Secto Rally Finland 2025: The Story of a Homecoming

Rally Finland, the land of a thousand lakes and endless gravel roads, is revered as the World Rally Championship’s most electrifying event. The 2025 edition, held from 31 July to 3 August, was a festival of speed, unpredictability, and local heroics, centred in Jyväskylä’s heartland. This year’s rally became historic — not just for its fierce competition, but for a moment many Finns had yearned for since the days of legends: a home driver atop the podium.

The Finnish Challenge: A Parade of Speed

Rally Finland is often described as “simple to explain, hard to master.” Its stages, such as Ouninpohja and Ruuhimäki, offer fast, flowing roads where commitment reigns and any hesitation can mean lost seconds. With 20 special stages covering nearly 310km, and a start list brimming with world-class talent, the 74th edition promised drama — and delivered, in every sense.

Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

Home team Toyota arrived as defending champions, fielding a formidable squad. Leading the attack was Kalle Rovanperä, contesting his first full season after a partial 2024 campaign, with co-driver Jonne Halttunen. Alongside them: Elfyn Evans with Scott Martin, seasoned and consistent; veteran Sébastien Ogier with Vincent Landais, running select events; and Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta paired with Aaron Johnston. Notably, rising Finn Sami Pajari joined the full-time roster, debuting as a Rally1 regular with Marko Salminen

Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT

Hyundai entered Rally Finland as strong contenders: reigning champion Thierry Neuville (with Martijn Wydaeghe) hoping to kick-start his season; Estonian ace Ott Tänak with Martin Järveoja; and young French talent Adrien Fourmaux with Alexandre Coria.

M-Sport Ford WRT

The British team continued evolving, bringing Grégoire Munster/Louis Louka, Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy, and Latvian young gun Mārtiņš Sesks/Renārs Francis.

Not to be forgotten, privateers and Rally2 stars including Oliver Solberg and Roope Korhonen kept the Finnish challenge alive for the support categories.

Key Moments and Turning Points

A Break in the Curse: Rovanperä’s Weekend

For eight years, Finns watched Rally Finland end with someone else’s anthem. This year, it was different. Kalle Rovanperä, who had come close in previous editions, arrived with unfinished business — and local expectations on his shoulders.

From the opening shakedown at Ruuhimäki, Rovanperä’s intent was clear. The Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 sang down the stages, while rivals scrambled for answers. Despite a brief scare with a deflating tyre on the Päijälä test, he doubled his advantage Saturday morning, showing technical mastery on the loose Finnish gravel. Home comfort helped recapture his famous cool, and he never looked back.

On the iconic Ouninpohja Power Stage, Rovanperä executed a near-perfect run, sealing victory with a time that underlined his dominance. The crowd’s roar as he took the podium echoed their relief: Finland’s eight-year drought was over.

Challenges and Adversity

Ott Tänak’s hopes unravelled with a five-minute penalty after a scrutineer incident — a blow for Hyundai’s championship ambitions. Despite flashes of speed (including a shakedown win), Tänak’s rally was defined by frustration, ending outside the top battle.

Elfyn Evans, seeking championship salvation, attacked fiercely, especially on Sunday. His battles with Rovanperä and Ogier were highlights, not least on stretches like the Yellowhouse Jump and Kakaristo Junction. Evans’ Super Sunday charge ensured maximum points in the Wolfpower stage and kept his championship bid alive.

Sebastien Ogier maintained his perfect 2025 podium record, balancing speed with precision, even as the younger Finns stretched the pace.

Standout Stages: Ouninpohja and Beyond

Few stages worldwide generate heart-pounding moments like Ouninpohja. The jumps, tight corners, and technical flow make it a test of both courage and calculation. This year, the drama peaked: close margins, narrow saves, and a packed roadside crowd.

Rovanperä’s performance on these legendary roads was particularly special: he found seconds others could not, his driving responding to the electric home crowd lining the forests. When he flew over the jumps, tradition and innovation met in the purest form of Finnish rallying

Results: The Finnish Flag Flies High

Rally1: The Heads of State

Toyota’s sweep of the top five places was an emphatic display of engineering, teamwork, and driver talent.

Championships Standings (After Finland)

Drivers

• Elfyn Evans: 176pts

• Kalle Rovanperä: 173pts

• Sebastien Ogier: 163pts

• Ott Tänak: 163pts

• Thierry Neuville: 125pts

Manufacturers

• Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT: 458pts

• Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT: 371pts

• M-Sport Ford WRT: 129pts

Support Categories: WRC2, WRC3, Junior WRC

The show wasn’t limited to the top class. Roope Korhonen won WRC2 for Toyota, ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala. Taylor Gill and Daniel Brkic took top honours in WRC3, while Eamonn Kelly and Conor Mohan claimed the junior category.

Standout performances by privateers and juniors highlighted the rally’s inclusivity and passion across skill levels.

Reflections: Rally Finland’s Soul

Rally Finland 2025 served as a textbook for the sport’s essence: speed, bravery, risk, and reward. For Rovanperä, it was both a personal and national triumph. For Toyota, a demonstration of unyielding dominance. But for rally fans worldwide, it was a celebration of all that makes Finland the beating heart of the WRC.

Rarely does a home win resonate so profoundly – not in boardrooms, but in forests, on gravel, in the shared pride of an entire nation. As the dust settles and teams regroup for the next challenge, memories of this year’s event will live on — a true testament to rallying’s unique culture.