink of frustration. But despite his frustration, he has shown loyalty and determination and has never backed out of the challenges.
He stayed with Peugeot for 6 long years and earned 2 world championships with them, before leaving for Ford, in 2006. He finally had a realistic shot at the title with a more reliable ride and his ability shone through. He came second in the drivers' title and helped Ford to win the Manufacturers' crown.

Gronholm, in 2006, had a wonderful season with Ford and he was rather remarkable on his way to win seven of the sixteen events. His main goal at the beginning of the season had been to understand the learning and intricacies of the Ford Focus, so anything that came out of the season was just the icing on the cake.

In 2006, Gronholm became one of the most successful drivers to come out of Finland after he finished victorious on the final round in the Wales Rally Great Britain. That was also his 25th WRC victory making him the 3rd most successful driver in the history of Rallying.

In 2007, Gronholm failed to get the drivers' title again but Ford did manage a double on their Manufacturers' Championships. He will be hoping to be third time lucky as he takes on Loeb again, in his third attempt to drive his Focus across the finishing line in top spot.