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]

Kimi Räikkönen driving Citroën C4 WRC at the 2010 event

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 edit

 
With six wins Juha Salo has the most victories in Arctic Rally
 
Kari O. Sohlberg was the first Arctic Rally winner
Year Driver Car Championship
2024   Elfyn Evans   Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Finland
2023   Teemu Asunmaa   Skoda Fabia R5 EVO
2022   Emil Lindholm   Skoda Fabia R5 EVO
2021 (Feb)   Ott Tänak   Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC WRC
2021 (Jan)   Juho Hänninen   Toyota Yaris WRC Finland
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 VII ERC N
2003   Janne Tuohino   Ford Focus RS WRC ERC
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 RS1800 FIA Cup, ERC
1977 FIA Cup, ERC
1976   Tapio Rainio   Saab 96 V4 ERC
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-Cam Finland
1969   Antti Aarnio-Wihuri   Porsche 911 S
1968   Hans Laine   Volkswagen VW 1600 L Finland
1967   Raimo Kossila
1966   Kari O. Sohlberg

Wins by manufacturer edit

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

References edit

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

External links edit

  Media related to Arctic Rally at Wikimedia Commons