Rally Finland: Faster, higher, harder!

The WRC calendar features several legendary events. Bang in the middle of its world tour, covering three continents, the Finnish round is an eagerly anticipated moment of the year, both for the crews and WRC fans alike.

Sometimes known as the “Jyväskylä Grand Prix”, it is the fastest race in the championship. When they won here in 2012, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena set an all-time record in a DS 3 WRC with an average speed of 122.89kph!

At that pace, the experience of the drivers and co-drivers and their commitment can make all the difference. In order for the crews to feel confident at these impressive speeds, the DS 3 WRCs undergo specific preparation.

The recent aerodynamic developments and the 2015 parts are going to strengthen our position even further.

Mads Østberg

Four days of testing are scheduled up until the day before recce starts. To go faster, higher and harder, the drivers need raw speed. The chassis must be especially responsive, with less balance than at other rounds. The speeds reached are high, because the majority of the corners are taken in one of the top three gears. The type of ground also affects the set-up. Mads Østberg goes as far as to compare his options to a tarmac set-up adapted to a gravel configuration!

The only driver to finish in the top ten at every event this season, the Norwegian currently lies third in the Championship standings. He will be starting his tenth Rally Finland this year with high hopes.

Able to draw on his growing experience, Kris Meeke also regards this event as one of his favourites. The Northern Irishman finished on the podium last year in only his second appearance at Rally Finland in the DS 3 WRC.

The third driver entered by the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi returns to Finland for what will be his sixtieth World Championship rally. He hasn’t driven in Jyväskylä since 2011.

In the WRC2 championship, Stéphane Lefebvre and Stéphane Prévot will be competing in a DS 3 RRC. Their apperance in Finland is another stage before Rally Deutschland, held three weeks later, where they will competing in a DS 3 WRC.

Quote, unquote

Yves Matton (Citroën Racing Team Principal): “Rally Finland is a particularly important event on the calendar. The Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team prepares for this legendary rally in minute detail. Four days of testing will be used by our three crews to find the right feeling in the car and be competitive from the word go. We know the extent to which this rally is a sprint and that every second counts. The entire team is really up for it!”

Mads Østberg: “I can’t wait to be there! Finland is rallying’s Grand Prix and it’s always a very exciting event. We are going to benefit from a good testing programme. It will help us to prepare and fine-tune the set-up of the DS 3 WRC, which showed it could be competitive in Finland last year. The recent aerodynamic developments and the 2015 parts are going to strengthen our position even further. We’ll need to concentrate on maximising our potential, because my aim is to fight at the front. And if everything goes well, we should be able to finish on the podium!”

Kris Meeke: “I have more experience on the events in the second half of the season. Finland is therefore a round that I am really looking forward to. The stages are fairly similar to the ones we saw last year. There’ll be plenty of excitement and everyone is delighted that the long version of Ouninpohja is back this year. We’ll be able to prepare for the rally with testing before recce. It’s essential to be effective starting with taking pace notes. Adopting the right pace makes the job of reading the lines easier. We’ll also be able to work on the set-up, which is very specific to the high speeds and the big jumps. One of the challenges will be adapting the car to the conditions if the roads become rutted on the second runs. In 2014, I kept up with the front two until the start of the final day. It would be perfect to maintain the same kind of pace, although I know there are quite a few of us who want to fight at the front!”

Khalid Al Qassimi: “I’m pleased to be back in Finland after four years away. The roads are so fast that you have to be incredibly focused. The driver and co-driver must react quickly and with courage. Even the pace notes have to be taken in this mindset. The main objective is to make it to the end in the best position possible. It would be fantastic to finish in the points. I wish the entire team the very best at this Finland Grand Prix!”

Citroën Racing