It is the time of year when the Finnish city of Jyväskylä becomes the centre of the rallying world once again, as the World Rally Championship descends for the Rally Finland. It is the eighth rally of the season, and one of the toughest of them all, as drivers contend with 24 gravel stages over three legs and a total competitive distance of 333km. It is also notoriously fast, and as a result is often referred to as the Finnish Grand Prix.
High speeds mean even second of every stage counts as the margins between drivers at the end are always small. With precise and fast-paced driving the requirement, there are two ŠKODA Motorsport’s FABIA R5s competing in this year’s event.
The Finnish duo of Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm know this course well having won the WRC2 category event last year in a FABIA R5 and always seek to impress in their home rally. Teammate Pontus Tidemand finished in second place last year, and along with his co-driver Jonas Andersson, he doesn’t want to be overshadowed by his colleague this time out.
The stage is set for a thrilling rally, and with this exclusive gallery, you can keep track of how both ŠKODA Motorsport team’s FABIA R5s are doing throughout the weekend.
