# 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).

## 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.

## Champions

| Year | Group |
| Year | 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 | Group |
| Year | Group 1 | Group 2 |
| 1970 | Eero Nuuttila | Timo Mäkinen |
| 1971 | Eero Nuuttila | Tapio Rainio |
| 1972 | Eero Nuuttila | Tapio Rainio |
| 1973 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Timo Mäkinen |
| 1974 | Pentti Airikkala | Hannu Mikkola |
| 1975 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Simo Lampinen |
| Year | Group | Group | Group |
| Year | Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 4 |
| 1976 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Heikki Vilkman | Tapio Rainio |
| 1977 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Hannu Valtaharju | Ulf Grönholm |
| 1978 | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Ulf Grönholm | Markku Alén |
| Year | Group | Group |
| Year | Group 1 | Group 2 |
| 1979 | Veli Hirvonen | Kyösti Hämäläinen |
| 1980 | Mikael Sundström | Kyösti Hämäläinen |
| 1981 | Antero Laine | Kyösti Hämäläinen |
| Year | Group | Group |
| Year | Group 1 & A | Group 2 |
| 1982 | Harri Väänänen | Kyösti Hämäläinen |
| Year | Group | Group | Group |
| Year | Group 1 & A | Group 2 | Group 4 & B |
| 1983 | Mikael Sundström | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Lasse Lampi |
| 1984 | Mika Arpiainen | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Antero Laine |
| Year | Group | Group | Group |
| Year | Group A | Group 2 | Group B |
| 1985 | Mika Arpiainen | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Antero Laine |
| 1986 | Risto Buri | Kyösti Hämäläinen | Timo Heinonen |
| Year | Group | Group | Group |
| Year | Group A | Group N | Group B |
| 1987 | Mikael Sundström | Sakari Vierimaa | Petteri Lindström |
| 1988 | Mikael Sundström | Tommi Mäkinen | Petteri Lindström |
| Year | Group | Group | Group | Group |
| Year | Group A +2000cc | Group N +2000cc | Group A −2000cc | Group N −2000cc |
| 1989 | Mikael Sundström | Timo Kuivinen | Teemu Tahko | Petri Kaura |
| 1990 | Sebastian Lindholm | Arto Kumpumäki | Jarmo Kytölehto | Jouni Ahvenlammi |
| 1991 | Lasse Lampi | Marcus Grönholm | Jarmo Kytölehto | Ari Saxberg |
| 1992 | Esa Saarenpää | Jarmo Kytölehto | Mika Kelkkanen | Jukka Mäenpää |
| 1993 | Sebastian Lindholm | Juha Hellman | Timo Niinimäki | Jorma Laakso |
| 1994 | Marcus Grönholm | Jari Latvala | Heikki Westerlund | Jorma Laakso |
| 1995 | Sebastian Lindholm | Mika Korhonen | Harri Rovanperä | Jorma Laakso |
| 1996 | Marcus Grönholm | Jouko Puhakka | Tapio Laukkanen | Harri Rämänen |
| 1997 | Marcus Grönholm | Jouko Puhakka | Toni Gardemeister | Jani Pirttinen |
| 1998 | Marcus Grönholm | Jouko Puhakka | Esa Saarenpää | Hannu Jokinen |
| 1999 | Pasi Hagström | Janne Tuohino | Kari Kivenne | Tomi Tukiainen |
| 2000 | Sebastian Lindholm | Jani Paasonen | Jani Pirttinen | Eero Räikkönen |
| 2001 | Janne Tuohino | Jouko Puhakka | Tomi Tukiainen | Kosti Katajamäki |
| Year | Group | Group | Group | Group | Group | Group |
| Year | Group A +2000cc | Group N +2000cc | Group A −2000cc | Group N −2000cc | Trophy 1400 A | Trophy 1400 N |
| 2002 | Sebastian Lindholm | Juha Salo | Mikko Hirvonen | Eero Räikkönen | Marko Niinisalo | Jorma Laakso |
| 2003 | Sebastian Lindholm | Hannu Hotanen | Janne Vähämiko | Timo Mäenpää | Jorma Pekkanen | Tomi Saaristo |
| 2004 | Sebastian Lindholm | Juha Salo | Janne Vähämiko | Juho Hänninen | Asko Laukkanen | Jorma Laakso |
