Do you remember these? Here are the 10 most recent completely new special stages in Rally Finland

Many of Rally Finland's special stages have been part of the route for decades, but occasionally new ones are discovered.

Antti Loponen

Reittiasiantuntija/Route expert

07/03/2024,
17:52

The route of the 2024 Rally Finland rally will feature an entirely new special stage. Inspired by this, RallyJournal.com’s route expert reviews the ten newest Rally Finland stages that have not been driven at all in previous WRC events.

1. Saarikas (2024)

Saarikas, near Sumiainen, has been part of both the Jyväskylä Winter Rally and the Peurunka Rally. Nearby, one could find the Äänekoski, Valkola, Lankamaa, and Haapakylä stages, so Saarikas didn’t earn its place in the rally just because of its convenient location.

You can get a sneak peek of the special stage route from this 2014 Peurunka Rally video, featuring driver Jari Huttunen competing as a junior at the time.

2. Halinen (2016)

Halinen stage was only run once in 2016 but twice in the following year. Afterward, the stage continued its life, expanded in route, as Ässämäki for another four years. Andreas Mikkelsen crashed in Ässämäki on the Halinen section in 2018, while Takamoto Katsuta experienced a real moment when his car spun at full speed in 2021.

3. Jokimaa (2011)

When Rally Finland visited in Lahti, a new two-car special stage was run at the Jokimaa racecourse. Lahti had previously hosted a racecourse special stage in the 1960s, but it was a held at a different track, and the competition for the world championship had not yet begun.

4. Koukunmaa (2011)

Koukunmaa is the southernmost special stage run at Rally Finland. Other forest special stages on the Lahti loop, such as Evo, Hyväneula, and Koivukehä, had been part of the route since the 1980s. The unique nature of the road is well conveyed in this video. The road is wide but relatively angular, with hardly any jumps.

5. Kavala (2009)

The Kavala special stage introduced in 2009 did not include a meter of the same road as Kavala run in the 1980s. This new version ended at the Särkikangas motor racing track. The stage was run again the following year, renamed more descriptively as Kolonkulma.

6. Kruununperä (2002)

Kruununperä is surely one of the longest special stages run entirely on private roads in Rally Finland. Even though there are no state roads, there has been plenty of speed. For example, in 2003, Kruununperä was the fastest special stage of the entire rally with an average speed of over 133 km/h.

7. Killeri (2000)

The Killeri racecourse area had previously been part of the Laajavuori special stage from 1983 to 1996, but the racecourse itself had not been visited before the year 2000. The first version of Killeri was run entirely on the racecourse, with cars starting from different sides of the track. The stage was surprisingly fast, with average speeds reaching up to 118 km/h. This pace can be seen in this video at the 32:33 mark.

8. Konttimäki (2000)

The route of the 2000 Rally Finland passed through Saarijärvi on Friday. Alongside old stages Palsankylä and Muittari, the brand-new Konttimäki special stage was included, which, with an average speed of 138.21 km/h, remained the fastest special stage run in Rally Finland until 2023, when Kalle Rovanperä drove the Lankamaa special stage at an average speed of 142.97 km/h. Scenes from Konttimäki can be seen in this video at the 13:33 mark.

9. Tiilimaa (1999)

Tiilimaa is one of the Petäjävesi area stages that combined both wide and narrow roads. It was run in the Rally Finland only this one time, with Thomas Rådström clocking the fastest time with a Ford Focus. The beginning of Tiilimaa, known for its fast jumps, can be seen at the start of this video.

10. Mökkiperä (1998)

The tenth stage on the list also comes from the Petäjävesi area. Unlike Tiilimaa, Mökkiperä became a permanent fixture in 1998. After that, it was run until 2016, with only two years off. The stage was especially known for its jump straight at the beginning.