[Auto]Arctic Rally Finland course unveiled

[SougarLord]

 

Round two of the FIA World Rally Championship (26-28 February) is the first winter round of the WRC in Finland. It will be based in Rovaniemi, on the edge of the Arctic Circle, and will have 10 sections of 251.08 km.

 

"The Arctic Rally Finland Powered by CapitalBox is the best winter motorsport and we cannot wait to deliver a fantastic, challenging and compact addition to the FIA World Rally Championship calendar under rigorous Covid-19 protocols." said Deputy Secretary Kari Nuutinen.

 

"Ambient temperatures should be between -6 ° C and -14 ° C during the week of the rally, although it could drop as low as -20 ° C. And there will be a lot of snow, or what the Lapps call 'white gold', on the ground. so the conditions are perfect for a winter rally. "

 

The event will include sections already seen in the Rally of Arctic Lapland, which opened the Finnish championship last month, with other parts to be traversed in reverse.

 

Following the shakedown on Friday morning, the rally kicks off in the early afternoon with a double pass the 31.05km stage in Sarriojärvi, northeast of the city.

 

"Sarriojärvi runs through probably the most beautiful terrain in the Arctic Circle," Nuutinen said. "The stages are fluid and it will be one of the drivers' favorites as the second pass takes place at night.

 

"This is the longest stage of the rally and the teams will have to be prepared for some extremely narrow sections and many curves over ridges. The snow banks were one meter high during the recent route planning."

 

Saturday's second stage features a compact route around Vanttauskoski. Mustalampi (24.43 km), Kaihuavaara (19.91 km) and Siikakämä (27.68 km) will be run twice, with the second run in the dark.

 

Mustalampi passes over a frozen swamp before ending up in a spectacular area in a driver training zone. Kaihuavaara is very fast, with narrow and complicated sections, and Siikakämä is the typical forest road of the region.

 

Sunday's final day comprises two passes through Aittajärvi (22.47 km), south of Rovaniemi, and the second counts as the Wolf Power Stage, with bonus points up for grabs in all categories.

 

"This is a legendary stretch of Lapland with an area passing through the Niemelä farms. It is hard to compare to anything else and has to be seen to be believed," Nuutinen explained.

 

Conditions are so extreme that each car must carry a winter survival kit that includes two shovels and warm clothing to protect the crew if it stalls.