World Rally Championship
Rally Finland day 1 (2009x32)
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Formerly known as the 1000 Lakes, Neste Rally Finland is one of the most popular events on the WRC calendar.
It's a fast gravel affair, with high-speed runs along tree-lined tracks, peppered with fast, flying 'yumps' that demand absolute, balls-out commitment.
Rally Finland is based in the bustling student town of Jyvaskyla, located in the lake district area in the centre of the country. To win here, you need a savvy combination of tactical nous, smooth and efficient technique and flat-out commitment to cope with the high speeds, fast kinks and mammoth jumps that litter the smooth, loose-surface stages.
Over the years, the event has been dominated by the Scandinavians. They're used to driving on roads like these since they were knee-high to a grasshopper. That local experience counts.