In this article, we list the fastest special stages in the history of Rally Finland. They are ranked by average speed, with each stage appearing on the list only once, even if high speeds were achieved in other years as well.
10. Moksi – Sahloinen
2023 Average Speed: 133.46 km/h (Elfyn Evans, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)
Moksi – Sahloinen, or Sahloinen – Moksi depending on the direction, is a stage between these two villages featuring impressive ridge landscapes. Much of the stage is run on fast state roads with little need to lift off, but it also includes technical smaller roads. In 2023, the stage direction was reversed, and the western end was modified to change a challenging reverse-angle junction into a forward-angle one, adding a few kilometres of state road.
9. Kruununperä
2003 Average Speed: 133.72 km/h (Markko Märtin, Ford Focus WRC 03)
Kruununperä was run a few times in Rally Finland in the early 2000s. It’s not generally considered a particularly fast stage, as it consists solely of forest roads, but these roads are quite straightforward. The fastest version of the stage was in 2003, but subsequent years saw more technical sections added.
8. Rikkaranta
1978 Average Speed: 134.14 km/h (Pentti Airikkala, Vauxhall Chevette 2300)
Rikkaranta is arguably the strangest stage on the list. Located between Kuopio and Joensuu near Outokumpu, it was run only once in the 1978 Rally Finland. The stage consists entirely of a single state road, often a recipe for a fast stage. This road was not very winding, though its alignment has been straightened during subsequent paving.
Pentti Airikkala’s fastest time in a Group 4 Vauxhall Chevette 2300 set an average speed of 134.14 km/h, holding the record as the fastest stage in Rally Finland for 22 years.
7. Pihlajakoski
2016 Average Speed: 134.63 km/h (Sebastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC)
Pihlajakoski was included in Rally Finland first at the turn of the 70s and 80s, and again in the late 2010s. The earlier version focused on private roads, while the later version on state roads. For 2017-2018, the stage was slowed down with additional junctions, and in 2019, the large road section was replaced with a forest road, preventing new speed records with more powerful cars.
6. Ouninpohja
2017 Average Speed: 135.07 km/h (Esapekka Lappi, Toyota Yaris WRC)
Ouninpohja is known as a fast stage, often the rally’s fastest. However, it has been tempered with both a small road section and chicanes. In 2017, the small road was omitted just as the cars became faster. The average speed could have been even higher if Jari-Matti Latvala’s car had not broken down during the morning run. This year, the stage is included in the rally with both chicanes and the small road section, so new records are unlikely.
5. Parkkola
1999 Average Speed: 135.14 km/h (Juha Kankkunen, Subaru Impreza WRC)
The Parkkola stage has been run in many forms, but in 1999, all private roads were omitted, and there was only one junction, which was not particularly tight. Thus, Parkkola was 10% faster than the rally’s other stages. It was the rally’s first stage, and prophetically, Juha Kankkunen, who set the fastest time, won the entire rally. He even fumbled with the starting lights, losing a couple of seconds!
4. Myhinpää
2015 Average Speed: 135.25 km/h (Sebastien Ogier, VW Polo R WRC)
Myhinpää is known as a fast stage, with the best times set in 2015 with extra pressure from Power Stage points. In 2023, Rally1 cars were slowed by rain, two chicanes, and Kalle Rovanperä’s crash. Based on split times, Rovanperä was on track for a fantastic fastest time, and those behind had to slow slightly at the crash site. The stage is included again this year, so even faster performances are possible.
3. Västilä
2023 Average Speed: 135.45 km/h (Elfyn Evans, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)
Västilä is naturally fast, with few junctions and good-quality roads. It’s no surprise that it has often been the rally’s fastest stage. In 2023, Västilä was slowed by one grain dryer loop, but the average speed still exceeded 135 km/h. The stage is run this year, so new records can be attempted.
In the same form (without the grain dryer loop) in 1994, the average speed was 123.13 km/h by Carlos Sainz in a Group A Subaru Impreza.
2. Konttimäki
2000 Average Speed: 138.21 km/h (Marcus Grönholm, Peugeot 206 WRC)
In 2000, three new stages were added to Rally Finland near Saarijärvi. Of these, Palsankylä remained a staple, but Muittari and Konttimäki were dropped due to their high speeds. The speed in Konttimäki was particularly impressive, setting a Rally Finland average speed record for 23 years. The stage even included a couple of junctions, but the roads themselves featured long straights where the over 200 km/h top speeds of the 2-litre WRC cars could be utilised.
1. Lankamaa
2023 Average Speed: 142.97 km/h (Kalle Rovanperä, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)
Lankamaa has usually been run with a technical small road section, so it hasn’t been considered a particularly fast stage. But in 2023, when the small road section was omitted, it turned into a real speed test. The stage features a few tighter corners, but also several kilometres of flat-out driving.
Lankamaa was run in nearly the same form in 1993. Back then, the fastest time was set by Juha Kankkunen, who knew the road particularly well, in a Toyota Celica – with an average speed of “only” 123.21 km/h.
