Finnish Rally Championship
The Finnish Rally Championship is the national rally championship in Finland. The series currently has four classes; Super4 (including R5, S2000 and old WRC cars), Production4 (including Group N cars), R2 (including R2 and R1 cars) and Super2 (including other 2WD cars apart from R2 and R1).[1]
History
The series began in 1959 and featured four events; Hankiralli, 500-ralli, Syysralli and the 1000 Lakes Rally. Esko Keinänen and his co-driver Kai Nuortila took the title with a Peugeot 403. In 1970, Group 2 was introduced with Timo Mäkinen taking the first title. Group 4 championship was contested from 1976 to 1978. In the 1980s, Group A cars were allowed in Group 1, eventually replacing the older homologation entirely. Group 2 was replaced by Group N in 1987 and a new championship was created for Group B cars from 1983 to 1988. Group 4 entrants were allowed to participate in the Group B championship in 1983 and 1984. In the late 1980s, groups A and N were divided into over and under 2000 cc classes, creating the new groups "a" and "n". In addition to the usual classes, the Finnish Rally Championship for Ladies has been contested from 1971 to 1978 and from 1986 to 2000.[2]
Champions
| Year | Group | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | ||||
| 1959 |  Esko Keinänen
|
|||
| 1960 | Carl-Otto Bremer
| |||
| 1961 | Rauno Aaltonen
| |||
| 1962 | Pauli Toivonen
| |||
| 1963 | Simo Lampinen
| |||
| 1964 | Simo Lampinen
| |||
| 1965 | Rauno Aaltonen
| |||
| 1966 | Timo Mäkinen
| |||
| 1967 | Simo Lampinen
| |||
| 1968 | Hannu Mikkola
| |||
| 1969 | Jorma Lusenius
| |||
| Year | Group 2 | Group 1 | ||
| 1970 | Timo Mäkinen
|
Eero Nuuttila
| ||
| 1971 | Tapio Rainio
|
Eero Nuuttila
| ||
| 1972 | Tapio Rainio
|
Esa Nuuttila
| ||
| 1973 | Timo Mäkinen
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| ||
| 1974 | Hannu Mikkola
|
Pentti Airikkala
| ||
| 1975 | Simo Lampinen
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| ||
| Year | Group 4 | Group 2 | Group 1 | |
| 1976 | Tapio Rainio
|
Heikki Vilkman
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| |
| 1977 | Ulf Grönholm
|
Hannu Valtaharju
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| |
| 1978 | Markku Alén
|
Ulf Grönholm
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| |
| Year | Group 2 | Group 1 | ||
| 1979 | Kyösti Hämäläinen
|
Veli Hirvonen
|
||
| 1980 | Kyösti Hämäläinen
|
Mikael Sundström
| ||
| 1981 | Kyösti Hämäläinen
|
Antero Laine
| ||
| 1982 | Kyösti Hämäläinen
|
Harri Väänänen
| ||
| Year | Group B | Group A | Group 2 | |
| 1983 | Lasse Lampi
|
Mikael Sundström
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| |
| 1984 | Antero Laine
|
Mika Arpiainen
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| |
| 1985 | Antero Laine
|
Mika Arpiainen
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| |
| 1986 | Timo Heinonen
|
Risto Buri
|
Kyösti Hämäläinen
| |
| Year | Group B | Group A | Group N | |
| 1987 | Petteri Lindström
|
Mikael Sundström
|
Sakari Vierimaa
| |
| Year | Group B | Group A +2000cc | Group A -2000cc | Group N |
| 1988 | Petteri Lindström
|
Mikael Sundström
|
Sampsa Junnila
|
Tommi Mäkinen
|
| Year | Group A +2000cc | Group A -2000cc | Group N +2000cc | Group N -2000cc |
| 1989 | Mikael Sundström
|
Teemu Tahko
|
Timo Kuivinen
|
Petri Kaura
|
| 1990 | Sebastian Lindholm
|
Jarmo Kytölehto
|
Arto Kumpumäki
|
Jouni Ahvenlammi
|
| 1991 | Lasse Lampi
|
Jarmo Kytölehto
|
Marcus Grönholm
|
Ari Saxberg
|
| 1992 | Esa Saarenpää
