Finnish Rally Championship
Encyclopedia
The Finnish Rally Championship is the national rally
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...

 championship in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

. The series currently has three classes; Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...

 (including WRC
World Rally Car
World Rally Car is a term used to describe racing automobiles built to the specification set by the FIA, the international motorsports governing body, and used to compete in the outright class of the World Rally Championship...

 and Super 1600
Super 1600
Super 1600 is a rally car formula that is primarily used in the Junior World Rally Championship, as well as various national rally championships. Any automobile manufacturer that has a suitable road-going production model in its range may develop a specification for use in this formula...

), Group N
Group N
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to a set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition, often referred to as the "Showroom Class"....

 (including Super 2000
Super 2000
Super 2000, also known as S2000, is an FIA specification and classification for production based race cars. The specification is split to cover both rally and touring car racing. Super 2000 rally cars are also permitted to compete in Super 2000 World Rally Championship events...

) and a group "n" for Group N cars with a 2000 cc engine limit. The 2008 championship starts with the Arctic Lapland Rally in January and consists of seven rallies.

History

The series began in 1959 and featured four events; Hankiralli
Hankiralli
The Hankiralli is a Finnish motor rally, in the European Championship. In 1981, Finnish driver Ulf Grönholm was killed in practice for this event. His son, Marcus Grönholm, later went on to become the 2000 World Champion rally driver. Swedish driver Stig Blomqvist won the event twice, in 1971 and...

, 500-ralli, Syysralli and the 1000 Lakes Rally. Esko Keinänen and his co-driver Kai Nuortila took the title with a Peugeot 403
Peugeot 403
The Peugeot 403 is a car produced by French automobile manufacturer Peugeot from 1955 to 1966.-History:The 403 made its debut in saloon body style on 20 April 1955 at the Trocadéro Palace in Paris...

. In 1970, Group 2 was introduced with Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen was one of the original "Flying Finns" of motor rallying. He is most famous for his hat-tricks of wins in the RAC Rally and the 1000 Lakes Rally-Career:...

 taking the first title. Group 4
Group 4 (racing)
The Group 4 racing class referred to regulations for cars in sportscar racing, GT racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. The Group 4 class was replaced by Group B for the 1983 season.-Production requirements:...

 championship was contested from 1976 to 1978. In the 1980s, Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...

 cars were allowed in Group 1, eventually replacing the older homologation entirely. Group 2 was replaced by Group N
Group N
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to a set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition, often referred to as the "Showroom Class"....

 in 1987 and a new championship was created for Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...

 cars from 1983 to 1988. Group 4 entrants were allowed to participate in the Group B championship in 1983 and 1984. In the late 1980s, groups A and N were divided into over and under 2000 cc classes, creating the new groups "a" and "n". In addition to the usual classes, the Finnish Rally Championship for Ladies has been contested from 1971 to 1978 and from 1986 to 2000.

Champions

Year Group
1 (1959-84) / A (1982-) 2 (1970-86) / N (1987-) 4 (1976-78, 1983-84) / B (1983-88) a n
1959 Esko Keinänen - - - -
1960 Carl-Otto Bremer - - - -
1961 Rauno Aaltonen
Rauno Aaltonen
Rauno August Aaltonen , also known as "The Rally Professor", is a Finnish former professional rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1970s. Before WRC was established Aaltonen competed in the European Rally Championship. He won the championship in 1965, with Tony...

- - - -
1962 Pauli Toivonen
Pauli Toivonen
Pauli Toivonen was a Finnish rally car driver. He drove for Citroën, Lancia and Porsche and had many successes to his credit...

- - - -
1963 Simo Lampinen
Simo Lampinen
Simo Lampinen is a Finnish former rally driver, and one of the first of the "Flying Finns" who came to dominate the sport.-Biography:...

- - - -
1964 Simo Lampinen
Simo Lampinen
Simo Lampinen is a Finnish former rally driver, and one of the first of the "Flying Finns" who came to dominate the sport.-Biography:...

- - - -
1965 Rauno Aaltonen
Rauno Aaltonen
Rauno August Aaltonen , also known as "The Rally Professor", is a Finnish former professional rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1970s. Before WRC was established Aaltonen competed in the European Rally Championship. He won the championship in 1965, with Tony...

