WRC
Rally Finland: OMV Kronos preview
A New Hope for the OMV Kronos Citroen WRT The OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team is ready to take off once again following the almost two months long summer break. The "Neste Oil Rally Finland" marks the beginning of the second half of the FIA ...
Edited: Aug 2, 2007, 3:59 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
A New Hope for the OMV Kronos Citroen WRT
The OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team is ready to take off once again following the almost two months long summer break. The "Neste Oil Rally Finland" marks the beginning of the second half of the FIA World Rally Championship. And Manfred Stohl has big plans for the remainder of the season. The kick-off was marked by 100 kilometres of testing in the Finnish woods on Monday. Testing that wet the appetite of the OMV driver - even though the Rally Finland is a tough place for non-Scandinavians.
One step forward
The summer break didn't mean a holiday for the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team. During the last two months all things possible were done to improve the car - culminating in one day of testing on gravel surface in the Finnish woods on Monday. Thereby the OMV duo Stohl/Minor was able to get acquainted with the modifications. Stohl: "Everything went very well. We completed 100 problem-free kilometres. It is, of course, diffcult to draw a comparison at the moment but we definitely should be one or two tenths of a second faster now. This boosts our motivation."
A highlight of the rally calendar
The Rally Finland is more than just one more run to the FIA World Rally Championship for OMV driver Manfred Stohl. It is the highlight of the rally calendar. This in spite of the fact that there is little to win for non- Scandinavians - as statistics prove. Since 1970 only 20 out of 111 podium places went to someone else than a Finn, Swede or Norwegian. And only three non-Scandinavians (Carlos Sainz/Spa, Didier Auriol/Fra, Markko Martin/Est) were victorious during 37 runs. Record-winner is Marcus Gronholm, who won no less than six out of the seven last rallies. Stohl: "Finland is incomparable. It is a combination of high speed and a lot of jumps. Here you probably have to go much closer to your limit than anywhere else. And the strong Scandinavian presence makes a WRC-point count almost twice as much. But we are ready to meet this challenge and definitely want to score points."
Already EUR 76.560 in the OMV Move & Help account
Since this year's season of the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team is under the sign of OMV Move & Help, EUR 20 will be donated to OMV Move & Help for each completed special stage kilometre. At the eight WRC-runs completed so far, Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor have already taken in 76.560 Euro overall. In Finland further 7.240 Euro are at stake since Manfred Stohl will carry the colours of the OMV Kronos Citroen World Rally Team alone. Move & Help is the educational program by OMV for over 35.000 children and youths in cooperation with SOS Children's Village, Caritas and UNICEF.
362 special stage kilometres on 23 special stages
The Neste Rally Finland will commence on Thursday (August 2) with a super-special-stage in Killeri at 20.00 (local time). 22 further special stages with an overall length of 362,26 kilometres are scheduled from Friday to Sunday (August 3 - 5). The overall length measures exactly 1.382,53 kilometres. The finish line will be crossed on Sunday (August 5) at 13.30 (local time) in Jyvaskyla.
This is Finland
Area: 338.000 sq km @Population: 5.147.000 inhabitants @Population density: 17 people per sq km @Capital: Helsinki (551.000 inhabitants)
Finland is independent since 1917. @Finland has 187.888 lakes. @It is a full member of the European Union since 1995.
-credit: owrt.com
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Stobart's Matthew Wilson trains with Carlisle United
Next article Alister McRae will drive in Rally New Zealand
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Manfred Stohl
Stohl launches electric customer programme with Ford support
Rallycross
Rallycross
Stohl launches electric customer programme with Ford support
Electric rallycross car makes winning debut with Stohl
Rallycross
Rallycross
Electric rallycross car makes winning debut with Stohl
Stohl to lead historic debut of electric rallycross car
Rallycross
Rallycross
Stohl to lead historic debut of electric rallycross car
More from
Citroën World Rally Team
Citroen reveals new-look 2025 WRC line-up
WRC
WRC
Rally Monte Carlo
Citroen reveals new-look 2025 WRC line-up
Ostberg gets full WRC2 season with Citroen
WRC
WRC
Ostberg gets full WRC2 season with Citroen
Citroen open to making WRC car available to privateers
WRC
WRC
Citroen open to making WRC car available to privateers
Latest news
Max Verstappen on GTWC Europe debut: “We’re here to win”
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 5 h
Max Verstappen on GTWC Europe debut: “We’re here to win”
How to watch NASCAR at Phoenix II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
5 h
How to watch NASCAR at Phoenix II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
Ryan Ellis signs multi-year NASCAR O'Reilly deal with Alpha Prime Racing
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
6 h
Ryan Ellis signs multi-year NASCAR O'Reilly deal with Alpha Prime Racing
Ayao Komatsu: Rafael Camara chosen for F1 2027 seat on speed, not Ferrari links
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
12 h
Ayao Komatsu: Rafael Camara chosen for F1 2027 seat on speed, not Ferrari links
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe