Rally Finland
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The Neste Oil Rally Finland (formerly known as 1000 Lakes Rally, renamed 1994 when Neste Oil became the main sponsor, known colloquially in Finland as the Jyväskylän Suurajot or Jyväskylä Great Drive) is a rally event driven in the Jyväskylä area in Central Finland. It is the biggest annually organised public event in the Nordic countries, gathering over 500,000 spectators every year.
The rally has been held since 1951, first as a national competition and since the introduction of the World Rally Championship in 1973, as Finland's WRC event. It is known as the "Gravel Grand Prix", since it is the highest-speed rally in the championship. The most famous special stage is Ouninpohja, with its spectacular high speed jumps. However, Ouninpohja was split in two parts for 2005, since Petter Solberg exceeded the FIA's maximum average speed (130 km/h) there in 2004. The rule was changed for 2007 so Ouninpohja will return to 2004 version in 2007.
The rally has been known for very difficult for non-Nordic drivers. Only three drivers outside Finland and Sweden have won the race.
The WRC teams voted Neste Rally Finland "Rally of the Year" in 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2004.
In 2006, it was the tenth rally on the World Rally Championship schedule, held on August 18, 2006 through August 20, 2006.
[edit] Winners
| Year | Driver Codriver |
Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | ||
| 2006 |  Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen |
 Ford Focus RS WRC 06 |
| 2005 | Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen |
 Peugeot 307 WRC |
| 2004 | Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen |
Peugeot 307 WRC |
| 2003 |  Markko Märtin Michael Park |
Ford Focus RS WRC 03 |
| 2002 | Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen |
Peugeot 206 WRC |
| 2001 | Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen |
Peugeot 206 WRC |
| 2000 | Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen |
Peugeot 206 WRC |
| 1999 | Juha Kankkunen Juha Repo |
 Subaru Impreza WRC 99 |
| 1998 | Tommi Mäkinen Risto Mannisenmäki |
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 1997 | Tommi Mäkinen Seppo Harjanne |
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 1996 | Tommi Mäkinen Seppo Harjanne |
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 1995[1] | Tommi Mäkinen Seppo Harjanne |
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 1994 | Tommi Mäkinen Seppo Harjanne |
Ford Escort RS Cosworth |
| 1993 | Juha Kankkunen Denis Giraudet |
Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD |
| 1992 | Didier Auriol Bernard Occelli |
 Lancia Delta HF Integrale |
| 1991 | Juha Kankkunen Juha Piironen |
Lancia Delta HF Integrale |
| 1990 |  Carlos Sainz Luis Moya |
Toyota Celica |
| 1989 |  Mikael Ericsson Claes Billstam |
Mitsubishi Galant |
| 1988 | Markku Alén Ilkka Kivimäki |
Lancia Delta |
| 1987 | Markku Alén Ilkka Kivimäki |
Lancia Delta |
| 1986 | Timo Salonen Seppo Harjanne |
Peugeot 205 Turbo |
| 1985 | Timo Salonen Seppo Harjanne |
Peugeot 205 Turbo |
| 1984 | Ari Vatanen Terry Harryman |
Peugeot 205 |
| 1983 | Hannu Mikkola Arne Hertz |
 Audi Quattro |
| 1982 | Hannu Mikkola Arne Hertz |
Audi Quattro |
| 1981 | Ari Vatanen David Richards |
Ford Escort RS |
| 1980 | Markku Alén Ilkka Kivimäki |
Fiat 131 Mirafiori |
| 1979 | Markku Alén Ilkka Kivimäki |
Fiat 131 Mirafiori |
| 1978 | Markku Alén Seppo Harjanne |
Fiat 131 Abarth |
| 1977 | Kyösti Hämäläinen Martti Tiukkanen |
Ford Escort RS |
| 1976 | Markku Alén Seppo Harjanne |
Fiat 131 Mirafiori |
| 1975 | Hannu Mikkola Atso Aho |
Toyota Levin |
| 1974 | Hannu Mikkola John Davenport |
Ford Escort RS |
| 1973 | Timo Mäkinen Henry Liddon |
Ford Escort RS |
| 1972 | Simo Lampinen Klaus Sohlberg |
Saab 96 V4 |
| 1971 | Stig Blomqvist Arne Hertz |
Saab 96 V4 |
| 1970 | Hannu Mikkola Gunnar Palm |
Ford Escort TC |
| 1969 | Hannu Mikkola Anssi Järvi |
Ford Escort TC |
| 1968 | Hannu Mikkola Anssi Järvi |
Ford Escort TC |
| 1967 | Timo Mäkinen Pekka Keskitalo |
BMC Cooper S |
| 1966 | Timo Mäkinen Pekka Keskitalo |
Morris Cooper |
| 1965 | Timo Mäkinen Pekka Keskitalo |
BMC Cooper S |
| 1964 | Simo Lampinen Jyrki Ahava |
Saab 96 Sport |
| 1963 | Simo Lampinen Jyrki Ahava |
Saab 96 Sport |
| 1962 | Pauli Toivonen Jaakko Kallio |
Citroën DS 19 |
| 1961 | Rauno Aaltonen Väinö Nurmimaa |
Mercedes-Benz |
| 1960 | Carl-Otto Bremer Juhani Lampi |
Saab 96 |
| 1959 | Gunnar Callbo Väinö Nurmimaa |
Volvo PV 544 |
| 1958 | Osmo Kalpala Eino Kalpala |
Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI |
| 1957 | Erik Carlsson Mario Pavoni |
Saab 93 |
| 1956 | Osmo Kalpala Eino Kalpala |
DKW Donau |
| 1955 | Eino Elo Kai Nuortila |
Peugeot 403 |
| 1954 | Osmo Kalpala Eino Kalpala |
Dyna Panhard |
| 1953 | Vilho Hietanen Olof Hixén |
Allard |
| 1952 | Eino Elo Kai Nuortila |
Peugeot 203 |
| 1951 | Arvo Karlsson Vilho Mattila |
Austin Atlantic |
[edit] Notes
- ^ This rally counted only in the 2-litre World Cup.
[edit] External links
| Rallies in the World Rally Championship: |
| 2007 championship events: Monte Carlo | Sweden | Norway | Mexico | Portugal | Argentina | Sardinia | Greece |
| Past championship events include: Arctic | Australia | Brazil | China | Côte d'Ivoire | Cyprus | Indonesia |
