WRC » Rally Finland - preview - Pt. 2.

Tuesday, 29th July 2008

Preview for the Rally Finland - the ninth round in the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship, part 2.

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Aigner is competing in the PWRC this season, but Finland is not one of his nominated events and so he won't be able to score Production points. Similarly Ogier is contesting the J-WRC, but Finland is not one of his nominated events either, so again he won't be able to score Junior points.

Aigner's Red Bull team-mate Bernardo Sousa was due to compete but has had to pull out due to an old shoulder injury.

Route:

For the second year almost half the route is new, although the rally remains in its traditional central Finland base of Jyvaskyla. Organisers have focused on ensuring the roads are durable enough for an entry boasting more than 100 cars.

After the traditional Thursday evening super special stage at Killeri trotting track, Friday's action is based west of Jyvaskyla.

The major changes are centred on Saturday's second leg which contains virtually half the competitive distance. Traditionally regarded as the year's classic day of competition, it is again based on wide and flowing roads near Jamsa, but five of the 10 stages are new from last year. The awesome Ouninpohja, a roller-coaster section of road full of sweeping bends, blind crests and jumps and viewed as rallying's ultimate test of skill and bravery, will not be used for safety reasons, although parts of the stage are incorporated into another test.

Sunday's final leg covers three tests east of Jyvaskyla. Drivers face 340.42 kilometres of action in a 1461.58 kilometres route.

Last year:

Marcus Gronholm won in Finland last year and in the process re-wrote the record books by becoming the first driver to win a WRC event on seven occasions.

Gronholm took the lead from Mikko Hirvonen on the second loop on day one and although he was unable to pull out much of a gap on Friday, he still ended the first day on top - 4.4 seconds up, despite having to run first on the road, something he reckoned was a disadvantage.