Neste Oil Rally Finland entry released

Entries have closed for Finland´s round of the FIA World Rally Championship. No less than 110 crews registered an entry and 102 are presented for acceptance to the Jyväskylä based rally which takes place in late July. That is the highest number of any WRC round yet this year.

The 60th Jubilee Event boasts 15 World Rally Cars among its entry. The number of 4-wheel-drive cars is an all-time high of 78. A very healthy number of FIA´s new R2-category cars also appear on the list: 16 of them altogether.

All manufacturers registered in the FIA World Championship are represented, bringing their star drivers to Jyväskylä. In addition Norwegians Petter Solberg and Mads Östberg will participate, Solberg with his own team and Östberg with a Subaru WRC. Frenchmen Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier will naturally start the rally, as will locals Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala.

Particular interest will surround the entry of four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen, who is to join the ranks of Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team. He will face opposition from the ever-improving ex-F1-champion Kimi Räikkönen representing Citroen Junior Rally Team.

Neste Oil Rally Finland also hosts several supporting series. Juho Hänninen will challenge Super2000 leading lights Jari Ketomaa and PG Andersson. They will be joined by local aspirants such as Matti Rantanen and Toni Gardemeister.

Further interest will be supplied by group N entries from the likes of Juha Salo and Jukka Ketomäki, who have been starring in Finland´s domestic championship. Both will be chasing PWRC points on this event.

Neste Oil Rally Finland even hosts the international Ford Fiesta Sport Trophy, which attracted a record entry of 14 crews. Eight of those come from Finland.

List of Received Entries

source: nesteoilrallyfinland.fi

photo: willy weyens - rallyworld