Rally Finland: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver Oliver Solberg aims to increase WRC2 lead

› Toksport WRT’s Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson target third WRC2 victory of the season at the FIA World Rally Championship’s ninth round
› Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson, Lauri Joona/Janni Hussi and Robert Virves/Aleks Lesk are also set for top positions in category WRC2
› “Nordic Sustainable Mobility Forum”: Škoda Motorsport displays a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 research vehicle with technical components made from sustainable materials

Mladá Boleslav, 31 July 2024 – With Rally Finland (1-4 August), the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) enters its third fast gravel event in a row. Oliver Solberg (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) travels to Jyväskylä as WRC2 overall leader. As part of the event, the two-day “Nordic Sustainable Mobility Forum” highlights the incentives of the WRC’s stakeholders for a more environmentally friendly future of rallying.

Rally Finland not only offers spectators rally action on some of the world’s fastest gravel stages. Another highlight of the event is the “Nordic Sustainable Mobility Forum 2024”, held on 1 and 2 August in Jyväskylä’s Paviljonki at the edge of the service park. With the slogan “Spark the Future”, stakeholders of the FIA World Rally Championship, event organisers and drivers discuss the path to a more environmentally friendly rally sport.

Škoda Motorsport supports the forum with a special display: a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 research vehicle featuring biocomposite parts as well as lubricants like engine and gearbox oil coming from sustainable sources. Already since the beginning of the 2022 season, all Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 are ready to use 100 per cent fossil free fuel made from renewable sources. This type of fuel is mandatory for all teams entered into the FIA World Rally Championship.

Škoda Motorsport customer team Toksport WRT is using this fuel for the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of WRC2 overall leader Oliver Solberg. “At last year’s Rally Finland, we were the fastest Rally2 crew. But I did not nominate the event to score WRC2 points,” the 22-year-old Swede remembers. “This time around, I want to collect as much WRC2 points as possible and I am targeting season victory number three.” Solberg refers to the specific WRC2 regulations. Each driver can score championship points on not more than seven of the season’s 13 events. Only the six best results count. With the ninth rally on the horizon, the situation at the top of the WRC2 standings gets mathematical.

After two victories (Sweden and Latvia) at the wheel of Toksport WRT’s Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 together with British co-driver Elliott Edmondson, Solberg leads WRC2 overall. Solberg scored WRC2 points on five events so far. Runner-up Sami Pajari is on the same number, third-placed Yohan Rossel is on four rallies. Both are present in Finland, but not nominated to score WRC2 points. This constellation leaves the door wide open for Solberg, to further extend his lead in the WRC2 overall standings with a top result.

Gus Greensmith, on the other hand, has scored on only three events until today. The driver of a Toksport WRT run Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 used the recent Rally Latvia as preparation for Rally Finland. Together with Swedish co-driver Jonas Andersson, the Briton is back in the championship race. “I need a good result to keep my title hopes alive, but the competition is very strong,” says Greensmith, who currently ranks eleventh in the WRC2 overall standings.

Especially the Nordic drivers have lots of experience with fast gravel stages like those in Finland. Among them are the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews Lauri Joona/Janni Hussi (TGS Worldwide) from Finland and Estonians Robert Virves/Aleks Lesk (RaceSeven). They will make the job for Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson and Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson even more challenging. Of the 31 crews entered into WRC2, in total 18 compete with a Škoda Fabia.

After four victories in a row, WRC Masters Cup leader Armin Kremer (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of Baumschlager Rallye & Racing) is not competing in Finland. That gives third-placed Mauro Miele (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of DreamOne Racing) the chance, to reduce the gap to Armin Kremer in the sub-category for drivers over the age of 50 years. Also at home on fast gravel stages, Martin Prokop (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of Orlen Jipocar Team) is set for one of the top positions in the WRC Challenger classification.

Rally Finland offers 20 special stages totalling 305 kilometres mostly on fast and smooth gravel roads featuring numerous jumps. After the Super Special Stage on Thursday in the streets of Jyväskylä, the Friday leg will run over six special stages of around 116 kilometres. The longest day of the rally will be the Saturday with eight special stages covering more than 144 kilometres. After the four Sunday stages, the winner will reach the podium in Jyväskylä at around 3h00 pm.

Did you know, that…
...the event first took place in 1951 under the name “Jyväskylän Suurajot”, roughly translating to “Grand Prix of Jyväskylä”?

…the event was called the “Rally of the Thousand Lakes” from 1959 to 1996, before it was re‑named to Rally Finland?

…the “Rally of the Thousand Lakes” was one of the founding members of the World Rally Championship back in 1973?

…in 2004 on the famous Ouninpohja stage Petter Solberg, father of Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver Oliver Solberg, exceeded the maximum average speed of 130 kph accepted by the sporting authorities?

...the Ouninpohja stage returns after a seven-year break with so-called “virtual chicanes” – a pre‑defined stretch of the stage, where the drivers have to reduce the speed?

Standings WRC2/Drivers (before Rally Finland)
1 Oliver Solberg (SWE), Škoda, 86 points (from 5 rallies)
2 Sami Pajari (FIN), Toyota, 83 Points (from 5 rallies)
3 Yohan Rossel (FRA), Citroën, 71 points (from 4 rallies)

Standings WRC2/Teams (before Rally Finland)
1 AEC – DG Sport Competition, Citroën, 169 points
2 Toksport WRT, Škoda, 153 points
3 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT NG, Toyota, 73 points

2024 FIA World Rally Championship

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