Secto Rally Finland (31 July – 03 August) presents a high-speed problem for the FIA Rally Star crews as the enduring gravel occasion returns for its 2025 version. For Estonian duo Romet Jürgenson and Siim Oja, it marks their sixth WRC2 outing of the season, whereas Australian Taylor Gill and South African Max Sensible head into their penultimate Junior WRC look, the place each stage, break up and second might be essential in a tightly contested title struggle.
Since becoming a member of the WRC calendar in 1973, Rally Finland has constructed a repute as one of the vital iconic rallies on the calendar. This yr, it’ll take a look at the FIA Rally Star crews as they intention to remain persistently fast by way of Finland’s quick, flowing gravel phases, balancing pace with precision over the occasion’s well-known jumps and crests.
For the FIA Rally Star trio of Romet Jürgenson/Siim Oja, Taylor Gill/Dan Brkic, and Max Sensible/Malcolm Learn, this might be a real take a look at of their capabilities. Competing in each Junior WRC and WRC2, the drivers will face fierce competitors as they aim high outcomes. Every is raring to construct on the teachings they’ve discovered thus far this season and make their mark on one of many sport’s most prestigious occasions.
Jürgenson concentrating on third high 5 end.
Recent from a formidable dwelling efficiency at Rally Estonia, Romet Jürgenson and Siim Oja are keen to maintain the momentum going. The duo secured their greatest WRC2 consequence on dwelling soil with a second high 5 end of the season and head into Rally Finland with renewed confidence.
“Estonia gave us lots to construct on,” mentioned Jürgenson. “We’re heading to Finland in a optimistic mind set and with confidence on our aspect. We did the rally final yr, and though the floor differs from Estonia, the pace and rhythm are fairly comparable. We’re assured on quick gravel and aiming for one more sturdy consequence.”
The WRC2 area in Finland, nonetheless, is among the many best of the season, with 27 Rally2 entries together with native title challengers Roope Korhonen, Lauri Joona, and Emil Lindholm, who will little doubt profit from their dwelling area benefit. This implies the Estonian duo might want to lean on each little bit of expertise and rallycraft they’ve collected in 2025 to safe a powerful consequence right here.
Gill Aiming for Fourth Consecutive Podium in Junior WRC Title Push
Taylor Gill and co-driver Daniel Brkic have been a standout drive within the 2025 Junior WRC, taking two wins and a second place from three begins. Heading into Rally Finland, the Australian duo lead the championship by seven factors and are concentrating on a fourth straight podium to strengthen their title bid.
Their final outing in Greece noticed them ship a composed and mature drive to complete second, regardless of a number of punctures on the occasion’s notoriously tough terrain. Now, Finland brings a really completely different problem: flat out gravel pace, one the younger Australian is embracing. “I’m actually excited to get again to a rally the place we are able to push from the beginning,” mentioned Gill. “There’s nonetheless some puncture threat, as we discovered final yr, however total, it’s about committing and driving flat out persistently, and that’s our plan.”
Because of the pair’s sturdy run of kind this season, they nonetheless have a drop-score spherical accessible, giving them the liberty to extract additional efficiency. As Gill explains, “Having a drop spherical nonetheless accessible provides us that additional little bit of confidence to push tougher. We all know that even when we overstep a little bit, we are able to drop that consequence and play it safer within the subsequent one. It provides us an edge over others who’ve already used theirs and now should be a bit extra cautious.”
The pair additionally get pleasure from previous success in Finland, having beforehand gained right here in 2024. “It’s massively useful to have that have,” Gill added. “We’ve acquired all the info, onboards, and tempo notes from final yr, and I do know precisely the place we are able to enhance on our efficiency, the place we have to push and the place we have to maintain again, so hopefully that can give us an additional benefit in Finland and can assist us to take one other podium.”
Sensible Targets Breakthrough Podium on Finnish Gravel
Max Sensible and co-driver Malcolm Learn head to Rally Finland sitting eighth within the Junior WRC standings, decided to safe their first podium of the 2025 season. The younger South African got here heartbreakingly shut in Greece, operating in second earlier than a hidden rock ripped off a wheel and ended their podium cost.
Now again on extra acquainted floor, Sensible is targeted on delivering a “dedicated, assured and mature” drive to lastly convert his potential right into a high three consequence. “Finland poses much less of a menace than Greece by way of terrain,” he defined. “You’ll be able to shift from preserving the automotive to focusing purely on tempo, and that’s precisely what we’re aiming to do.”
Sensible is especially assured in Finland, the place his pure driving model, formed by a background in motocross, usually shines. It’s an expertise he believes provides him a novel edge in Finland. “It’s such a particular occasion due to the variety of jumps,” he mentioned. “I bear in mind final yr, I simply instinctively knew the best way to deal with the automotive within the air, and that undoubtedly gave me an edge in comparison with the remainder of the sphere.”
This might be Sensible’s second time tackling Rally Finland, and that familiarity is one other benefit on the younger South African’s aspect. “Having completed the occasion final yr undoubtedly provides us a lift,” he added. “We’ve reviewed all of the onboards, checked out what labored and what didn’t, and refined our tempo notes. That ought to assist us push tougher and intention for a powerful consequence.”
