WRC Rally Finland 2012

WRC Rally Finland 2012 – Preview

RSL Staff

– July 30, 2012Posted in: Featured, News, WRC

Rally Finland, round eight of the FIA World Rally Championship, continues to evolve its event and remains the only rally on the calendar that is condensed into two and half days of intense competition. As such, qualifying will be on Wednesday and the event starts in earnest on Thursday with three stages near Lahti running late afternoon and early evening. Friday and Saturday are both long days and the event concludes with the legendary Ouninpohja stage. Renowned the world over as a roller-coaster ride, Ouninpohja returns to the itinerary in its full and original 33 kilometre length for the first time since 2004.

Recognised as the spiritual home of rallying, Finland provides spectacular action unlike any other event in the series. Fast flowing gravel roads with stomach-churning jumps snake their way through beautiful forests and past hundreds of scenic lakes; hence it previously being known as the 1000 Lakes Rally.

Rally Finland provides a weekend of all-round entertainment for the family, both out on the stages and in the newly-refurbished Jyväskylä service park area. One of its leading themes this year focuses on safety and there will be a number of different initiatives in support of the FIA’s Action for Road Safety campaign.

The event is the fifth round of the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship and the third outing for the FIA WRC Academy Cup crews.

RALLY FINLAND – ROUTE GRAPHICS

CHANGES TO THE ROUTE SINCE 2011

The 14.22 kilometre Mynnilä test which will run as the closing stage on Thursday evening was used in 2011 but runs in reverse this year, returning to its more familiar format of the 1980s and 1990s. The Leustu stage (SS14/16) has also changed direction, having never run from south to north previously. Just three stages used back in 2009 are run in the same configuration (Mőkkiperä, Palsankylä and the Killeri super special stage) and all remaining stages run with some modifications to previous years.

RALLY DATA

Total distance:
Stage distance:
Number of stages:

1,625.69 km
303.52 km
18

RALLY FINLAND TIMETABLE AND MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES ORGANISED BY THE FIA

Wednesday 1 August
Free Practice (P1 and P2) - 16:00 hrs
Qualifying Stage (P1 and P2) - 19:30 hrs
Selection of Start Positions, Service Park - 21:30 hrs
FIA press conference, Press Room - 22:00 hrs

Thursday 2 August
FIA Action for Road Safety event, Paviljonki WRC Square - 10:00 – 11:00 hrs
Start, Service Park - 13:30 hrs
Rally Show, Lahti Harbour - 16:00 hrs
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone, Jyväskylä - 22:35 hrs

Friday 3 August
First car arrives for regroup, service and media zone, Jyväskylä - 09:52 hrs
First car arrives for regroup, service and media zone, Jyväskylä - 14:32 hrs
FIA Action for Road Safety event, Paviljonki - 16:00 hrs
First car arrives for final service and media zone, Jyväskylä - 20:30 hrs
End of day press conference, Service Park - During the 45’ service

Saturday 4 August
First car arrives for regroup, service and media zone, Jyväskylä - 09:54 hrs
First car arrives for regroup, service and media zone, Jyväskylä - 13:16 hrs
Prize-giving and podium ceremony (FIA WRC Academy), Service Park - 19:30 hrs
First car arrives for final service and media zone, Jyväskylä - 20:00 hrs
Prize-giving and podium ceremony, Service Park - 21:00 hrs
FIA press conference, Press Room - 21:45 hrs

FIA PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

Wednesday 01 August
Fredrik Åhlin, FIA WRC Academy
John MacCrone, FIA WRC Academy
Juha Salo, FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship
Maciej Oleksowicz, FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship
Mikko Hirvonen, Citroën Total World Rally Team
Petter Solberg, Ford World Rally Team
Chris Atkinson, Qatar World Rally Team
Mads Ostberg, Adapta World Rally Team

Saturday 04 August
Winning FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship crew
Top three crews in the overall classification
Representative of the winning entrant

ADDITIONAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

‘Meet the Crews’: On Friday the top three drivers will attend a ‘Meet the Crews’ session for media and fans. This will take place on the WRC Stage in the Service Park at the earliest opportunity during the end of day 45 minute service.

Autograph Signing Session: On Thursday and Friday selected crews will be available for a 15 minute autograph session. This will take place in the Service Park during the end of day 45 minute service at the teams’ service areas.