Secto Rally Finland, has some of the most iconic rally stages in the world.
The rally has been formerly known as Neste Rally Finland, Neste Oil Rally Finland, 1000 Lakes Rally and Rally of the Thousand Lakes and has been on the WRC calendar since its formation. It is held around the Finnish Lakeland in Central Finland, with Jyväskylä being the host city. It is among the largest annually organised public events in the Nordic countries, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators each year.
Rally Finland features wide, smooth gravel roads with huge blind crests and massive jumps. Rally Finland has a very specialised surface and flow, there are only seven drivers from countries other than Finland or Sweden to have won the event.
Despite being a gravel rally Rally Finland is the fastest event in the World Rally Championship and is often known as the “Grand Prix of Rallying”.
Along with Fafe in Portugal, Finlands Ouninpohja stage attracts perhaps one of the largest crowds in the WRC. Ouninpohja features a huge jump mid-way through the stage, known as the Yellow House Jump.
Despite Ouninpohja being the headline stage WRC Finland is packed with amazing viewing places. Ruuhimaki (with three jumps in a row),. Mokipera and Palsankyla are also highlights.
All the stages can be driven the day before, and many people do.
Finland’s camping laws are fairly accommodating, allowing people to camp pretty well anywhere, so long you aren’t causing a nuisance or blocking anything. A lot of people get to the stages the night before and camp in vans, and tents or sleep in their car.
Roads to iconic stages get very busy and it is realistically only possible to watch one stage in the day, though each stage is run twice. You need to be at the stage 3-4 hours before the start of the stage.