As much as we love our scenic, atmospheric images at McKlein, we know you can’t beat a photo of a rally car flying in the air.
Everyone loves jumps, the higher, the better. Here’s a gallery featuring 10 of our favorites – feel free to chip-in with your own suggestions for the best flyers in the business.
– Colin McMaster
Jussi Kynsilehto & Martin Holmes – Ford Escort Mk1, 1000 Lakes Rally 1975
I have to admit that I don’t know much about Jussi Kynsilehto, but everybody has heard of Martin Holmes. He was somewhat of a pioneer, the original ‘World’ rally journalist. Kynsilehto and Holmes’ 1975 Rally Finland didn’t last much further than this crest however, this was a leap-too-high for mid-1970s suspension to handle. Legend has it that Holmes was reading (borrowed) pace-notes from Timo Mäkinen and the line “Slow down”, which should have been before this crest, had been omitted because Mäkinen knew it well. Kynsilehto and Holmes didn’t. [photo: Kalle Riggare]
Walter Röhrl & Christian Geistdörfer – Audi Quattro Sport, Rally Portugal 1985
This is the big Fafe jump on Rally Portugal, probably the most famous crest in the WRC. It’s evolved over the years, becoming ever more heavily policed and commercialized with plastic sponsor banners, but the contours of the jump itself, and therefore the challenge, remain unchanged. [photo: Reinhard Klein]
Colin McRae & Nicky Grist – Subaru Impreza WRC, Rally Australia 1997
Two downhill jumps and a watersplash made the last 300 meters of the Bunnings stage in Australia a favorite for both media and fans alike. In 1997 Grist read the notes, “…caution five-right-plus over big jump, into six-left over jump, 50, crest…” and McRae did the rest, and then some. This piece of action, captured by TV with the crowd’s audible gasps, is the stuff of rally legends. [photo: Colin McMaster]
Colin McRae & Nicky Grist – Ford Focus RS WRC, Rally Australia 2001
A few kilometers before the famous Bunnings jumps was a lesser known crest, deep in dense forest. Or at least it was, up until 2001 when the plantation was felled and I saw this driving a pre-rally recce with my friend, WRC cameraman Kevin Vernall. Using the TV helicopter as our taxi, we went there on rally day and recorded this sideways jump. We were the only people there to see it. [photo: Colin McMaster]
Sébastien Loeb & Daniel Elena – Citroën Xsara WRC, Rallye Deutschland 2002
The Panzerplatte stage in Germany’s Baumholder military stages is home to 'Gina', a massive compression-dip before a crest. In 2002 I shot this from afar, using a 300mm telephoto lens, dangling out of the window of a hovering helicopter. The downdraught of the heli blades made it a tough shot to pull off, the result being a unique angle showing this undulating ribbon of asphalt. [photo: Colin McMaster]
Markko Märtin & Michael Park – Ford Focus WRC 2003, Rally Finland 2003
Ouninpohja in Finland is the ultimate rollercoaster of a rally stage. This is the 'Yellow House Jump', made popular after Reinhard Klein went there in 1997 and included it in the 1998 McKlein wall calendar. In 1997 it was just Klein, one man and his dog, thereafter the crowds came. Nobody leaped further here than Markko Märtin in 2003, his in-flight speed was recorded at 106mph. [photo: Bob McCaffrey]
Ott Tänak & Martin Järveoja – Ford Fiesta WRC, Rally Finland 2017
Another highlight of Ouninpohja is the 'Amazon Jump'. Unlike most of the others in this gallery it’s a crest on a corner, meaning sideways flight. Presumably the jump got its name when a Volvo Amazon failed to turn left. No such problem for Ott Tänak, who nailed it in 2017. [photo: Colin McMaster]
Gigi Galli & Giovanni Bernacchinni – Peugeot 307 WRC, Rally d’Italia 2006
Micky’s Jump in Sardinia is another eponymous jump, however we don’t actually know who this particular Micky actually is (suggestions welcome). One thing is known, Christ Atkinson flew massively high here in 2006. However, at McKlein we love passionate, colorful images and for that reason we’ve chosen to show local hero Gigi Galli, getting some air in the same year. [photo: Daniel Roeseler]
Evgeny Novikov & Dale Moscatt – Citroën C4 WRC, Rally Finland 2009
With a more-or-less straight and wide road for over a kilometer before this Moksi-Leustu crest, application of the brakes is needed. Nokikov chose to ignore the pacenotes called by Moscatt and kept his foot in. This could have had disastrous consequences, fortunately Novikov, the crowd and motorsport ‘got away with one’ that day. The C4 was damaged on landing. As was the driver/co-driver relationship. [photos: Tony Welam]
Sébastien Ogier & Julien Ingrassia – Citroën C4 WRC, Rally Turkey 2010
At the stage end, Sébastien Loeb said, “We are not jumping, we are flying”. He had a good point, as demonstrated here by his compatriot Sébastien Ogier. [photo: Tony Welam]
Eyvind Brynildsen & Anders Fredriksson – Ford Fiesta R5, Rally Sweden 2016
Colin’s Crest on Sweden’s Vargåsen stage may not be the most spectacular jump in WRC, but it has become one of the most famous. It has quite a unique atmosphere and draws a huge crowd, many of whom get so drunk they won’t remember who has jumped the furthest. Quite amazing that the longest (if you can believe any precise scientific measuring ever takes place there) ever ‘recorded’ jump is by a Norwegian, driving an R5 car. They reckon Brynildsen flew 45 meters in 2016. [photo: Sarah Vessely]
Hayden Paddon & John Kennard – Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, Rally Finland 2016
The 2016 shakedown stage in Finland featured was run over the famous Ruuhimäki crests, but in the opposite direction to normal. The usual first crest, became a different proposition when it was the last – now a flat-out table-top flyer. Hayden Paddon didn’t disappoint. [photo: Colin McMaster]