- - - -
1966 Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen was one of the original "Flying Finns" of motor rallying. He is most famous for his hat-tricks of wins in the RAC Rally and the 1000 Lakes Rally-Career:...

- - - -
1967 Simo Lampinen
Simo Lampinen
Simo Lampinen is a Finnish former rally driver, and one of the first of the "Flying Finns" who came to dominate the sport.-Biography:...

- - - -
1968 Hannu Mikkola
Hannu Mikkola
Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :...

- - - -
1969 Jorma Lusenius - - - -
1970 Eero Nuuttila Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen was one of the original "Flying Finns" of motor rallying. He is most famous for his hat-tricks of wins in the RAC Rally and the 1000 Lakes Rally-Career:...

- - -
1971 Eero Nuuttila Tapio Rainio - - -
1972 Eero Nuuttila Tapio Rainio - - -
1973 Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen
Timo Mäkinen was one of the original "Flying Finns" of motor rallying. He is most famous for his hat-tricks of wins in the RAC Rally and the 1000 Lakes Rally-Career:...

- - -
1974 Pentti Airikkala
Pentti Airikkala
Pentti Airikkala , was one of the 'Flying Finns' who dominated world rallying in the past four decades...

Hannu Mikkola
Hannu Mikkola
Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :...

- - -
1975 Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Simo Lampinen
Simo Lampinen
Simo Lampinen is a Finnish former rally driver, and one of the first of the "Flying Finns" who came to dominate the sport.-Biography:...

- - -
1976 Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Heikki Vilkman Tapio Rainio - -
1977 Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Hannu Valtaharju Ulf Grönholm
Ulf Grönholm
Ulf Grönholm was a two-time national champion rally driver, from Finland. He was killed during an illegal practice run for Hankiralli in the middle of the night on February 26, 1981 in Kirkkonummi. He was the father of eventual 2000 and 2002 World Rally Champion, Marcus Grönholm....

- -
1978 Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Ulf Grönholm
Ulf Grönholm
Ulf Grönholm was a two-time national champion rally driver, from Finland. He was killed during an illegal practice run for Hankiralli in the middle of the night on February 26, 1981 in Kirkkonummi. He was the father of eventual 2000 and 2002 World Rally Champion, Marcus Grönholm....

Markku Alén
Markku Alén
Markku Allan Alén is a Finnish former rally and race car driver. He drove for Fiat, Lancia, Subaru and Toyota in the World Rally Championship, and held the record for most stage wins in the series until 2011...

- -
1979 Veli Hirvonen Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

- - -
1980 Mikael Sundström Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

- - -
1981 Antero Laine Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

- - -
1982 Harri Väänänen Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

- - -
1983 Mikael Sundström Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Lasse Lampi - -
1984 Mika Arpiainen Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Antero Laine - -
1985 Mika Arpiainen Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Antero Laine - -
1986 Risto Buri Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen
Kyösti Hämäläinen is a Finnish rally driver. He contested 19 World Rally Championship events, winning the 1977 1000 Lakes Rally overall. Hämäläinen also won 13 Finnish Rally Championship titles between 1973 and 1986....

Timo Heinonen - -
1987 Mikael Sundström Sakari Vierimaa Petteri Lindström - -
1988 Mikael Sundström Tommi Mäkinen
Tommi Mäkinen
"Turbo" Tommi Antero Mäkinen , tied with Juha Kankkunen and behind Sébastien Loeb , and fifth in wins .He is a four-time World Rally Champion, a series he first won, and then successfully defended, continuously throughout 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999, on all occasions driving the Ralliart Mitsubishi...

Petteri Lindström - -
1989 Mikael Sundström Timo Kuivinen - Teemu Tahko Petri Kaura
1990 Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian "Basti" Lindholm is a rally driver from Finland. He is a cousin of Marcus Grönholm. Lindholm has won the Finnish Rally Championship eight times; 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006....

Arto Kumpumäki - Jarmo Kytölehto
Jarmo Kytölehto
Jarmo Kytölehto is a Finnish former rally driver. He won the Finnish Rally Championship in three consecutive years, first in Group A and then in Group N...

