Dimi Mavropoulos

Dimis Mavropoulos (31 October 1949 – 29 August 2026) was a Cypriot rally driver, businessman and automobile collector. He was one of the most prominent figures in the history of Cypriot rallying, competing for more than four decades and achieving numerous victories and championship placings in Cyprus and abroad.

Mavropoulos won the Cyprus Rally Championship in 1986 and 1988 and was the winner of the 1990 Cyprus Rally, then known as the Rothmans International Cyprus Rally. In 1986, he finished second overall in the international event behind Belgian driver Patrick Snijers.

After retiring from competitive rallying, Mavropoulos devoted much of his time to historic and classic automobiles. He founded the Cyprus Historic & Classic Motor Museum in Limassol.

Early life Mavropoulos was born in Limassol, Cyprus, on 31 October 1949. His interest in automobiles began during childhood. According to accounts of his life, he learned to drive his father's tractor at a young age and, at the age of nine, took his mother's car without permission, resulting in a police pursuit that lasted approximately four hours before the vehicle ran out of fuel.

As a teenager, Mavropoulos began participating in motorsport despite being below the legal age for competition. He used another identity to enter events, and the name "Dimi", which subsequently became his best-known motorsport name, originated during this period.

1985 In the 1985 Rothmans Cyprus Rally, Mavropoulos and Dave Adams finished fifth overall in an Audi Quattro A2.

1986 The 1986 season was one of the most significant of Mavropoulos's career. He won the Cyprus Rally Championship for the first time. In the same year, he finished second overall in the Rothmans International Cyprus Rally behind Patrick Snijers.

According to the Cyprus Historic & Classic Motor Museum, Mavropoulos also won all seven events of the Cyprus championship in 1990.

In the 1992 Rothmans Cyprus Rally, Mavropoulos and Antoniades finished second overall in a Ford Sierra Cosworth 4×4.

In 1994, Mavropoulos entered the Cyprus Rally Championship in a factory-prepared Ford Escort Cosworth 4×4. Ford's competition department in the United Kingdom assisted with gravel testing and development. He finished third overall in the Rothmans Cyprus Rally that year.

In 1995, he began development of an Audi S2 Quattro for Group A competition. The project was discontinued following Audi's withdrawal from rallying.

Legacy Mavropoulos accumulated more than four decades of involvement in rallying. He was credited with the best finishing record by a Cypriot driver in the Rothmans International Cyprus Rally and with an exceptional record of overall championship placings in the Cyprus Championship.

Personal life Mavropoulos was the father of four daughters.