WRC Rally of Finland - Jyvaskyla Finland

[flying finn]

WRC Rally of Finland - Jyvaskyla Finland

Total Kms : 1449.61 km
Liaison : 1104.46 km
SS Kms : 345.15 km
Special Stages : 23

Thursday 30.07 - Friday 31.07 > 10 stages (130.84 km)
Saturday 01.08 > 9 stages (166.87 km)
Sunday 02.08 > 4 stages (47.44 km)

Home Page > http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/en/
Itinerary > http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/a...9-22-02253.pdf
Entry List > http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/a...6-22-56175.pdf
Rally Guide > http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/a...9-18-06253.pdf

Citroen preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=338079&FS=WRC
Ford preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=338073&FS=WRC
Citroen Jr preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=338080&FS=WRC
Stobart preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=338074&FS=WRC
Munchi's preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=338076&FS=WRC

Championship Standings

1. Mikko HIRVONEN (FIN) > 58
2. Sébastien LOEB (F) > 57
3. Dani SORDO (E) > 39
4. Henning SOLBERG (N) > 27
5. Jari-Matti LATVALA (FIN) > 25
6. Petter SOLBERG (N) > 25
7. Matthew WILSON (GB) > 19
8. Federico VILLAGRA (RA) > 14
9. Sébastien OGIER (F) > 13
10. Conrad RAUTENBACH (ZW) > 8

[BertMk2]

One of the best events of the year they've neutered a few more stages but it's still going to be fast with lots of jumps. Loeb probably favourite but I'd expect the locals to be hot on his heels.

[GolddustMini]

theres alot of new stage mileage this year which could be interesting, no doubt that will work in mikkos favour being a local, whereas it might work against loeb as we have seen recently his reliance on inch perfect notes has let him down on new stages where he has not honed his pacenotes over successive years

[bodgit]

I think if latvala doesn't crash, he could win, he's always been very fast on this rally

[BertMk2]

This one of course also sees Raikkonen in action in a works super 2000 punto. It'll be interesting to see how he gets on.

[VincePettit]

Kimi is 18th overall after SS18

[BertMk2]

Petter Solberg lost 10 minutes on stage 5 but looks to have picked up the pace again now, Raikkonen going quite well.

[VincePettit]

I see Raikkonen has moved up another place to 17th overall now after SS8, Loeb closing the gap a little

[BertMk2]

Yep, Raikkonen looks to be fairly consistent which is good. I'm surprised Sordo is ahead of Latvala though, I thought Latvala would have been far quicker than Sordo on those roads. Petter Solberg looks to still be suffering with some sort of problem, he's even further off the pace now.

[VincePettit]

"I am enjoying this rally so far. We are quick second time through and the car is performing really well. The notes are the biggest challenge in this rally because you must have total faith in them. I am pleased with my performance." - Kimi Raikkonen after SS9

[VincePettit]

Good to see Loeb closing the gap slowly!

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by VincePettit

Good to see Loeb closing the gap slowly!

No, no ,no! We don't want Loeb to close the gap. We want Hirvonen to win (or Latvala or Sordo or Solberg or anyone that's not Loeb ) Got to keep things interesting for the rest of the year.

[VincePettit]

Looks like Raikkonens race is going to be over soon - "We´re just going to keep pushing this engine until it blows as we can´t do too much about it."

[TheMong]

Originally Posted by VincePettit

Looks like Raikkonens race is going to be over soon - "We´re just going to keep pushing this engine until it blows as we can´t do too much about it."

just heard that rakki rolled it and now of the rally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQWnAlzeXQk


http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk...0of%20rallying

[BertMk2]

You've got to love Raikkonen! It's going to blow up so thrash it within an inch of its life then throw it in the trees. Ideal rally driver material there. Formula 1 drivers park the car if the engine starts running rough, rally drivers keep going until the car can't actually move any more.

[gomick]

Rather close Rally this with the top 4 within 1min 20 of each other...