Jouni Ahvenlammi
1991 Lasse Lampi Marcus Grönholm
Marcus Grönholm
Marcus "Bosse" Grönholm is a Finnish former rally driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2002. After Peugeot withdrew from the World Rally Championship, Grönholm moved to Ford for the 2006 season and placed second in the drivers' world championship, losing the...

- Jarmo Kytölehto
Jarmo Kytölehto
Jarmo Kytölehto is a Finnish former rally driver. He won the Finnish Rally Championship in three consecutive years, first in Group A and then in Group N...

Ari Saxberg
1992 Esa Saarenpää Jarmo Kytölehto
Jarmo Kytölehto
Jarmo Kytölehto is a Finnish former rally driver. He won the Finnish Rally Championship in three consecutive years, first in Group A and then in Group N...

- Mika Kelkkanen Jukka Mäenpää
1993 Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian "Basti" Lindholm is a rally driver from Finland. He is a cousin of Marcus Grönholm. Lindholm has won the Finnish Rally Championship eight times; 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006....

Juha Hellman - Timo Niinimäki Jorma Laakso
1994 Marcus Grönholm
Marcus Grönholm
Marcus "Bosse" Grönholm is a Finnish former rally driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2002. After Peugeot withdrew from the World Rally Championship, Grönholm moved to Ford for the 2006 season and placed second in the drivers' world championship, losing the...

Jari Latvala - Heikki Westerlund Jorma Laakso
1995 Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian "Basti" Lindholm is a rally driver from Finland. He is a cousin of Marcus Grönholm. Lindholm has won the Finnish Rally Championship eight times; 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006....

Mika Korhonen - Harri Rovanperä
Harri Rovanperä
Harri "Rovis" Rovanperä is a Finnish rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship from 1993 to 2006. He drove for SEAT , Peugeot , Mitsubishi and Red Bull Škoda Team...

Jorma Laakso
1996 Marcus Grönholm
Marcus Grönholm
Marcus "Bosse" Grönholm is a Finnish former rally driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2002. After Peugeot withdrew from the World Rally Championship, Grönholm moved to Ford for the 2006 season and placed second in the drivers' world championship, losing the...

Jouko Puhakka - Tapio Laukkanen
Tapio Laukkanen
Tapio Laukkanen is a Finnish rally driver.In 1996 he won the Finnish Rally Championship in a Volkswagen Golf GTi and in 1999 he won the British Rally Championship with a Renault Mégane Maxi twinned with fellow Finn, Kaj Lindström.Other co-drivers include Jorma Kaikkonen, Risto Mannisenmäki, Tapio...

Harri Rämänen
1997 Marcus Grönholm
Marcus Grönholm
Marcus "Bosse" Grönholm is a Finnish former rally driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2002. After Peugeot withdrew from the World Rally Championship, Grönholm moved to Ford for the 2006 season and placed second in the drivers' world championship, losing the...

Jouko Puhakka - Toni Gardemeister
Toni Gardemeister
Toni Gardemeister , is a professional rally driver in the World Rally Championship. After previously competing for SEAT's, Mitsubishi's, Škoda's and Ford's factory teams, as well as for privateer teams, he joined the Suzuki World Rally Team for the 2008 season.-Early:From the outset of his career...

Jani Pirttinen
1998 Marcus Grönholm
Marcus Grönholm
Marcus "Bosse" Grönholm is a Finnish former rally driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2002. After Peugeot withdrew from the World Rally Championship, Grönholm moved to Ford for the 2006 season and placed second in the drivers' world championship, losing the...

Jouko Puhakka - Esa Saarenpää Hannu Jokinen
1999 Pasi Hagström Janne Tuohino
Janne Tuohino
Janne Tuohino is a rally driver.- Career :His began his rally career in 1993 when he entered a Toyota Starlet in a rally sprint. Although his first true rally was in January 1994, in which he drove a Ford Escort RS 2000. By the end of 1994 he was driving in Lancia Delta in which he competed most...

- Kari Kivenne Tomi Tukiainen
2000 Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian "Basti" Lindholm is a rally driver from Finland. He is a cousin of Marcus Grönholm. Lindholm has won the Finnish Rally Championship eight times; 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006....

