Neste Rally Finland 2016

[dimviii]

hahahah


Tor Andre Børresen
‏@TorAndreBorrese

Here's my video from another awesome @RallyFinland!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q42jT7AsNFE … #WRC #RallyFinland #Motorsportfilmerdotnet @MadsOstberg


krismeeke.com ‏@krismeeke
krismeeke.com Retweet Tor Andre Børresen

Think I prefer to drive.. the spectating thing looks a bit scary! ����

[KKSF]

Crashes, jumps, close calls, max attack - not bad at all for 15th Neste rally visit in row.

KKSF HD video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hbE50bKztc

PS. Tor, don't forget 'S' at the end. )))

[dimviii]

nice video KKSF!

[Hartusvuori]

I'm still trying to recover from last week, putting together pieces of what exactly did I just experience. An overwhelming rallying week and at least now it feels like the best edition of Rally Finland I've gone through.

My rally week started Monday morning at WRC2/3 tests. A little disappointing number of R5 (Lappi, Tidemand, Pedder, Gilbert), but otherwise spectacular place. It ended in a huge crash of Pienizanek. I moved on to Abbring's test. Team was changing the gearbox, so Kevin and Seb were laying off, Kevin watching WRC+ reviews of Finland and Seb just browsing the net. Later on I saw a handful of high speed runs from them. On one of them they touched a haybale and lost front mask. One man came carrying the bumper to the service, saying "this is nothing, I have a rear wing from Malcom Wilson's MG Metro when he crashed in Ouninpohja 1986". Stories like these just float around. Later on the day I managed to see the last two runs of Evans' tests.

Tuesday was more about social events, our friends' get together. However, early in the morning I went to see the crews at the start of Ouninpohja recce. Had a chat with many of them. We also had this silly idea we pulled through, giving Ogier a babybody for his son. Generally I'm not an Ogier fan at all, but I try to think positive. He was positive about it too. https://twitter.com/hartusvuoriwrc/s...33845299294208

Wednesday morning we did recce a handful of stages we haven't recced yet. That proved important later on. In the evening we went to Suolahti to see WRC crews have a go with Valtra tractors. It proved very succesful event, a little dangerous too as those drivers are just boys on the inside and when you give them such a machine and time it, risks get high. Luckily no one crashed. It was also good opportunity to meet up with friends again, from the forum, Twitter as well the stages.

Thursday was the beginning of it. Fourth early morning. We positioned ourselves in the shakedown at the corner after the last, the biggest jump. No view to the jump unfortunalately, but the corner was just as exciting. Several close calls and also a roll number one from Yazeed. It was also nice to meet friends, exchange plans where to go, etc. Later on we visited service park. At the pedestrian bridge that leads to SP area, you normally meet a World Champion. Such was the case this year as well as Juha Kankkunen walked in. Many nice chats in the service park, but top mention must go to Leslie/@TheZeroCar who was with Izuno Kohei's team. Being served dried tofu was not what I was excepting �� Later on a dinner and spectating SS1 Harju at the final corner occured.

Friday was the first proper rallying day. We started with the new stage SS3 Halinen. It was over crest left hander that tightened. It was very slippery for the crews. Mikkelsen slid wide more than a car's width and missed a bedrock by 30 cm which could've ruined his rally. Eventually nothing serious happened however. We moved on to SS7 Koivisto. Using forestry roads and walking over 500 metres through the forest on unpathed route meant we were onto something. Koivisto is a high speed stage (Tänak's average was 130,09 kmh). We spectated at left hander which was preceeded by another left hander and a long fast section. Paddon arrived fully sideways. Gorban almost spun. Bonato had a huge moment. Then came local Jukka Metsälä in brand new Fabia R5 and rolled the car spectacularly. Tough one for the privateer. Last stage of the day for us was SS Surkee 2. We did a high speed right hander on the big road, corner where Armstrong had his huge crash on first run. Serious place. I had to marshall some spectators to give me better sense of safety. But when Latvala and Abbring came 5th gear flat out and tires already on the soft edge of the road with a big rock lying in wait, we started to hope nothing would happen. Nothing did. https://twitter.com/hartusvuoriwrc/s...71936488112128

Saturday and Ouninpohja. Rally Finland classic. For me the first run would also mean the only stage on Saturday as I had a weddings to attend in the afternoon. At first that seemed a disappointment, but on Saturday it started to feel like a well deaerved rest :-) Ouninpohja 1 was fun while it lasted. We had a nice jump into tight right hander. No close calls for WRC crews, but it was spectacular nevertheless. Once stage was stopped, I left the place. Soon after Vetomies started, Nikara had a big moment and then came the Subaru crew that jumped too long and stage was again SOS'ed. Considering Ouni 1 for WRC and Ciamin's crash, it's unbelievable how small sanction he got. You don't drive over 130 km/h on a liason even if it's a closed for traffic stage. Many spectators were moving around. Ciamin rolled four times. FIA should've at least ban him for the rest of the season or even for a year. No mercy.

