Arctic Rally Explained

Arctic Rally should not be confused with Rally Finland.

Arctic Rally, currently Arctic Lapland Rally and also known as Tunturiralli, is an annual rally competition held on ice- and snow-covered roads in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland. It has been organized continuously since 1966. In 2021, a separate event based on the rally became part of the World Rally Championship[1] as Arctic Rally Finland. The rally is also part of the Finnish Rally Championship and has previously been a round of the European Rally Championship until 2003 and the FIA Cup for Rally Drivers in 1977 and 1978.[2]

In 2021 the rally was held twice, once between 14-16 January for the Finnish Rally Championship, and again between 26-28 February for the World Rally Championship, as a replacement for the canceled Rally Sweden.

The rally has been won by five World Rally Champions: Marcus Grönholm, Tommi Mäkinen, Hannu Mikkola, Timo Salonen and Ari Vatanen.[3] In recent years, it has attracted competitors from circuit racing. The 2009 entry list included four current or former Formula One drivers; JJ Lehto finished ninth on his tenth Arctic Rally, Kimi Räikkönen 13th on his first-ever rally competition, Mika Häkkinen 19th on his fourth outing in the event while a gearbox failure ended Mika Salo's third Arctic Rally. Most recently, Valtteri Bottas finished fifth overall in 2019, ninth in 2020 and sixth in January 2021. In 2020, Kalle Rovanperä won his first ever event driving a World Rally Car, the Toyota Yaris WRC. Juho Hänninen won the January 2021 event.

Winners

YearDriverCarChampionship
2024 Elfyn Evans Toyota GR Yaris Rally1Finland
2023 Teemu Asunmaa Skoda Fabia R5 EVO
2022 Emil Lindholm Skoda Fabia R5 EVO
2021 (Feb) Ott Tänak Hyundai i20 Coupe WRCWRC
2021 (Jan) Juho Hänninen Toyota Yaris WRCFinland
2020 Kalle Rovanperä
2019 Emil Lindholm Volkswagen Polo GTI R5
2018 Eerik Pietarinen Škoda Fabia R5
2017 Teemu Asunmaa
2016 Juha Salo Peugeot 208 T16
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
2014 Janne Tuohino Ford Fiesta R5
2013 Juha Salo Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
2012 Esapekka Lappi Ford Fiesta S2000
2011 Juha Salo Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
2010 Dani Sordo Citroën C4 WRC
2009 Juha Salo Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
2008
2007 Kosti Katajamäki
2006 Ford Focus RS WRC
2005 Juuso Pykälistö
2004 Jukka Ketomäki Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIIERC N
2003 Janne Tuohino Ford Focus RS WRCERC
2002 Juuso Pykälistö Toyota Corolla WRC
2001 Pasi Hagström
2000 Thomas Rådström
1999 Pasi Hagström
1998 Marcus Grönholm Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205
1997
1996 Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1995 Sebastian Lindholm Ford Escort RS Cosworth
1994 Lasse Lampi Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
1993 Mikael Sundström Mazda 323 4WD
1992 Kari Kivenne Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
1991 Mikael Sundström Mazda 323 4WD
1990 Antero Laine Lancia Delta Integrale
1989 Tommi Mäkinen
1988 Timo Heinonen Audi Coupé Quattro
1987 Mikael Sundström Mazda 323 4WD
1986 Antero Laine Audi Quattro
1985
1984
1983 Lasse Lampi
1982 Timo Salonen Datsun Violet GT
1981 Ulf Grönholm Fiat 131 Abarth
1980 Henri Toivonen Talbot Sunbeam Lotus
1979 Leo Kinnunen Porsche 911 S
1978 Ari Vatanen Ford Escort RS1800FIA Cup, ERC
1977FIA Cup, ERC
1976 Tapio Rainio Saab 96 V4ERC
1975 Simo Lampinen
1974 Tapio Rainio
1973 Timo Mäkinen Ford Escort RS1600
1972 Leo Kinnunen Porsche 911 S
1971 Antti Aarnio-Wihuri
1970 Hannu Mikkola Ford Escort Twin-CamFinland
1969 Antti Aarnio-Wihuri Porsche 911 S
1968 Hans Laine Volkswagen VW 1600 LFinland
1967 Raimo Kossila
1966 Kari O. Sohlberg

Wins by manufacturer

WinsManufacturers
10 Ford
Toyota
9 Mitsubishi
5
4 Porsche
Volkswagen
Škoda
3 Mazda
Saab
2
1 Hyundai
Citroën
Datsun
Fiat
Peugeot
Talbot

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Arctic Rally Finland joins 2021 FIA World Rally Championship . www.fia.com . 2021-01-15.
  2. Web site: Arctic Rally . RallyBase . 2006-11-28.
  3. Web site: Winners of Arctic Rally . Tenab-Tangram . 2006-11-28.