Simo Lampinen overcame what was considered a huge obstacle to a rally driver; he contracted polio at a young age. He survived the childhood disease, but it left him with a very pronounced limp. Authorities granted him a driving license at age 17 so he could get to and from school more easily, but he quickly went on to acquire a competition license. He won his first major rally, Finland's Rally of the 1000 Lakes, in 1963 when he was only 20. Simo finished 7th in the 1977 RAC Rally with S.Andreasson.