Education
He graduated at Bond University in commerce, majoring in finance and accounting in 1999 after receiving an academic scholarship for studies.
He graduated at Bond University in commerce, majoring in finance and accounting in 1999 after receiving an academic scholarship for studies.
Atkinson currently leads the 2012 Asia Pacific Rally Championship. On 16 August 2012 it was announced that Atkinson would be the number one driver for the WRC Team Mini Portugal outfit for the last five races of the 2012 WRC season.
Atkinson's first world rally was the 2004 Rally New Zealand in a Subaru Impreza WRX STI. For 2005, he was signed by Subaru World Rally Team to drive the Subaru Impreza WRC alongside 2003 world champion Petter Solberg. He finished 12th overall in the drivers' world championship with 13 points. His best results were third in Japan and fourth in Australia.
After finishing the 2006 season tenth overall in the drivers championship with 20 points and a fourth place as his best finish, Subaru told Atkinson that his job was on the line, and if he could not balance his speed with safety and achieve quality results he would be replaced by another driver.
At the beginning of the 2008 season, Atkinson took third place in Monte Carlo; while at the 2008 Corona Rally Mexico, Atkinson managed second, 30 seconds ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala. He finished the season fifth in the drivers' standings, and for the first time, outscored hitherto team leader Solberg.
After Subaru's season-ending announcement of its withdrawal from the WRC, Atkinson signed for the new Citroën Junior Team for the 2009 season.In his only rally for the season with the team in Ireland, he produced a strong showing to finish fifth, despite colliding with a telegraph pole during the first day, and suffering a spin on SS18.
* 2004 - Second, Australian Rally Championship
* 2002 - Winner, Australian Privateers Cup
Quotations: “I was lucky with my tire choices, but this afternoon I made a couple of mistakes. I'm trying to play it safe. Second is good, but I'm sure the others will be pushing hard tomorrow.”
