FLYING FINNISH

Rally Finland displayed why the WRC remains on top of the world

- Damien Smith

There was a joyful yet hair-raising moment on Rally Finland that seemed to capture the essence of what makes this sport so good for the soul.

Kalle Rovanperä, the 21-year-old sensation who is on the verge of becoming the youngest ever World Rally Champion, was charging through the final special stage of the opening day when, for a split second, he almost lost control of his Toyota GR Yaris. The car slid towards the trees, but Rovanperä caught the moment, and beside him, amid his rapid fire of pace notes, co-driver Jonne Halttunen let out an adrenaline-fuelled "woohoo!" and a big grin momentarily spread across Rovanperä's face. All in the blink of an eye, before they settled back into the serious business of charging across Finland's fast gravel roads at speeds that beggar belief.

These crews live on the edge in the WRC, on every corner of every stage. Even cocooned within the enhanced safety cell of the modern hybrid Rally1 breed, the jeopardy is all too obvious. Yet the rush and sense of sheer elation is never far from the surface, and in Finland, on one of the world's greatest, most historic rallies, that spirit frequently cracked through the professional veneer. It helped that the 2022 edition turned out to be an enthralling modern classic thanks largely to the duel that played out between two fantastic drivers.

AN UNEXPECTED VICTORY