Round 8

Categories:WRC, SWRC, PWRC

Based:Jyvaskyla

Surface:Gravel

Most Recent Winner:Mikko Hirvonen (2009)

Website:www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi

ormerly known as the 1000 Lakes, Neste Oil Rally Finland is one of the most popular events on the WRC calendar. It’s also regarded by many people as 'the spiritual home of rally'. You only have to look at a WRC start list to see why...

The rally is a fast gravel affair, with high-speed runs along tree-lined tracks peppered with fast, flying ‘yumps’ that demand absolute, balls-out commitment.

Rally Finland is based in the bustling student town of Jyvaskyla, located in the lake district area in the centre of the country. To win here, you need a savvy combination of tactical nous, smooth and efficient technique and flat-out commitment to cope with the high speeds, fast kinks and mammoth jumps that litter the smooth, loose surface stages.

Over the years, the event has been dominated by the Scandinavians. They're used to driving on roads like these since they were knee-high to a grasshopper. That local experience counts.

New for 2010
Neste Oil Rally Finland will commemorate its 60th anniversary in 2010 with a brand new city-based Super Special stage in Jyvaskyla and a revised itinerary that ends on Saturday night, rather than the more usual Sunday.

After SS3

Pos No Driver Time Diff
Prev Diff

1. 3 M. HIRVONEN 10:33.7 0.0 0.0
2. 11 P. SOLBERG 10:35.7 +2.0 +2.0
3. 1 S. LOEB 10:37.9 +2.2 +4.2
4. 4 J. LATVALA 10:39.6 +1.7 +5.9
5. 7 D. SORDO 10:39.9 +0.3 +6.2
6. 2 S. OGIER 10:42.9 +3.0 +9.2
7. 6 H. SOLBERG 10:46.5 +3.6 +12.8
8. 15 M. ÖSTBERG 10:52.0 +5.5 +18.3
9. 5 M. WILSON 10:57.3 +5.3 +23.6
10. 8 K. RÄIKKÖNEN 11:06.2 +8.9 +32.5
11. 12 J. KANKKUNEN 11:06.7 +0.5 +33.

Hmm....dont think Loeb can beat Hirvonen in Finland.

what about 52 year old Man?? Finished 8th

"I drove at my own pace for this rally and didn't try to catch the title-chasers. My aim was to finish in the top ten so I am very happy to have finished in eighth and, of course, ahead of Kimi..." - Juha Kankkunen