Hans Rüütel was born on Võsa farm, Allika Village, Kernu Rural Municipality, Harju County in 1925.
His first achievement in sport was taking first place in a skiing competition in Harju County.
He didn’t start racing until the age of 30 (for some years he had taken part in motocross and racetrack racing).
Being probably the most talented Estonian racer ever, he almost instantly started winning races. He won medals of all colour at Soviet Union Championships and was champion of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic 8 times.
He competed 13 times for the Soviet Union team.
Among the most colourful achievements was 16th place in the Swedish Royal Car Club Rally in 1968 and 5th place in "Rajd Polski", leaving such big stars of the era like S. Zasada and T. Mäkinen behind him.
He got 4th place at his first international rally "Rajd Polski" in 1964 and attracted the attention of the international press and racing circle, when he took bends on two wheels whilst racing on a concrete covered airfield in the additional race. He became the first Soviet sportsman ever to be invited to join a racing team (Renault team with their Alpine was the fastest rally team in the world at that time).

In 1976 Hans Rüütel started a challenge cup with the trophy won from the Polish rally to determine the best driver in the man-to-man competition.

Winners of the competition:

1976-Heiki Ohu
1977-Vello Õunpuu
1978-Paul-Robert Helk
1979-Ivar Peedu
1980-Raido Rüütel
1981-Raido Rüütel
1982-Hardi Mets
1983-Vello Õunpuu
1984-Aadu Viik
1985-Margus Virkoja
1986-Ivar Peedu
1987-Ivar Peedu
1995-Raido Rüütel
1996-Aleksander Käo
1997- Ivar Raidam