Finnish Rally Championship
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The Finnish Rally Championship is the national rally championship in Finland. The series currently has three classes; Group A (including WRC and Super 1600), Group N (including Super 2000) and a group "n" for Group N cars with a 2000 cc engine limit.[1] The 2008 championship starts with the Arctic Lapland Rally in January and consists of seven rallies.
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[edit] History
The series began in 1959 and featured four events; Hankiralli, 500-ralli, Syysralli and the 1000 Lakes Rally. Esko Keinänen and his co-driver Kai Nuortila took the title with a Peugeot 403. In 1970, Group 2 was introduced with Timo Mäkinen taking the first title. Group 4 championship was contested from 1976 to 1978. In the 1980s, Group A cars were allowed in Group 1, eventually replacing the older homologation entirely. Group 2 was replaced by Group N in 1987 and a new championship was created for Group B cars from 1983 to 1988. Group 4 entrants were allowed to participate in the Group B championship in 1983 and 1984. In the late 1980s, groups A and N were divided into over and under 2000 cc classes, creating the new groups "a" and "n". In addition to the usual classes, the Finnish Rally Championship for Ladies has been contested from 1971 to 1978 and from 1986 to 2000.[2]
[edit] Champions
| Year | Group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (1959-84) / A (1982-) | 2 (1970-86) / N (1987-) | 4 (1976-78, 1983-84) / B (1983-88) | a | n | |
| 1959 | Esko Keinänen | - | - | - | - |
| 1960 | Carl-Otto Bremer | - | - | - | - |
| 1961 | Rauno Aaltonen | - | - | - | - |
| 1962 | Pauli Toivonen | - | - | - | - |
| 1963 | Simo Lampinen | - | - | - | - |
| 1964 | Simo Lampinen | - | - | - | - |
| 1965 | Rauno Aaltonen | - | - | - | - |
| 1966 | Timo Mäkinen | - | - | - | - |
| 1967 | Simo Lampinen | - | - | - | - |
| 1968 | Hannu Mikkola | - | - | - | - |
| 1969 | Jorma Lusenius | - | - | - | - |
| 1970 | Eero Nuuttila | Timo Mäkinen | - | - | - |
| 1971 | Eero Nuuttila | Tapio Rainio | - | - | - |
| 1972 | Eero Nuuttila | Tapio Rainio | - | - | - |
| 1973 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Timo Mäkinen | - | - | - |
| 1974 | Pentti Airikkala | Hannu Mikkola | - | - | - |
| 1975 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Simo Lampinen | - | - | - |
| 1976 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Heikki Vilkman | Tapio Rainio | - | - |
| 1977 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Hannu Valtaharju | Ulf Grönholm | - | - |
| 1978 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Ulf Grönholm | Markku Alén | - | - |
| 1979 | Veli Hirvonen | Kyösti Hämäläinen | - | - | - |
| 1980 | Mikael Sundström | Kyösti Hämäläinen | - | - | - |
| 1981 | Antero Laine | Kyösti Hämäläinen | - | - | - |
| 1982 | Harri Väänänen | Kyösti Hämäläinen | - | - | - |
| 1983 | Mikael Sundström | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Lasse Lampi | - | - |
| 1984 | Mika Arpiainen | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Antero Laine | - | - |
| 1985 | Mika Arpiainen | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Antero Laine | - | - |
| 1986 | Risto Buri | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Timo Heinonen | - | - |
| 1987 | Mikael Sundström | Sakari Vierimaa | Petteri Lindström | - | - |
| 1988 | Mikael Sundström | Tommi Mäkinen | Petteri Lindström | - | - |
| 1989 | Mikael Sundström | Timo Kuivinen | - | Teemu Tahko | Petri Kaura |
| 1990 | Sebastian Lindholm | Arto Kumpumäki | - | Jarmo Kytölehto | Jouni Ahvenlammi |
| 1991 | Lasse Lampi | Marcus Grönholm | - | Jarmo Kytölehto | Ari Saxberg |
| 1992 | Esa Saarenpää | Jarmo Kytölehto | - | Mika Kelkkanen | Jukka Mäenpää |
| 1993 | Sebastian Lindholm | Juha Hellman | - | Timo Niinimäki | Jorma Laakso |
| 1994 | Marcus Grönholm | Jari Latvala | - | Heikki Westerlund | Jorma Laakso |
| 1995 | Sebastian Lindholm | Mika Korhonen | - | Harri Rovanperä | Jorma Laakso |
| 1996 | Marcus Grönholm | Jouko Puhakka | - | Tapio Laukkanen | Harri Rämänen |
| 1997 | Marcus Grönholm | Jouko Puhakka | - | Toni Gardemeister | Jani Pirttinen |
| 1998 | Marcus Grönholm | Jouko Puhakka | - | Esa Saarenpää | Hannu Jokinen |
| 1999 | Pasi Hagström | Janne Tuohino | - | Kari Kivenne | Tomi Tukiainen |
| 2000 | Sebastian Lindholm | Jani Paasonen | - | Jani Pirttinen | Eero Räikkönen |
| 2001 | Janne Tuohino | Jouko Puhakka | - | Tomi Tukiainen | Kosti Katajamäki |
| 2002 | Sebastian Lindholm | Juha Salo | - | Mikko Hirvonen | Eero Räikkönen |
| 2003 | Sebastian Lindholm | Hannu Hotanen | - | Janne Vähämiko | Timo Mäenpää |
| 2004 | Sebastian Lindholm | Juha Salo | - | Janne Vähämiko | Juho Hänninen |
| 2005 | Kosti Katajamäki | Juha Salo | - | - | Marko Mänty |
| 2006 | Sebastian Lindholm | Jari Ketomaa | - | - | Matti Rantanen |
| 2007 | Jussi Välimäki | Jari Ketomaa | - | - | Joonas Lindroos |
[edit] References
- ^ Finnish Rally Championship 2007. AKK Motorsport. Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
- ^ Finnish Rally Championship for Drivers - Champions. RallyBase. Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
