Finns turn out in force for rally’s 60th anniversary

A record breaking number of entries in the Fiesta SportTrophy International (FSTi) series will travel to Scandinavia next week for the 60th edition of the iconic Neste Oil Rally Finland.

Eleven Fiesta R2 and three GpN Fiesta ST entries will prepare for one of the most hotly anticipated events on the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar.

The Neste Oil Rally Finland is the eighth round of the WRC and the third round of the FSTi. One of the oldest events on the calendar, Rally Finland is also a firm favourite with drivers and fans alike as it lives up to its fearsome reputation as the fastest rally of the year.

The event, which will kick off on Thursday 29 July and will feature a total distance of 1,307 km, will comprise of 19 special stages covering 310 km. In addition to competing for FSTi honours, each day of Neste Oil Rally Finland will count as one round of the FST Finland championship.

Vaunula Motorsport, the organiser of FST Finland, has opened the national championship to all FSTi registered competitors, making everyone eligible for points and prizes, so there will be even more worth fighting for.

With so many entries in the FSTi field competition is set to be fierce, but Harry Hunt (21) and co-driver Sebastian Marshall (22) will be fighting hard to hold onto their eleven point championship lead.

The British duo currently lead the FSTi class after seizing victory on their FSTi debut in Turkey and then finishing fifth at the recent Vodafone Rally de Portugal.

Since Portugal, the pair have won the IRC 2WD Cup at Rally d’Italia Sardenga, but were less fortunate at WRC Rally Bulgaria last month when they retired on the final day of competition.

Hunt currently lies in joint seventh position in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship (J-WRC) and leads the J-WRC Rookie Trophy.

The 21-year-old will be looking to gain a third consecutive points finish in the FSTi class as he tackles the Neste Oil Rally Finland for the first time.

Harry Hunt said:
“I'm really looking forward to my first Rally Finland, as I’ve heard there is a fantastic atmosphere in Jyväskylä and I've heard that every stage is fast and exhilarating. It will be tough with so many entries for this round – especially as I’m one of the few drivers in the FSTi class never to have competed on Finnish soil – but it will be interesting to see how we fare against the competition. We’re hoping for a smooth, successful rally with a solid haul of points to build our championship campaign.”

To find out more about the Fiesta SportTrophy International (FSTi) log on to www.fiestasporttrophy.com