Rally Finland is a highly prestigious rally for every driver, especially Finnish drivers. Just like last year, Kalle Rovanpera started the rally with a shakedown on the 4.47-kilometer Rannankyla stage, and started the rally at home fast, making 1.56.3 in her fourth and final pass, opening the weekend at the top as the championship leader.
Second place went to Elfyn Evans, Evans, who had passed the stage three times, looked like he was going to be on top after finishing 1.51.1 on his last try, but Rovanpera had the final word. Esapekka Lappi was third, just 0.3 seconds behind Evans just ahead, while last year's winner Ott Tanak was fourth.
However, this weekend can also be difficult for Tanak, after his first pass, he said, "What the hell, the car is living its own life right now. There are some problems with electricity.” used the phrases.
Takamoto Katsuta secured a strong fifth, while Thierry Neuville, who was aiming for the podium this weekend, was only able to finish sixth. Pierre-Louis Loubet finished seventh, while eighth place went to Teemu Suninen, who will be fighting a Rally1 car for the second time. Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala, who competed in the WRC for the first time in a long time, was ninth, 4.6 seconds behind Rovanpera.
Rally Finland will be held from 25-27 August.
