Latvala and Volkswagen win the shakedown in Finland

Latvala, Ogier, Mikkelsen. The Volkswagen Polo R WRC set the pace this morning during the shakedown of Rally of Finland, eighth round of the 2016 World Rally Championship. The three-time winner of the event and double title holder on his land, was the fastest by completing a passage in 2'05″5, and ahead of the two other Volkswagen Polo R's Sébastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen, both pointed at 0″5 from the Finn.

The closest pursuer of the “Flying Polo” is called Thierry Neuville, qui place la première Hyundai i20 en quatrième position à six dixièmes de Latvala. Mads Ostberg est le meilleur représentant du clan Ford avec la Fiesta RS du Team M-Sport en cinquième position et précède Hayden Paddon (Hyundai), Ott Tänak (Ford Fiesta – Dmack), the two DS3 WRCs of Kris Meeke and Craig Breen and the third Hyundai i20 from Kevin Abring, who replaces Dani Sordo, withdrawn after a back injury.

Eric Camilli places his Ford Fiesta RS – M-Sport in eleventh position, ahead of the two official Skoda Fabias of Pontus Tidemand and Esapekka Lappi, dominators in WRC-2. Note that Yazeed Al-Rahji made a mistake at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta RS.

The first special stage of the Rally Finland will begin this evening at 18 p.m. French time, before the first real stage scheduled for tomorrow morning at 6:13 a.m.

Provisional shakedown classification Rally Finland:

1. Jari-Matti Latvala – Miika Antilla (Volkswagen Polo R): 2’05″5
2. Sébastien Ogier – Julien Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R): 2’06″0
3. Andreas Mikkelsen – Andreas Jäger (Volkswagen Polo R): 2’06″0
4. Thierry Neuville – Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20): 2’06″1
5. Mads Ostberg – Ola Floene (Ford Fiesta RS): 2’06″4
6. Hayden Paddon – John Kennard (Hyundai i20): 2’06″5
7. Ott Tänak – Raigo Molder (Ford Fiesta RS): 2’06″9
8. Kris Meeke – Paul Nagle (DS3 WRC): 2’07″3
9. Craig Breen – Scott Martin (DS3 WRC): 2’07″3
10. Kevin Abbring – Sebastian Marshall (Hyundai i20): 2’08″9