Written by Katie Gregory, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
After triumphs and tribulations in Latvia, The World Rally Championship will now head to the Finnish forests for the ninth event of the season.
Rally Finland is the fastest rally on the calendar, and will test our crews’ raw speed, precision and patience. As ever, pace notes will have to be perfect this weekend, and any errors could be critical.
The route is completed on wide, smooth gravel roads showcasing big jumps and blind crests. Jyväskylä in Central Finland will host the majority of the competitive action, in which 20 special stages will be contested — totalling over 305km.
Hyundai’s lineup for this weekend remains unchanged from Latvia, consisting of Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak and Esapekka Lappi. With Toyota taking both first and second in Latvia, Hyundai will need to regain their momentum to clinch onto their championship lead.
Thierry Neuville won’t be short for motivation this week, as he is also hoping to retain his position as leader of the Driver’s Championship.
After an impressive performance in Latvia, Toyota look like the stronger manufacturer going into this weekend. Furthermore, their current form is supported by past performances in Finland, as they hold five victories in the past six events.
Toyota’s lineup only adds to their strength, as it features their World Champions — Kalle Rovanperä and Sébastian Ogier. Yet to win in Finland, Rovanperä has the chance to complete a high-speed summer hat trick.
However Toyota’s very own championship contender, Elfyn Evans, has had plenty of experience around here, and will certainly give his rivals a run for their money. Evans won in 2021 and 2023, and is one of the three non-Nordic drivers to have won here more than once.
Balancing experience with ingenuity, Toyota’s lineup will also see up and coming Finnish drivers Sami Pajari and Enbi Mälkönen make their Rally1 debut.
Rally Finland’s competitive action will begin in Jyväskylä on Thursday evening with the Harju super special stage. Then the action will move into the forests on Friday, with a loop of four stages and classic tests like Laukaa, Mylphinää and Saarikas. Saturday will see a return to Ouninpohja, ran alongside Västilla and Päijälä. Laajavuori will serve as the rally-ending Power Stage on Sunday.
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