Jani Paasonen - Jani Pirttinen Eero Räikkönen
2001 Janne Tuohino
Janne Tuohino
Janne Tuohino is a rally driver.- Career :His began his rally career in 1993 when he entered a Toyota Starlet in a rally sprint. Although his first true rally was in January 1994, in which he drove a Ford Escort RS 2000. By the end of 1994 he was driving in Lancia Delta in which he competed most...

Jouko Puhakka - Tomi Tukiainen Kosti Katajamäki
Kosti Katajamäki
Kosti Katajamäki is a rally driver from Finland. He made his rallying debut in 1997 in a Ford Escort RS2000. He won the Group N class of the Finnish Rally Championship in 2001 and the Group A class in 2005. His first World Rally Championship event was the 2001 Rally Finland, driving a Volkswagen...

2002 Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian "Basti" Lindholm is a rally driver from Finland. He is a cousin of Marcus Grönholm. Lindholm has won the Finnish Rally Championship eight times; 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006....

Juha Salo - Mikko Hirvonen
Mikko Hirvonen
Mikko Hirvonen is a Finnish rally driver currently driving for the Citroën Total World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship. He placed third in the drivers' championship and helped Ford to the manufacturers' title in both 2006 and 2007. In 2008, 2009 and 2011, he finished runner-up to...

Eero Räikkönen
2003 Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian "Basti" Lindholm is a rally driver from Finland. He is a cousin of Marcus Grönholm. Lindholm has won the Finnish Rally Championship eight times; 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006....

Hannu Hotanen - Janne Vähämiko Timo Mäenpää
2004 Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian "Basti" Lindholm is a rally driver from Finland. He is a cousin of Marcus Grönholm. Lindholm has won the Finnish Rally Championship eight times; 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006....

Juha Salo - Janne Vähämiko Juho Hänninen
Juho Hänninen
Juho Ville Matias Hänninen is a Finnish rally driver. He is the current Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion and 2011 Super 2000 World Rally Championship champion with co-driver Mikko Markkula driving a works entered Fabia S2000 for Red Bull Škoda...

2005 Kosti Katajamäki
Kosti Katajamäki
Kosti Katajamäki is a rally driver from Finland. He made his rallying debut in 1997 in a Ford Escort RS2000. He won the Group N class of the Finnish Rally Championship in 2001 and the Group A class in 2005. His first World Rally Championship event was the 2001 Rally Finland, driving a Volkswagen...

Juha Salo - - Marko Mänty
2006 Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian Lindholm
Sebastian "Basti" Lindholm is a rally driver from Finland. He is a cousin of Marcus Grönholm. Lindholm has won the Finnish Rally Championship eight times; 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006....

Jari Ketomaa
Jari Ketomaa
-Career:A former kart racer, Ketomaa started rallying in 1995. He made his World Rally Championship debut in 2000 at Rally Finland. He won the Group N class of the Finnish Rally Championship in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he competed a full season in the Production World Rally Championship, finishing...

- - Matti Rantanen
Matti Rantanen (rally driver)
Matti Rantanen is a Finnish rally driver from Lammi.- Career :Rantanen began rallying in 2003 in his native Finland. In 2004 and 2005 he competed in the Finnish Junior Rally Championship, and the main Finnish Rally Championship in 2005 and 2006...

2007 Jussi Välimäki
Jussi Välimäki
Jussi Välimäki is a Finnish rally driver, who scored eight World Rally Championship points during his career, with a best finish of fifth on the 2006 Rally d'Italia Sardegna.-Career:...

Jari Ketomaa
Jari Ketomaa
-Career:A former kart racer, Ketomaa started rallying in 1995. He made his World Rally Championship debut in 2000 at Rally Finland. He won the Group N class of the Finnish Rally Championship in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he competed a full season in the Production World Rally Championship, finishing...

- - Joonas Lindroos
2008 Ari Vihavainen Juha Salo - - Joonas Lindroos
2009 - Jari Ketomaa
Jari Ketomaa
-Career:A former kart racer, Ketomaa started rallying in 1995. He made his World Rally Championship debut in 2000 at Rally Finland. He won the Group N class of the Finnish Rally Championship in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he competed a full season in the Production World Rally Championship, finishing...

- - Joonas Lindroos
2010 - Juha Salo - - Kalle Pinomäki

External links

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