The five best contestants from the northern European Pirelli Star Driver Shoot-out qualifier in Finland have been confirmed.

In the end the panel of judges, which comprised former World Rally champion Ari Vatanen, Petter Solberg World Rally team manager Ken Rees, current Pirelli Star driver Mark Tapper, WRC journalist Reiner Kuhn and Pirelli's motorsport manager Mario Isola, selected Latvia's Maris Neiksans, Lithuania's Vytautas Svedas, Norway's Anders Kjaer, Sweden's Victor Henriksson and Estonia's Ott Tänak.

Britain's Kris Hall, Ireland's Keith Cronin and Finland's Jooans Lindroos all failed to progress to the next stage.

During the two-day contest competitors had to undergo tests of fitness, media and presentation skills as well as an interview with the judging panel.

The final element was an assessment of the candidates' driving skills over four runs of a 3.7 kilometre stage near to Rally Finland's famed Ruuhimäki stage, where drivers were tested on both gravel and asphalt whilst being watched by the judges.

The successful five qualifiers will now go forward to the European Finals in Austria, which will be held from September 18-19.

The winners of the regional finals will be awarded with participation in 2010 WRC events, courtesy of the 'Pirelli Star Driver programme', a joint venture by the tyre manufacturer and the FIA.