The Finnish rally legends were in high spirits in Germany as they took part in the Eifel Rallye Festival, a celebrated event held in the western part of the country. The festival is renowned for showcasing iconic rally cars, and this year was no exception.
Grönholm, a two-time World Rally Champion, got behind the wheel of a Toyota Corolla WRC, the same type of car he competed with in the WRC in 1997 and 1998.
Rovanperä, on the other hand, drove a Peugeot 307 WRC – the exact car he raced in two WRC events back in 2004. The Peugeot 307 is also familiar to Grönholm, as the two Finns were teammates at the French team during that period.
The Eifel Rallye Festival has become a traditional event, drawing a remarkable number of stunning rally cars to the stages. Grönholm and Rovanperä had the pleasure of entertaining a large crowd, with organisers reporting that tens of thousands of spectators attend the event each year.
The mood was light-hearted right from the start, with Grönholm and Rovanperä sharing a smile as they posed for a photo together.
Rovanperä’s run ended three stages early due to a clutch issue, but that didn’t dampen the spirits.
“Great feeling to have been back in business,” Rovanperä enthused.
“I’m thrilled by this event with so many great cars. I promise I’ll be back,” he said, according to a statement from the organisers.
Grönholm, meanwhile, shared a video on Instagram, capturing the joy of shifting gears in the Toyota Corolla during a road section.
Watch a video of the Eifel Rallye Festival below.
