Rumours are usually at their most intense around Rally Finland – and this year is no exception. So, we’ve compiled five bold statements and shared our opinions with full reasoning.
Will Kalle Rovanperä retire after this season? Is Hyundai planning to pull out of the WRC? And will Ott Tänak reclaim the world title?
Read below to see how RallyJournal.com journalists Toni Heinonen, Aki Hietavala, and Ville Hirvonen respond to each claim!
Kalle Rovanperä will retire after this season
Toni Heinonen
This is becoming an annual talking point at this time of year. But there’s a reason for it – Rovanperä hasn’t revealed his plans. Still, I strongly believe Rovanperä will race a full season with Toyota next year. If this season doesn’t end in championship glory, could he really just quit? I don’t think so. Surely, Rovanperä wants at least one more title – which may come in the next few years.
Aki Hietavala
He won’t retire. If things don’t improve, his motivation will certainly be tested and he might ponder the idea. But he’s still too young to walk away completely. Perhaps another partial season and some “easy” millions in the pocket.
Ville Hirvonen
I’m actually quite certain this will be Rovanperä’s final season in the WRC. He may not leave rallying entirely, but I don’t think he’ll do full seasons for a while. Maybe at some point the spark returns and he makes a comeback? His season has been tough, and he seems to have lost a certain joy. Why do something you no longer genuinely enjoy? He’s lucky enough to be in a position where he doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t truly want to. I believe he’ll make a dramatic announcement in December – stepping away from the sport, at least for now.
Ott Tänak will win Rally Finland and reclaim the world title
Toni Heinonen
Let’s start with this – Tänak is the number-one favourite to win Rally Finland. And if he does win in Jyväskylä, he’s also the leading candidate for the championship. Tänak has shown true fighting spirit this season – exactly what you’d expect from a champion. So yes, I agree with this claim.
Aki Hietavala
He won’t win Finland, but he will become champion this year. If Ogier doesn’t contest the rest of the season, Tänak will be the 2025 world champion. He’s the only one right now who can really challenge Ogier. But will Ogier want to travel to Paraguay and Chile for nearly a month?
Ville Hirvonen
Yes, Tänak will win in Finland and extend his lead in the championship. Toyota drivers Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans will still be within striking distance after Finland, but will gradually drop off during the autumn. Ogier will be Tänak’s toughest rival for the rest of the season, but Tänak will win his second world title – adding to the 2019 crown. He’s in brilliant form right now. The Hyundai car suits him, and he seems to have found that relaxed flow we last saw during his title-winning season.
Hyundai will leave the WRC after this season
Toni Heinonen
It won’t happen. There have been signals from Hyundai management indicating that the team will continue in the WRC next season as a full manufacturer entry. What happens after 2026 is a different matter.
Aki Hietavala
That’s not true. Hyundai will remain in the WRC through 2026, at least for the final stretch of the current regulations. After that, it’s likely Hyundai will still be involved – but as a private team.
Ville Hirvonen
I actually believed this earlier in the year – but not anymore. Hyundai will continue next year – and maybe even longer. It just doesn’t feel like a manufacturer planning a withdrawal. If they were, we’d likely have seen more obvious signs by now – perhaps even an official announcement.
No Finnish drivers will set a fastest stage time at Rally Finland
Toni Heinonen
If any Finn does, it will be Kalle Rovanperä. Sure, Sami Pajari managed one stage win in his Rally1 debut last year, but based on this year’s form, I don’t believe he’ll repeat that. Still, I believe Rovanperä will clock at least one stage win during the weekend.
Aki Hietavala
Rovanperä will take two stage wins, but won’t be fighting for the overall win. So no – this statement isn’t true.
Ville Hirvonen
No stage wins for the Finns. Rovanperä may show decent pace on a few stages, but no fastest times this year. Tänak will collect the most stage wins, followed by Ogier. Thierry Neuville will get at least one stage win. And here’s a wildcard: Takamoto Katsuta will also take one stage win.
Sami Pajari will find his speed at Rally Finland – and carry that form through the rest of the season
Toni Heinonen
This ties in well with my earlier point. I hope Pajari shows better pace than in Estonia, where he was honestly nowhere. He could perform better in Jyväskylä and move up the results list. But for the rest of the season, I expect more of the same learning phase we saw earlier in the year.
Aki Hietavala
This one’s not true either. It’s hard to see where Pajari could suddenly find the extra speed he needs – and it’s quite a lot, judging by his performance in Estonia.
Ville Hirvonen
I really hope so. Let’s put it this way – Pajari will have his best rally of the season in Finland, but we won’t see any huge surprises. He’ll continue to finish around the same places as earlier this year, and as the season winds down, the speculation around his future will grow louder. Still, I hope I’m wrong. I’d love to see Sami hit form for the remainder of the season and prove all of us doubters wrong. Time to shine, Sami!
