WRC Crew Heads to Finland. Will Loeb Win Again?

The World Rally Championship heads to Finland this weekend ending a six-week summer break.

The Rally Finland packs its stages into three days from Thursday to Saturday. The rally is made up of gravel roads and is famous for its jumps.

Sebastian Loeb is the favorite to win the round. He has already won 5 rallies this season with 145 points and has a 38 point lead in the championship. He won the Rally Finalnd in 2008 and 2011. His teammate Mikko Hirvonen is second in the championship with 107 points. The CitroënDS DS3 WRCFrance, 2010 > present10 photos
team has a 93 point lead in the constructors' championship. 

“I say the same thing every year; this is not my favourite rally. The stages are magnificent, but the trees are a bit too close to the road for my liking. I have always managed to avoid going off, undoubtedly because I don’t go flat out if I don't feel totally comfortable behind the wheel. To be totally honest, it is difficult to say whether I'll be going for the win or not. I’ve got such a healthy lead in the World Championship that I don’t need to take any risks. But if I feel that I am capable of winning, then I’ll go for it," said Loeb. 

His teammate Hirvonen is from Finland and is aiming to win the round. He says that he feels a little pressure to win because it is his home rally.

"I think that I have now collected plenty of runner-up spots, so it's time to get my first win with Citroën! Obviously, if it could happen at my home rally, I would be overjoyed. I really like quick rallies, and it's in these kinds of conditions that I feel most comfortable in the Citroën DS3 WRC. I hope there will be a good scrap at the front, not just with Seb but also with the other leading contenders," said Hirvonen. 

Below is a video of jumps and slides from the Rally Finland from 1999 to 2010.