Finland 2010

THIS WAS THE 60TH RUNNING OF THE RALLY OF FINLAND, BUT NOT ALL IN W.R.C., AND IT WAS GRACED BY A FINISH LEGEND - JUHA KANKKUNEN - WHOSE DECLARED AIMS WERE TO FINISH AND TO BEAT KIMI RAIKKONEN. HE ACHIEVED BOTH, FINISHING 8TH AND KIMI ROLLED HIS CAR AND RETIRED.

NOT THAT KIMI WAS THE ONLY ONE! THE FIRST OF THE BIG NAMES TO GO OUT WAS MIKKO HIRVONEN, EARLY ON DAY 1, WITH A BIG ROLL AFTER ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE JUMPS. HENNING SOLBERG WAS ANOTHER ON DAY 2 TOGETHER WITH A NUMBER OF SPECTACULAR CRASHES - USUALLY WITH THE CAR ROLLING OVER AND OVER DOWN THE TRACK BEFORE COMING TO A HALT.

SEBASTIEN LOEB DID NOT START WELL, CALLING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE AFTER THE FIRST STAGE. HE GRADUALLY GOT IT BACK TOGETHER AND CLAWED HIS WAY BACK UP THE LEADER BOARD INTO 3RD BY THE END, DISPLACING THE VALIANT PRIVATEER, PETTER SOLBERG, WHO HAD NOT SEEN SOME OF THE STAGES AS HE DID NOT DRIVE HERE LAST YEAR.

SEBASTIEN OGIER, PROMOTED TO THE SENIOR TEAM FOR THE REST OF THE GRAVEL RALLIES THIS SEASON, MADE NO MISTAKES AND WAS FAST BUT NOT FAST ENOUGH TO CATCH JARI-MATTI LATVALA WHO DROVE SUPERBLY TO WIN THE RALLY AND BECOME THE YOUNGEST-EVER WINNER OF THE RALLY.

Rally Results posted by
David Little
2nd August 2010

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