The event, held near the Arctic Circle, closes its registration on 20 January. However, some intriguing entries have already surfaced, including the first Rally1 car.
Greek businessman Jourdan Serderidis is set to compete in the rally with his Ford Puma Rally1 car. Serderidis’ entry has been managed by M-Sport Ford’s WRC team, suggesting this is a warm-up for the Rally Sweden, held two weeks later.
Serderidis, 60, based in Belgium, has participated in select rallies in recent years. Last season, he competed in Monte Carlo, Kenya’s Safari Rally, Greece’s Acropolis Rally, and the Central European tarmac event.
The gentleman driver may not be the only Rally1 competitor in the Arctic Lapland Rally. Last year, Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans used the Rovaniemi-based event as preparation for Rally Sweden. Toyota’s WRC team, headquartered in Jyväskylä, finds the rally logistically convenient.
A trip to Rovaniemi wouldn’t be impossible for Hyundai’s WRC team either, as they already have their own test area in Finland, which they could utilise for Rally Sweden preparations. Last year, Esapekka Lappi encouraged Hyundai to consider the Arctic Lapland Rally as a testing opportunity, though the idea didn’t materialise.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala is confirmed to participate, pairing up with co-driver Janni Hussi in his own Toyota Celica. Latvala has been a regular at Arctic Lapland Rally in recent years. This year, he is competing in the FIA Historic European Rally Championship with his Celica.
From Finland’s top drivers, Mikko Heikkilä, Lauri Joona, and Roope Korhonen are confirmed to participate. All three are focused on WRC2 and will start their WRC seasons in Sweden. It’s likely that other international WRC2 drivers will also head to Lapland.
Last year, Heikkilä claimed victory in the Finnish Rally Championship round in Rovaniemi, earning a traditional trophy of reindeer antlers. The overall winner, however, was Toyota star Elfyn Evans, who dominated the competition.
The Arctic Lapland Rally will take place over two days at the end of January and the beginning of February.