[chunder]

Always the case in Finland

5 seconds there is equivalent to 20 elsewhere on anotehr rally

Often top ten in the good old days would be a few monutes apart, stages decided by seconds and tenths rather than 10, 20 s

[429CJ]

Originally Posted by TheMong

just heard that rakki rolled it and now of the rally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQWnAlzeXQk


http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk...0of%20rallying

Here's onboard camera footage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yt-Bbqksa0

[gomick]

So Mikko wins & opens up a 3 point lead over Sebby - next up is Australia, wonder if Chris Atkinson will get a drive

[flying finn]

WRC Rally of Finland - Results

1. Mikko HIRVONEN (FIN) > Ford Focus RS > 2:50:40.9 (+0:00.0)
2. Sebastien LOEB (F) > Citroën C4 > 2:51:06.0 (+0:25.1)
3. Jari-Matti LATVALA (FIN) > Ford Focus RS > 2:51:30.8 (+0:49.9)
4. Dani SORDO (E) > Citroën C4 > 2:51:47.0 (+1:06.1)
5. Matti RANTANEN (FIN) > Ford Focus RS > 2:54:59.1 (+4:18.2)
6. Sebastien OGIER (F) > Citroën C4 > 2:54:59.4 (+4:18.5)
7. Jari KETOMAA (FIN) > Subaru Impreza > 2:55:48.4 (+5:07.5)
8. Matthew WILSON (GB) > Ford Focus RS > 2:57:14.5 (+6:33.6)
9. Khalid AL QASSIMI (UAE) > Ford Focus RS > 3:03:38.2 (+12:57.3)
10. Juho HÄNNINEN (FIN) > Skoda Fabia S2000 > 3:04:54.6 (+14:13.7)
11. Federico VILLAGRA (ARG) > Ford Focus RS > 3:04:57.8 (+14:16.9)
30. Henning SOLBERG (N) > Ford Focus RS > 3:32:13.0 (+41:32.1)

DNF. Conrad RAUTENBACH (ZWE) > Citroën C4 > SS22 (off road)
DNF. Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN (FIN) > Fiat Grande Punto S2000 > SS19 (off road)
DNF. Evgeny NOVIKOV (RUS) > Citroën C4 > SS14 (off road)
DNF. Petter SOLBERG (N) > Citroën Xsara > SS14 (mechanical)

> nice home win (his first) for Hirvonen; nice confidence boosting podium for Latvala
> Munchi's finished 5th - guest drive by Rantanen (only his 2nd in a world rally car)
> 5 x Finns in the Top 10
> Martin Prokop won the Junior World Rally Championship
> Raikkonen did well until rolling his car - was heading for a 3rd placing in class

Championship Standings

1. Mikko HIRVONEN (FIN) > 68
2. Sebastien LOEB (F) > 65
3. Dani SORDO (E) > 44
4. Jari-Matti LATVALA (FIN) > 31
5. Henning SOLBERG (N) > 27
6. Petter SOLBERG (N) > 25
7. Matthew WILSON (GB) > 20
8. Sebastien OGIER (F) > 16
9. Federico VILLAGRA (ARG) > 14
10. Conrad RAUTENBACH (ZWE) > 8

[cg7aa]

Mr. Novikov, you have permission to land! Blimey, that was cutting it a bit fine. Far too much sky in view.

Once again, Sordo's pace on gravel impressed me. I think he has shown enough to be considered competent on the loose stuff; in my humble opinion.

[BertMk2]

Sordo has definitely improved on gravel, he's no longer a liability

[topper]

As usual, this is the best event of the WRC season - and the best town!

One look at the enty list showed the continued popularity of Rally Finland.

Also, Hirvonen was very impressive, and as far as I could see, mistake-free. I champions drive, of which Gronholm would have been proud!

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by topper

As usual, this is the best event of the WRC season - and the best town!

One look at the enty list showed the continued popularity of Rally Finland.

Also, Hirvonen was very impressive, and as far as I could see, mistake-free. I champions drive, of which Gronholm would have been proud!

I was there in 2007 and it was alright. I wouldn't necessarily go again but I would definitely recommend it to those who haven't. It is a good experience.

Anyway, what you say about Mikko is very true. He makes very few mistakes indeed even when on the relatively rugged edge.

Now for something completely different, I have often wondered who was funding Conrad Rautenbach's WRC efforts. I happened to be watcing a program the other day where allegations were made against a certain Billy Rautenbach for helping to raise funds for a certain regime in Zimbabwe, it seems this very same man is Conrad's father if various online sources are to be believe.

I wonder if those taking whatever funds Conrad brings are aware of the potential source.