|
Mika Kelkkanen
|
Jarmo Kytölehto
|
Jukka Mäenpää
|
| 1993 | Sebastian Lindholm
|
Timo Niinimäki
|
Juha Hellman
|
Jorma Laakso
|
| 1994 | Marcus Grönholm
|
Heikki Westerlund
|
Jari Latvala
|
Jorma Laakso
|
| 1995 | Sebastian Lindholm
|
Harri Rovanperä
|
Mika Korhonen
|
Jorma Laakso
|
| 1996 | Marcus Grönholm
|
Tapio Laukkanen
|
Jouko Puhakka
|
Harri Rämänen
|
| 1997 | Marcus Grönholm
|
Toni Gardemeister
|
Jouko Puhakka
|
Jani Pirttinen
|
| 1998 | Marcus Grönholm
|
Esa Saarenpää
|
Jouko Puhakka
|
Hannu Jokinen
|
| 1999 | Pasi Hagström
|
Kari Kivenne
|
Janne Tuohino
|
Tomi Tukiainen
|
| 2000 | Sebastian Lindholm
|
Jani Pirttinen
|
Jani Paasonen
|
Eero Räikkönen
|
| 2001 | Janne Tuohino
|
Tomi Tukiainen
|
Jouko Puhakka
|
Kosti Katajamäki
|
| 2002 | Sebastian Lindholm
|
Mikko Hirvonen
|
Juha Salo
|
Eero Räikkönen
|
| 2003 | Sebastian Lindholm
|
Janne Vähämiko
|
Hannu Hotanen
|
Timo Mäenpää
|
| 2004 | Sebastian Lindholm
|
Janne Vähämiko
|
Juha Salo
|
Juho Hänninen
|
| Year | Group A | Group N +2000cc | Group N -2000cc | |
| 2005 | Kosti Katajamäki
|
Juha Salo
|
Marko Mänty
|
|
| 2006 | Sebastian Lindholm
|
Jari Ketomaa
|
Matti Rantanen
| |
| 2007 | Jussi Välimäki
|
Jari Ketomaa
|
Joonas Lindroos
| |
| 2008 | Ari Vihavainen
|
Juha Salo
|
Joonas Lindroos
| |
| Sources:[3][4] | ||||
| Year | Class | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SM1 - 4WD | SM2 - 2WD | ||||
| 2009 | Jari Ketomaa
|
Joonas Lindroos
|
|||
| 2010 | Juha Salo
|
Kalle Pinomäki
| |||
| 2011 | Juha Salo
|
Kalle Pinomäki
| |||
| Year | SM1 - 4WD | SM2 | SM3 | ||
| 2012 | Esapekka Lappi
|
Ville Hautamäki
|
Andreas Amberg
| ||
| 2013 | Juha Salo
|
Jussi Vainionpää
|
Joonas Lindroos
| ||
| Year | SM1 - Super 4WD | SM2 - Production 4WD | SM3 - R2 | SM4 - Super 2WD | |
| 2014 |  Karl Kruuda
|
Kaspar Koitla
|
Samuli Vuorisalo
|
Ville Hautamäki
| |
| 2015 | Juha Salo
|
Teemu Asunmaa
|
Jari Huttunen
|
Ville Hautamäki
| |
| 2016 | Juha Salo
|
Teemu Asunmaa
|
Anssi Rytkönen
|
Jesse Turunen
| |
| 2017 | Teemu Asunmaa
|
Eerik Pietarinen
|
Miika Hokkanen
|
Joonas Lindroos
| |
| 2018 | Eerik Pietarinen
|
Henrik Pietarinen
|
Jaro Kinnunen
|
Erno Kinnunen
| |
| 2019 | Teemu Asunmaa
|
Esa Ruotsalainen
|
Sami Pajari
|
Jesse Turunen
| |
| Year | SM1 - Super 4WD | SM2 - Production 4WD | SM3 - R2 | SM4 - V1600 | |
| 2020 | Teemu Asunmaa
|
Ville Hautamäki
|
Lauri Joona
|
Sami Korvola
| |
| 2021 | Emil Lindholm
|
Ville Hautamäki
|
Lauri Joona
|
Oskari Heikkinen
| |
| Year | SM1 - Rally2 | SM2 - Production 4WD | SM3 - Rally3 | SM4 - Rally4 | SM5 - V1600 |
| 2022 | Mikko Heikkilä
|
Ville Hautamäki
|
Roope Korhonen
|
Henri Hokkala
|
Jere Pensas
|
| Year | SM1 - Rally2 | SM2 - Rally3 | SM3 - Rally4 | SM4 - V1600 | SM5 - National 4WD |
| 2023 | Teemu Asunmaa
|
Benjamin Korhola
|
Justus Räikkönen
|
Tuukka Kauppinen
|
Ville Hautamäki
|
| 2024 | Roope Korhonen
|
Henri Hokkala
|
Tuukka Kauppinen
|
Ville Vatanen
|
Arttu Lähdeniemi
|
| 2025 | Esapekka Lappi
|
Patrick Enok
|
Jarkko Nikara
|
Lauri Halonen
|
Jarno Pentinpuro
|
| Sources:[3][4] | |||||
References
- ^ "Finnish Rally Championship". Ralli SM. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
- ^ "Finnish Rally Championship for Drivers – Champions". RallyBase. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ^ a b "SM-Ralli - Voittajat kautta aikojen". rallism.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2 October 2025.
- ^ a b "SM-Ralli - Pisteet". rallism.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2 October 2025.
External links
