Finland draws record number of rally entries

The number of entries for the forthcoming Neste Oil Rally Finland has set a 2010 season record - with 102 cars, including 15 World Rally Cars, on the seeded entry list.

The Jyvaskyla based rally, which gets underway on 29 July, also boasts a record-breaking number of 4-wheel-drive cars. This year’s figure of 78 is the highest number in the event’s 60-year history.

All manufacturers registered in the FIA World Championship will be present for this year’s Jubilee event.

Topping the list is championship leader Sebastien Loeb of the Citroen Total World Rally Team. He and team-mate Dani Sordo will drive C4 World Rally Cars. In the manufacturer’s second tier squad, former F1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen returns to the event on which he made his WRC debut in 2009, this time in a C4 world rally car, along with his Citroen Junior team-mate Sebastien Ogier.

Last year’s Finland winner Mikko Hirvonen joins Jari-Matti Latvala as the two points nominated Ford Focus entries for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi team. Abu Dhabi driver Khalid Al Qassimi will pilot a third car for the squad.

The Stobart M-Sport team will field four Focus RS WRCs; two for regular team members Henning Solberg and Matthew Wilson, one for local driver Mattias Therman, and the other for another Finn - four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen.

Rally Bulgaria podium finisher Petter Solberg will be in Finland, driving his privately entered Citroen C4 WRC, while his Norwegian compatriot Mads Ostberg will be back behind the wheel of his Adapta team Subaru Impreza WRC.

In addition to the top level WRC competition, Finland counts as the sixth round of the Production Car and Super 2000 World Rally Championships. In the Super 2000 class, former P-WRC champion Juho Hänninen will challenge Super2000 leading lights Jari Ketomaa and P-G Andersson. They will be joined by local challengers such as Matti Rantanen and Toni Gardemeister.

Further interest will be supplied by group N entries from the likes of Juha Salo and Jukka Ketomäki, who have been starring in Finland’s domestic championship. Both will be chasing P-WRC points on this event alongside the Production series regulars.