| Year | Group | Group | Group | Group | Group |
| Year | Group A | Group N +2000cc | Group N −2000cc | Trophy 1400 A | Trophy 1400 N |
| 2005 | Kosti Katajamäki | Juha Salo | Marko Mänty | Markku Marttila | Juha Laaksonen |
| 2006 | Sebastian Lindholm | Jari Ketomaa | Matti Rantanen | Jorma Laakso | Sami Korvola |
| Year | Group | Group | Group | Group |
| Year | Group A | Group N +2000cc (Super 2000 Rally) | Group N −2000cc | Trophy 1400/ 1600 Standard |
| 2007 | Jussi Välimäki | Jari Ketomaa | Joonas Lindroos | Juha Laaksonen |
| 2008 | Ari Vihavainen | Juha Salo | Joonas Lindroos | Mikael Lindberg |
| Year | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class |
| Year | SM1 – 4WD | SM2 – 2WD | SC3 – FIN R 4WD | SC4 – FIN R | SC5 – V1600 | SC6 – Group F |
| 2009 | Jari Ketomaa (Subaru Impreza) | Joonas Lindroos | Janne Eronen | Juha Laaksonen | Kari Hytönen | Marko Uutela |
| 2010 | Juha Salo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X) | Kalle Pinomäki | Mikko Eskelinen | Ilkka Kariste | Risto Laine | Mika Turkki |
| 2011 | Juha Salo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X) | Kalle Pinomäki | Tapani Hulkkonen | Tomi Leivo | Vesa Lehmussaari | Jari Inkilä |
| Year | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class |
| Year | SM1 – 4WD | SM2 – 2WD | SM3 | SM2 & SM3 – 2WD | SC4 | SC5 | SC6 | SC7 |
| 2012 | Esapekka Lappi (Ford Fiesta) | Ville Hautamäki | Andreas Amberg | Joonas Lindroos | Tomi Vihavainen | Pekka Vuorio | Jani Laine | Teemu Asunmaa |
| Year | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class |
| Year | SM1 – 4WD | SM2 – 2WD | SM3 | SC4 | SC5 | SC6 | SC7 | SC8 | SC10 |
| 2013 | Juha Salo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X) | Jussi Vainionpää | Joonas Lindroos | Reijo Mattila | Tomi Leivo | Simo-Petteri Tuunanen | Tommi Järvinen | Markku Harju | Kurt-Ole Ström |
| Year | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class |
| Year | SM1 – Super4 | SM2 – Production4 | SM3 – R2 | SM4 – Super2 | SC5 – Group F | SC6 – V1600 |
| 2014 | Karl Kruuda (Ford Fiesta) | Kaspar Koitla | Samuli Vuorisalo | Ville Hautamäki | Kalle Soini | Jussi Lindberg |
| 2015 | Juha Salo (Peugeot 208) | Teemu Asunmaa | Jari Huttunen | Ville Hautamäki | Mika Aaltonen | Sami Juusonen |
| 2016 | Juha Salo (Peugeot 208) | Teemu Asunmaa | Anssi Rytkönen | Jesse Turunen | Pasi Tiainen | Lauri Joona |
| 2017 | Teemu Asunmaa (Skoda Fabia) | Eerik Pietarinen | Miika Hokkanen | Joonas Lindroos | Edgar Wirtanen | Lauri Joona |
| 2018 | Eerik Pietarinen (Skoda Fabia) | Henrik Pietarinen | Jaro Kinnunen | Erno Kinnunen | Edgar Wirtanen | Jani Lahtinen |
| 2019 | Teemu Asunmaa (Skoda Fabia) | Esa Ruotsalainen | Sami Pajari | Jesse Turunen | Janne Korhonen | Jari Saarnio |
| Year | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class |
| Year | SM1 – Super4 | SM2 – Production4 | SM3 – R2 | SM4 – V1600 | SC5 – Group F |
| 2020 | Teemu Asunmaa (Skoda Fabia) | Ville Hautamäki | Lauri Joona | Sami Korvola | Aki Hirvioja |
| Year | Class | Class | Class | Class | Class |
| Year | SM1 - 4WD | SM2 - 4WD | SM3 - 2WD | SM4 - 2WD | SM5 |
| 2021 | Emil Lindholm (Skoda Fabia) | Ville Hautamäki | Lauri Joona | Oskari Heikkinen | |
| 2022 | Mikko Heikkilä (Skoda Fabia) | Ville Hautamäki | Roope Korhonen | Henri Hokkala | Jere Pensas |
| 2023 | Teemu Asunmaa (Skoda Fabia) | Benjamin Korhola | Justus Räikkönen | Tuukka Kauppinen | Ville Hautamäki |