Sunday morning, the Rally Zombie morning. After a less than 4 hours sleep it felt heaven. We had no proper plan for Sunday, just going to places with tips from friends. We ended up to do three stages in five hours. Oittila 1 at the start on tightening left. Nothing happened. Then we moved to Lempää 2 and realised we had over 2 kms to walk and about 25 minutes time. Sometimes you just are at the right time at the right place. Once we started walking a small road, we were offered a ride on a trolly with leather couch. I've never sat on couch through a forest path. That saved us so much time that we made it in time to the stage. Eventually we returned to Power Stage, Oittila 2, and had to return to the same place as on the first run because all other parking areas were full. While already leaving, Kruuda crashed on the next corner.

This is already too long post, but still just a scratch of all what happened. And I haven't shared a word about the sporting side of the event. Oh my. Leaving to Trier in two weeks makes it easier to settle down. After that it's just waiting again.

[sindroms]

Back from my fourth and third in a last four years Finland WRC. We started from Wednesday, Ouninpohja in both directions and Paijala drive was our shakedown, because of even Ruuhimaki last jump after our 800km in 16 hours didn't persuade us wake up so early. In next day - Aanekoski stage recce, service park visit and city stage. I am not a fan of these kind of stages but it was quite ok to end day like this. We were on last corner before finish. All drivers were more or less in same style only Paddon took this corner in quite aggressive manner.
Halinen stage was the first one for Friday. After 400m straight, easy jump and righthander, little downhill and lefthander over crest then. Mikkelsen woke up us by his little off there. Place was very interesting and demanding, so we decided to stay there and not to rush to Surkee after first 20 cars. Abbring did there in very wide style. Most spectacular part there was vetomies, from time to time I jumped out of my chair to see how it will end but all of them managed stay on road. Jukkojarvi massive jump was our next spot. We had a plenty of time to get there, so we could choose the best places where to stand very easily. To spectate this jump in second run was the right choice - as I understood from WRC highlights in first run jumps were poor. All top drivers did their best with a little braking before jump though, except Neuville - so award for biggest jump goes to him. Interesting that only Ostbergs and Camilli Fords hit the limiter while were on the fly (don't remember about Tanak). When we start snooze Nr.70 2wd car woke up us - crew matched big boys distance but landing was on nose and hard.
Paijala was our Saturday choice. I wanted to see how they will cope with that section along the house (place where Hanninen rolled in opposite direction). Paddon took it in wide style, Abbring was totally wrong on braking - blocked wheels for a while before corner entry. In that place I start to understood why Meeke is a leader. Absolutely perfect line was drawed by him, reminded Loeb to me very much. In second pass we were in four jump sequence with high speed lefthander in the end. Judging by that place I must say VW still got most powerful machinery, it was so obvious there. I had a feeling that Ostberg and Neuville misscalculated something, because of landing after last jump was very clumsy. Seemed like they started to turn it that lefthander already, need to check onboards. R5 was surprise for me there, due to lighter weight they had some kind of frog jumping effect on last two jumps
In Sunday we didn't want power stage 3 minutes gaps so we took Lempaa stage. Righthander over blind crest wasn't bad at all. Some crews took too wide it but there was far from serious accidents. In the end we stayed in parking next to jump with righthander after 30 m. Excellent place if you prefer spectate rally without leaving parking area

Citroen did a perfect rally. Meeke and Breen capitalized their previous Finland experience and road position and reminded how good Citroen WRC is/was. I hope it will give a boost for them all. From a weird things I must admit parking area fee collection. They complicated life to themselves not taking fee on entry but walking along in midnight... Bad surprise in this year was wasps. Every day I was forced to do countless strange moves trying to escape from them However for once I didn't succeed and got a bite in my finger. Luckily in our food reserves was an onion. Fresh slice of onion on bite (highly recommend in such cases) rescued me completely, because I have very bad reaction on these kind of bites.

All in all I am very happy with our trip, spot choices and all the rest!

[Mirek]

Crashes, jumps, close calls, max attack - not bad at all for 15th Neste rally visit in row.

KKSF HD video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hbE50bKztc

PS. Tor, don't forget 'S' at the end. )))

That roof of Tidemand's Fabia after the crash... uff

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Drivers slam tractor chicane...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...icane-on-stage

[SubaruNorway]

Crashes, jumps, close calls, max attack - not bad at all for 15th Neste rally visit in row.

KKSF HD video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hbE50bKztc

PS. Tor, don't forget 'S' at the end. )))

Was that you in the orange t-shirt? Your clips looks like the 2nd time?

[rallyfiend]

Drivers slam tractor chicane...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...icane-on-stage

They're getting a bit precious these drivers....

[Franky]

Drivers slam tractor chicane...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...icane-on-stage

If you are afraid that you might go off the road and hit a tree, you slow down before. What's the difference with that chicane? We saw in Poland how much drivers care about those obstacles. Without fear you do not give a s...