The 54th Neste Rally Finland takes place this coming weekend - the ninth round out of sixteen in the 2004
FIA World Rally Championship.
Finland will also play host to the fourth round in the 2004 FIA Junior WRC.
Starting on Friday 6 August from the host town of Jyvaskyla, the three-day event is regarded as one of the all time classics in the Championship.
Including 382.71 competitive kilometres and 22 stages, the event will be contested over three days.
On Leg one, drivers will tackle ten stages, including a sprint around the Killeri Super Special, which at 2.06km is the shortest of the event. Leg two includes a further eight stages, including two passes through the formidable Ouninpohja, while Leg three concludes the rally with a further four stages.
The winning car is expected to cross the finish ramp in Jyvaskyla at 1456hrs on Sunday.
Special notes:
Often referred to as the 'Finnish Grand Prix', Rally Finland is unquestionably the fastest of the season.
Smooth, wide, undulating gravel stages enable drivers to reach breath-taking speeds of more than 200kph, while the numerous 'yumps', the famous Finnish jumps that feature throughout the route, demand the ultimate in confidence and precision driving.
Technically, the event is a difficult one. Jumps can launch a rally car 50 metres through the air and lead directly into blind crests and sixth gear corners. With last year's winner setting an average speed of 120kph, the event demands unwavering commitment and bravery.
Formerly known as the 'Thousand Lakes Rally', the event runs through stunning Finnish scenery and around the picturesque lakes that gave the rally its original name. Finland is regarded as the spiritual home of rallying and each year thousands of spectators flood to the host town and surrounding stages to see the action. In 2003, a staggering eight percent of the country's five million inhabitants turned out to watch.
Since it was first run in 1951, local knowledge has proved a major key to success on Rally Finland. Locals grow up building a detailed knowledge of the specialist conditions and, as a result, only three drivers from outside the Nordic region have ever claimed victory - Spaniard Carlos Sainz in 1990; Frenchman Didier Auriol in 1992; Estonian
Markko Martin in 2003.
FIA World Rally Championship news:
Sebastien Loeb leads the World Rally drivers' championship, 17 points ahead of
Petter Solberg.
Citroen meanwhile head the constructors' - 27 points ahead of Ford, while
Subaru are a further seven adrift in third.
News from the Manufacturers' teams:
555 Subaru World Rally Team:
[Petter Solberg, car #1 and
Mikko Hirvonen, car #2.]
Reigning world champion Petter Solberg has contested the Rally Finland five times previously. Having finished third in 2002 and second in 2003, the Norwegian is looking to continue the sequence this year.
Driving the second Subaru entry, Mikko Hirvonen will be contesting his home event for only the third time of his career. Following his excellent performance in Argentina, the young Finn will be aiming to score more points for the Subaru team and gain further experience in his Impreza WRC2004.
Following the conclusion of the Rally of Argentina, Solberg travelled directly to Germany to complete a day of testing with the team, before setting off for Denmark to enjoy a well deserved break. Hirvonen also travelled to Germany after Argentina to carry out testing duties before returning to his home in Jyvaskyla. Over the weekend they carried out another test, in preparation for this week’s event.
Citroen Total:
[
Sebastien Loeb, car #3 and Carlos Sainz, car #4]
Currently leading both championships, and following their one-two finish at the last event in Argentina, Citroen are the team to beat. Boss, Guy Frequelin expects more points this weekend.
"It is a unique event," he said, "and our priority will not be to beat the local specialists at all costs but to finish in the big points. We are in a favourable position in both championships, but our lead is not sufficiently strong for us to be able to indulge in fantasies that could compromise our advantage. Just like a football team that is ahead, we can choose not to expose ourselves and yet be ready to pounce on an opening if one should come up!"
Marlboro Peugeot Total:
[Marcus Gronholm, car #5 and Harri Rovanpera, car #6].
Peugeot have announced that they will switch to Pirelli tyres in 2005, having signed a three-year agreement.
They have yet to win with the new 307 WRC, with two Finns though this weekend - and considering the events history of rewarding 'local' drivers - they have surely never been better placed...
"It would be great to score the 307 WRC's first win [this weekend], for the whole team, and also for me," said Gronholm. "I really feel we have been unlucky in the past few rallies."
