The FIA Rally Star drivers are back in action in Finland this week as they prepare to take on high-speed gravel stages of one of the FIA World Rally Championship’s most iconic events (August 1-4).
Having risen to the challenge of snow and ice in Sweden in February, Croatia’s low-grip asphalt in April and Sardinia’s rough and tough gravel stages in June, the super-fast and super-smooth Finnish gravel awaits Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó, Taylor Gill, Romet Jürgenson and Max Smart and their Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally3s run by M-Sport Poland.
Secto Rally Finland is the penultimate round of the FIA Junior WRC Championship season and takes place with Jürgenson on top of the provisional standings with Gill one point away from second position. Smart’s breakthrough podium in Sardinia last time out means there are three FIA Rally Star drivers in the championship top six.
The event represents unchartered territory for the quartet, but they’ve followed an intensive training and preparation plan set by the FIA Rally Star team to be as ready as possible for the task in store.
Consisting of 20 special stages covering a competitive distance of 305.69 kilometres, 61 per cent of the route is new compared to the 2023 event, while 12 per cent of the timed distance has not been used since 1997.
Starting and finishing in Jyväskylä Harbour, the 73rd edition of Rally Finland begins with the mixed-surface Harju stage on Thursday evening. Leg one features nine stages covering 116.33 competitive kilometres. Two loops of three stages in the Jämsä region make up Saturday’s route with the legendary Ouninpoha stage, covering 32.98 fast-paced kilometres, one of the expected highlights. The stage will also include a Virtual Chicane, which is being trialled in the WRC for the first time in Finland. Twin visits to Sahloinen-Moksi and Laajavuori form the leg three route on Sunday with the repeat of Laajavuori counting as the event-deciding Wolf Power Stage from 13:15.
FIA Rally Star latest news and views
- Romet Jürgenson not only starts Rally Finland with a 25-point advantage in the provisional FIA Junior WRC standings, he also heads into the event a recent winner following his victory in the FIA ERC3 category on Delfi Rally Estonia (July 5-7), his home event.
- Taylor Gill, who moved to Finland from his native Australia when he joined the FIA Rally Star programme, tackled the Finnish championship Pohjanmaa Ralli (June 14-15) to get a taste of high-speed gravel driving. He impressed by finishing second in class in 10th overall.
- Max Smart’s maiden Junior ERC podium in Sardinia has propelled the South African to sixth in the provisional championship standings after three rounds.
- Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó spent time in his native Peru to prepare for his Rally Finland debut.
- Miikka Anttila, who won 18 FIA World Rally Championship events as a co-driver, will be supporting the FIA Rally Star drivers in his role as Sporting Advisor. He’s spent time with the quartet in the build-up to his home event providing expert guidance on preparing pacenotes for the high-speed Finnish stages, while also highlighting some of the particular challenges the crews will face.
Watch Be The Next One YouTube series all in one place
The full Be The Next One YouTube series, which follows the FIA Rally Star drivers through the 2023 FIA Rally Star Training Season and provides a fascinating insight into their achievements, has been released with the full playlist available here.
FIA Rally Star pre-Rally Finland quotes
FIA Rally Star Project Leader Jérôme Roussel said: “Rally Finland provides the next stage in an important learning process for the FIA Rally Star drivers. Having experienced snow and ice, low-grip asphalt and rough gravel during their FIA Junior WRC Championship adventure, they now get the opportunity to test themselves on smooth but very fast gravel stages that have played an important role in rallying history. Indeed, it’s probably the biggest event they’ve done in their careers, and it will be a great occasion for them and something I hope they can all savour. But it’s also a very challenging rally with no time to relax. Being committed to their pacenotes with all the jumps and crests they will encounter won’t be easy given their limited experience, but it’s a great way to learn and get better for the future. To do that they have to be clever by focusing on getting to the finish. However, as with every Junior WRC round, we expect to see a good level of pace, in what is a very competitive championship, so there will be an expectation on them to push when it’s right to do so. For Romet and Taylor, Junior WRC Championship points will be priority number one. For Max we want to see a repeat of the great job he did in Sardinia, while Abito’s objective is clear: to keep progressing and improving. We must also acknowledge the help and support we’ve received from AKK Sports during our preparations for the event – and we thank the 3000 volunteers who will help to make the rally happen.”
Romet Jürgenson (EST) said: “I had the opportunity to compete on my home round of the ERC in Estonia earlier this month with the aim of taking the victory but also preparing well for Finland. We achieved both so it was a really successful weekend for us. For us youngsters the main thing for Finland is to get the feeling we need for the commitment and to be fast on the fast roads. We also need to think about the championship, but we can’t just think about winning, we also need to think about the stage points. The final round in Greece is coming next and it’s double points so we really have to do our best in Finland. But Finland is a bucket-list event, definitely. Having watched from the outside as a spectator, to go there now as a driver is just a dream come true.”
Taylor Gill (AUS) said: “I’m massively looking forward to Rally Finland. It’s probably going to be our biggest driving challenge of the year. Obviously the roads are renowned for being really fast and really tricky and all the crests and jumps are really unique to this area of the world. Coming from Australia it’s going to be a big task, but I think we’ve done some good preparation and managed to get some seat time in Finland so hopefully that will stand is in good stead. Regardless of that it’s just a really good opportunity to compete in such an iconic event, with some real iconic stages. Ouninpohja was a stage you used to watch as a kid so that stage is bound to be really cool and something I hope to really enjoy.”
Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó (PER) said: “I have been preparing for Rally Finland with the target to be as clean as possible, that has to be my aim. Like in Sardinia I need to be with full commitment for the pacenotes and I’ve preparing hard at home in Peru. My co-driver Esther has also been doing rallies in Spain, which all helps to make us a little more prepared to face this challenge.”
Max Smart (ZAF) : “It’s an honour to be doing this famous event. It’s a special event that really makes you step up your game with high-speed gravel roads, the big jumps, you really have to be strong in spirit and sharp in your mind. It’s a rally I said I always wanted to do long before I won the FIA Rally Star African Final. After the good result in Sardinia I want to keep fighting towards the front of Junior WRC. I’m really excited to get back in the car and to be with the team again. I’m feeling good so let’s go.”
Secto Rally Finland in numbers
Stage distance: 305.69 km
Total distance: 1372.56 km
Number of stages: 20
FIA Junior WRC Championship event schedule refresher
The 2024 FIA Junior WRC Championship consists of five rounds as follows:
- Rally Sweden (Snow/ice), February 15-18
- Croatia Rally (Tarmac), April 18-21
- Rally Italia Sardegna (Gravel), May 30-June 2
- Secto Rally Finland (Gravel), August 1-4
- EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (Gravel), September 5-8
FIA Rally Star drivers (in Rally Finland start number order)
- Romet Jürgenson (24, Estonia) / Co-driver: Siim Oja (EST)
- Taylor Gill (20, Australia) / Co-driver: Daniel Brkic (AUS)
- Max Smart (21, South Africa) / Co-driver: Cameron Fair (GBR)
- Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó (27, Peru) / Co-driver: Esther Gutiérrez (ESP)
To know more about the FIA Rally Star programme, visit https://www.fia.com/fia-rally-star and follow @FIARallyStar on social media.
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