Stage report

WRC Finland: Adrien Fourmaux heads early Hyundai 1-2

Fourmaux beat team-mate Thierry Neuville by 1.1 seconds on the Harju super special, with Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans tied for third

Adrien Fourmaux grabbed the early Rally Finland lead after blitzing the opening stage of the famous fast-gravel World Rally Championship event’s 75th-anniversary edition.

The Hyundai driver made light work of the technical Harju super special stage to post a time 1.1 seconds faster than team-mate Thierry Neuville.

"I really tried to optimise everything. I remember last year that the gaps were so tight in the long stages and we were losing more in the short stages. I tried,” said Fourmaux.

Neuville is yet to conquer Rally Finland, but the 2024 world champion reported a good feeling behind the wheel of his Hyundai i20 N Rally1, and is expecting this year’s event to be the fastest ever.

"l'm always hungry. It is not an easy one to win. Let's try. We are going to find out. The feeling is good in the car. There are a lot of new stages and it is probably the fastest Rally Finland I have ever seen," said Neuville.

Sebastien Ogier was third fastest for Toyota Gazoo Racing

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Reigning world champion Sébastien Ogier was third fastest, 0.1s slower than Neuville. Ogier was partnered by Julien Ingrassia, who is making his first WRC start since 2021 after accepting a last-minute call to stand in for Vincent Landais, who is absent from the event due to personal reasons.

"I'm pleased that Julien is there with me for one more time, but all week we will have Vincent [Landais] in the car with us. We will try our best," said Ogier.

Championship leader Elfyn Evans matched Ogier’s time as the Toyota team-mates could not be split across the test. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta was fifth quickest, 1.8s adrift of the outright pace. The Japanese driver, sitting second in the championship, was 0.1s faster than Sami Pajari, who claimed a maiden WRC win last time out in Estonia.

"It is always a tricky stage. It is a really special one to drive. I tried to make a good time, but it is not so easy. We are ready for the action tomorrow morning, bring it on,” said Pajari.

Jon Armstrong rounded out the top 10

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Oliver Solberg took seventh after reporting understeer and several small mistakes ahead of Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi. The Finn is determined to serve up a better showing than what he produced in Estonia revealing that he has undergone extra preparation for his home round.

“Working with the laptop, it is the hardest I have prepared for this rally. It has been a few hours watching videos for sure. It was the only thing I can do,” said Lappi.

M-Sport-Ford’s Jon Armstrong and WRC2 leader Robert Virves completed the top 10.

Friday brings the first full day of competition, with two loops of Laukaa, Saarikas, Sydänmaa and Hoho, totalling 127.94 competitive kilometres.