Finnish rallying championship news

[Hartusvuori]

Lahti Historic ERC started this morning. After SS4 Jari-Matti Latvala leads by almost a minute. SS1 was cancelled.

Results: Online1 valikko


GENERAL CLASSIFICATION time diff 1st diff prev.
1.( 1)Jari-Matti Latvala 3-D3 24:31,1
2.( 2)Veli-Matti Saarelainen 3-D4 25:26,9 0:55,8 0:55,8
3.( 9)Ilkka Rantala 3-D3 26:21,4 1:50,3 0:54,5
4.( 3)Valter Chr. Jensen(#) 4-E4 26:23,4 1:52,3 0:02,0
5.( 4)Mika Turkki 3-D4 26:23,9 1:52,8 0:00,5

[Hartusvuori]

Here's some beautiful BDA driving from JML:

On board from Lahti Historic Rally - YouTube

His efforts to win the rally ended on the first stage of the day. Technical failure. This meant Veli-Matti Saarelainen in his Asconan renewed his victory from last year.

[Hartusvuori]

Lahti, Historic Rally SS7 comes to a fiery end - YouTube

"A small fire on the air filter and the car and crew are stopped in stage SS7, sadly their day is over. Fortunately the fire was extinguished and the car will be fine with some minor repairs. Crew and Car OK"

[Juha_Koo]

I visited a small test (Pinomäki with Clio R3 and Jonasson with historic Starlet) yesterday and happened to have camera with me so small video --> Testipäivä - Test Day 15.8.2012 - YouTube

FRC Merikarvia next Saturday, notable cancellations: Tamrazov, Hämäläinen, Lehessaari.

Jaro Kinnunen will be codriven by Tuukka Shemeikka, usually codriver to Annala but his season is over after the jump crash in Kouvola.

[Hartusvuori]

Also, a thinh worth mentioning about tomorrow's FRC event is the last, 5th stage. It's 44 kms long. Perhaps someone with more thorough knowledge of Finnish rallying could comfirm, but is this the longest stage ever on gravel (=summer) in Finland? I remember Moksi-Leustu in NORF some years back was over 40 kms, but not this much, and then of course Arctic Rally's stages, but that's in winter.

[rp]

Very interesting to see if Nikara is able to beat Lappi. In Lapua he lost only 1,8 seconds, but it took at least 4-5 seconds when he had to slow down, when Vihavainen was out of the road. And we know what kind of speed Nikara and Lappi were able to show in Rally Finland so now they can continue their performance...

[Hartusvuori]

Rally is live. Lappi made scratch time for SS1, surprisingly by over 7 s. Nikara second and at least at our place, a fast over crest - heavy braking into tight fast right, he was definitely fastest.

Lindroos and Mänty shared fastest time on SS1. It'll be great battle :-)

[Hartusvuori]

SS2 - same story. Lappi, Nikara and Salo. Notably in 2WD Lindroos and Mänty 4th and 5th fastest with 0,3 s between them. Leaves no excuses for rest of the field 4WD drivers...

[Addicted]

Worlds greatest national championshipserie... Two fast guys, then Salo.

And Lindroos battling with group-n Civic for a place on a podium

[Hartusvuori]

I hope you were sarcastic.

Lindroos vs. Mänty battle sure is great. Gap widened, but let's see what Joonas can do on the monster stage with fresh set of tyres.

We found few nice places at the end of the stage. Perhaps someone will reach this far :-) Annoyingly lot of mosquitos still, but no spectators has passed this point in 30 minutes. They know something we don't know? Not that many people on the route elsewhere either.