Speed’s great. Speed’s an integral part of our sport. But can you have too much speed? When the calendar for the 2024 World Rally Championship was launched last year, I did wonder. I did worry.
For the first time in more than 50 years, the WRC was running back-to-back-to-back uber-fast gravel events: Poland-Latvia-Finland. On paper, it rocked. In practice, would we be done with the whole top gear thing by the time we landed into Jyväskylä via Mikołajki and Liepāja?
Admittedly, the WRC’s return to Poland delivered a considerably slower average speed than in previous seasons (Kalle Rovanperä’s June victory was delivered at 67mph, eight down on Sébastien Ogier’s 2015 win), but Latvia was up there at 73mph. With pace and haste sitting so firmly at the heart of the WRC’s annual gravel grand prix, would engagement hit fever pitch at round nine?
Without question.
Poland and Latvia were both great rallies with fascinating, Sesks-sourced storylines, but Secto Rally Finland’s still the boss. From the moment you arrive into your hotel and eye that first financially nonsensical Lapin Kulta in the minibar, you know you’re in the right place.
The DirtFish Suomi stay was slightly longer than usual – courtesy with the chance to make some fascinating, insightful and deeply fever content with Secto Automotive and LubriCan. Check out our socials and YouTube channel for more details, but a deep dive into Finland’s Group B years and a Sunday drive through Ouninpohja for Colin Clark and Heikki Kovalainen is a very good start. There’s more to come. Much more.
Talking of Ouninpohja, the return of the full-fat, 20-mile edition was more than welcome. It’s incredible how this road has captured the imagination of generations of rally fans. Or it is? This is the place, in 1967, that Timo Mäkinen posted third fastest time in a Mini… with the bonnet up. Just short of 20 years later, Hannu Mikkola likened his feeling to the out-of-body-experience of a fighter pilot as he fired Audi’s fastest ever quattro down the road. It’s special. We know that, but what do the locals think? Is the feeling as strong as ever in Finland?
Secto Automotive founder and executive chairman Matias Henkola smiles at the question.
“Of course we love it,” he said. “It’s Ouninpohja. The legend. The special one. Since we took over the sponsorship of the event [in 2021] bringing the full length Ouninpohja stage back has been something of an ambition for us.
“It’s a stage which is known and talked about the world over. It’s been fantastic to have it back.”
Henkola’s enthusiasm is matched by that of his brother Stefan, Secto lynchpin Sami Heiskanen and LubriCan founder Carlos Pina Vaz. Being around those guys for the week transformed what was already one of the season’s most exciting weeks into an unforgettable nine days. The love, appreciation and sense of responsibility felt for a rally to which they’ve proudly attached their name was incredible.
Similarly special was the ferocious ability Team DirtFish displayed for candy consumption across the week: re-mix (a kind of Haribo with a chocolate addition) was one favorite with Dumle (chocolate caramels) right up there.
All of that paled into insignificance on Thursday morning. Leaving Colin Clark and Eliot Barnard in charge of crew interviews, I decided head of brand Brenten Kelly hadn’t come all the way from Michigan to stand and listen to drivers and co-drivers talking about what they do. It was time for action.
A sensible use of Ruuhimäki for shakedown (starting and finishing just off the main road) made for the perfect opportunity to show BK the true meaning of going ballistic. Standing wait, Brenten was briefly distracted – as pretty much every DirtFish employee is – by a dog. This one was a puppy version of his own pair at home. Politely checking if the pup was pet-able, he crouched down and started chatting to his new pal. Simultaneously, Sami Pajari took flight some considerable distance above his head to cross what has to be one of the most spectacular – and literal – flying finishes in the history of the sport.
Pajari flies over the finish line of the Ruuhimäki shakedown
Predictably, BK was tuned in for the next car. And the one after that.
Colin, Eliot and I are fortunate to have enjoyed a good few Finlands and while there’s never any chance of complacency coming knocking, seeing Brenten’s reaction to just about every aspect of Secto Rally Finland reminded us all how fortunate we are to have such an absolute gem.
So, on reflection, speeds can come close, but nothing truly rivals Finland for airtime and sheer awesomeness.
Kiitos. Again.
