*Three former winners line-up for high-speed thrills this autumn
*Top Finnish talents Lappi and Rovanperä among World Rally Car entry
*WRC2 and WRC3 support categories attract a combined 22 registrations
*Four AKK Flying Finn Future Star award recipients in action
A star-studded line-up will assemble for Secto Automotive Rally Finland next month following publication of the official entry list for round 10 of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship.
43 crews are entered for the 70th anniversary edition, which also marks Finland’s hotly anticipated WRC return, when the city of Jyväskylä hosts three days of high-speed action from October 1-3.
The headlining World Rally Car category features 10 of the sport’s top talents, including WRC champions past and present, three former Rally Finland winners and two homegrown heroes, while the WRC2 and WRC3 categories are awash with rapid runners.
Riku Bitter, CEO, AKK Sports, the Secto Automotive Rally Finland organiser, said: “It’s been a very important week for our 70th anniversary event. After we announced title sponsorship from Secto Automotive on Tuesday, we are delighted to now reveal a very strong entry list and it’s a great honour to welcome so many top-level rally drivers to our milestone edition. With such a quality line-up we have no doubt this year’s event will be one of the highlights of the WRC season and talked about for many years to come as the final Rally Finland for World Rally Cars before the hybrid-based Rally1 era begins in 2022.”
Ten of the best in World Rally Car division
Representing Finland-based Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT are Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia, Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin, Finnish pair Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen and Takamoto Katsuta/Keaton Williams. A fifth Toyota Yaris WRC has been entered under the RTE-Motorsport banner for Finns Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm. Ogier/Ingrassia and Lappi/Ferm are one-time Rally Finland winners.
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team can count on Thierry Neuville/Martin Wydaeghe, Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja and Craig Breen/Paul Nagle to drive its trio of Hyundai i20 Coupe WRCs with Tänak/Järveoja vying to win their third Rally Finland.
Gus Greensmith/Chris Patterson and Adrien Fourmaux/Renaud Jamoul form the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team attack in Ford Fiesta WRCs.
Champions on show in WRC2
Reigning champions Mads Østberg/Torstein Eriksen head the WRC2 entry on Secto Automotive Rally Finland in a Citroën C3 Rally2. The category also includes entries for 2020 WRC3 title winners and Finnish pair Jari Huttunen/Mikko Lukka, Junior WRC champion Tom Kristensson and his co-driver David Arhusiander in a Ford Fiesta Rally2, plus former ERC1 Junior champions Nikolay Gryazin and Oliver Solberg, who will be partnered by Konstanin Aleksandrov and Aaron Johnston respectively. Huttunen and Solberg are both entered in the newly-homologated Hyundai i20 N Rally2, while Finns Teemu Suninen/Mikko Markkula partner Gryazin/Aleksandrov at Finnish team Printsport, which is overseeing the two Movisport Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 entries.
Strong WRC3 line-up set for action
Fourteen crews are set for WRC3 action on Secto Automotive Rally Finland. Mikko Heikkilä, the current Finnish championship leader, 2020 champion Teemu Asunmaa and last season’s runner-up Emil Lindholm are among several homegrown aces bidding for success. Finn Eerik Pietarinen, who won WRC2 on Rally Finland in 2018, Spain’s Pepe López and Brazilian Paulo Nobre are also entered in the class.
Big chance for AKK Flying Finn Future Star Joona
Lauri Joona, the 2020 AKK Flying Finn Future Star, will step up to Rally2 level for the first time when he contests his home round of WRC3 in a Škoda Fabia. A competitor in the FIA Junior WRC Championship, which doesn’t include Rally Finland on its schedule this season, Joona is one of four AKK Flying Finn Future Star award recipients in action on Secto Automotive Rally Finland. Jari Huttunen, Emil Lindholm and Teemu Suninen are also entered.
Fiesta Rally3 is Taylor-made
Australian Molly Taylor, a frontrunner in the Extreme E all-electric off-road series, will continue her WRC campaign in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 on Secto Automotive Rally Finland. The Rally3 category is new for 2021 and aims to provide a more accessible opportunity to compete in a four-wheel-drive car. The Fiesta ST Rally3 made its competitive debut on the SM O.K. Auto-Ralli back in March and Taylor is one of the sport’s leading female drivers.
The full Secto Automotive Rally Finland entry list is available HERE.
ENDS
More information and media activities:Linda Hirvonen, National Press Officer, +358 (0) 45 3299696, linda.hirvonen@autourheilu.fi
