Finnish rallying championship news

[sindroms]

FRC Pohjanmaa-ralli, Laihia, entry list (pdf):
https://akk.autourheilu.fi/Public/Ha...a2ecbe0&full=1

Joonas Lindroos in C2 will lead the way - 4WD drivers will start after 2WD FRC classes.

Since when in Finland is this kind of start order?

[Hartusvuori]

Since when in Finland is this kind of start order?

This is for the first time, as far as I know. It's a test to see how it works. I still don't know why it's so, but still, a test.

[Susiraja]

This is for the first time, as far as I know. It's a test to see how it works. I still don't know why it's so, but still, a test.

To my knowledge they wanted to give more visibility for a change for the 2wd cars also. In the summer time they don't even cut too deep ruts before the 4wd cars.

[Hartusvuori]

To my knowledge they wanted to give more visibility for a change for the 2wd cars also. In the summer time they don't even cut too deep ruts before the 4wd cars.

Also, there are more competition with 2WD cars at the moment. On fast gravel stages they can be very spectacular too, adding the noise it's beautiful.

[Fly]

Tulossivu

[Fly]

Tulossivu

My 5 cents on Nikara and Lindroos.

[br21]

finally, very interesting results... great result by Nikko, Salo had some problems with diff?

[Juha_Koo]

finally, very interesting results... great result by Nikko, Salo had some problems with diff?

Yes, Salo had a broken center diff from SS4 onwards and there was no time in the second service to change it so it was broken until the finish. Nikko had a great rally, although the rally was held in his home region but it was more a mental push and will to win that mattered than knowledge of the route.

Here's a nice onboard from SS6, Salo/Salminen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx45JvkxIvY

[makinen_fan]

Very nice onboard. The manual gearbox and the effort by the driver to change gears adds a lot of value to an onboard video!

[Hartusvuori]

Here are few words from our trip to FRC Laihia. For me, this was by far the closest of the FRC events, but having a rock festival in the city at the same weekend meant I was a little tired 7AM in Saturday morning when my friend showed up :-) Anyway, we managed to recce two stages SS1 and SS3/6. First stage was very fast and flowing with nothing really distinctive place. On the second run of the stage Joni Nikko's average speed was around 128 km/h so that tells a lot. Nothing much to report there expect Jukka Ketomäki ran past us slowly and took a right turn on a junction left and drove home. His Octavia WRC just doesn't seem to hold it together. For second stage, SS3, we had found a nice place with a sight over two crest of which the second was a small jump, then on a left-hand corner with a lot of loose gravel at first. One Civic went off the line on the jump, ended on the gravel, lost grip and went fast into the ditch hitting over a rock. Crew okey, but some damage to the car. It was heavy stuff to pick up from the ditch with one off-place front tire and one locked front tire, no rope to pull with, etc. For the second run of the stage we watched top drivers at the same place and then walked a little closer to the finish on some nice S-bends. All in all, a nice day as it's always is at rallies.

Results wise, Nikko was surprisingly fast even if this rally was held basically in his backyard. Then again, SS2 which is local club's test stage and which Nikko should know well with or without glasses on, he was 3,7s slower than Nikara on 4,65 km stage. But clearly they were the two fastest drivers of the day. Also local Jukka Hiltunen in Fiesta S2000 was nicely fast. In 2WD Lindroos, Mänty, Pinomäki, Kinnunen, Vainionpää, always nice to watch. Off FRC3 drivers Lindroos was clearly fastest, but he was disqualified because he started SS4 too late because electronic main switch troubled. He drove SS5 and SS6 because the crew were not informed of the DQ at the moment. Fredrik Åhlin however was the fastest small 2WD driver, very close with Lindroos and Kinnunen all the time. Those times however are not fully comparable as for example Lindroos drove first (the first stages) and Åhlin was 41st. But Åhlin is fast, no doubt.

Here are my friend's pictures: Laihia SM-ralli 2013

Next rally: 1000 Lakes in two weeks.