Adrien Fourmaux surged to the front after a blistering opening stage, recording a time 1.1 seconds quicker than teammate Thierry Neuville on the Harju super‑special and taking the early lead of Rally Finland’s 75th‑anniversary edition.
Fourmaux Claims Early Command
Fourmaux made light work of the Harju super‑special, a demanding gravel test that favours speed over consistency. “I really tried to optimise everything,” he explained, citing last year’s tight gaps in long stages and the accumulated time‑loss in short ones.
His momentum set a benchmark that the rest of the field had to chase. The Hyundai i20 N Rally1 found the car capable of fresh speeds, showcasing the team’s advancements in tyre and suspension tuning.
Neuville Aims for Speediest Rally Finland
Thierry Neuville, who has yet to win Rally Finland, entered the stage with optimism. “The feeling is good in the car,” he said, anticipating the fastest edition of the event so far. He sees the newly introduced stages as a chance to push the limits further.
Neuville’s time of 1.1 seconds behind Fourmaux placed him second in the opening stage, confirming the Hyundai engine’s capability to contend for the podium.
Ogier, Evans and the Toyota Gang
Returned champion Sébastien Ogier recorded a 0.1‑second split behind Neuville, handing the Frenchman a third‑fastest time. Driving the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, Ogier expressed satisfaction with his co‑driver, Julien Ingrassia, who filled in for Vincent Landais.
Team‑mate Elfyn Evans matched Ogier’s pace, proving the Toyota’s reliability. Meanwhile, Takamoto Katsuta finished fifth, 1.8 seconds behind the pace-setting group, while Sami Pajari, fresh from his maiden WRC win in Estonia, edged just 0.1 seconds slower.
Ford Squad Sees Early Tests
Josh McErlean’s Ford Puma entered Foam rally, with Oliver Solberg coming seventh after understeer and minor errors. The Norwegian driver, supported by M‑Sport‑Ford’s Jon Armstrong and WRC2 leader Robert Virves, remains focused on improving tactics for the home stage.
Finnish contender Esapekka Lappi reported intense preparation, watching footage for several hours and recognising the need to adapt the car’s dynamics to the unique Finnish gravel.
Day One: The Road Ahead
Friday marks the beginning of competitive racing on two loops through Laukaa, Saarikas, Sydänmaa and Hoho, covering 127.94 km. Drivers will have to manage the variable pace and extreme gravel conditions that typify Rally Finland.
All teams will watch the early times closely, hoping to extract maximum performance from the new stages while maintaining handling stability and tyre integrity.
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