The 2006 Neste Oil Rally Finland was a motor racing event for rally cars that was held over four days between 17 and 20 August 2006. It marked the 56th running of the Rally Finland, and was the tenth round of the 2006 World Rally Championship season. The event was also the seventh round of the 2006 Junior WRC. The 2006 event was based in the city of Jyväskylä in Finland and was contested over twenty one special stages, covering a total competitive distance of 351.61km (218.48 miles).
Sebastien Loeb, along with Kronos Citroën World Rally Team were the defending rally winners, leading championship rival Marcus Gronholm in the championship by 33 points. Red Bull Škoda Team would miss the event.
Gronholm and co-driver Timo Rautiainen won the rally, their first win since the 2006 Acropolis Rally and their fourth win of the season.
Background Entry list The following crews were set to enter the rally. The event was open to crews competing in the World Rally Championship and its support category, the Junior WRC, as well as privateer entries that were not registered to score points in the manufacturer's championship. Twenty seven were entered under World Rally Car regulations, as were eighteen in the Junior WRC category.
+ No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant Car Tyre 1 Sebastien Loeb Daniel Elena Kronos Citroën World Rally Team Citroën Xsara WRC 2 Dani Sordo Marc Martí Kronos Citroën World Rally Team Citroën Xsara WRC 3 Marcus Gronholm Timo Rautiainen BP Ford World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 06 4 Mikko Hirvonen Jarmo Lehtinen BP Ford World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 06 5 Petter Solberg Phil Mills Subaru World Rally Team Impreza WRC 2006 6 Chris Atkinson Glenn Macneall Subaru World Rally Team Impreza WRC 2006 7 Manfred Stohl Ilka Minor OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team Peugeot 307 WRC 8 Henning Solberg Cato Menkerud OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team Peugeot 307 WRC 9 Matthew Wilson Michael Orr Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 04 10 Kosti Katajamäki Timo Alanne Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 04
+ No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant Car 32 Kris Meeke Glenn Patterson PH Sport Citroën C2 S1600 33 Urmo Aava Kuldar Sikk Suzuki Sport Europe Suzuki Swift 1600 35 Per-Gunnar Andersson Jonas Andersson Suzuki Sport Europe Suzuki Swift 1600 37 Pavel Valoušek Zdeněk Hrůza Suzuki Sport Europe Suzuki Swift 1600 39 Conrad Rautenbach David Senior Barroso Sport Renault Clio 1600 41 Patrik Sandell Emil Axelsson Renault Sport Renault Clio 1600 42 Julien Pressac Jack Boyere PH Sport Citroën C2 S1600 43 Jaan Mölder Katrin Becker JM Engineering Suzuki Ignis 1600 44 Michał Kościuszko Jaroslaw Baran Suzuki Sport Europe Suzuki Swift 1600 45 Jozef Béreš Petr Starý Styllex Tuning Motorsport Suzuki Ignis 1600 46 Andrea Cortinovis Flavio Zanella Power Car Team Renault Clio RS 47 Filippo Bordignon James Bardini Hawk Racing Club Opel Astra OPC 48 Guy Wilks Phil Pugh Suzuki Sport Europe Suzuki Swift 1600 49 Martin Prokop Jan Tománek Jipocar Czech National Team Citroën C2 S1600 50 Kalle Pinomäki Jani Laaksonen Clio Junior Team Renault Clio 1600 53 Barry Clark Scott Martin Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Ford Fiesta ST 55 Fabio Fiandino Sabrina de Castelli PH Sport Citroën C2 R2 59 Matti Rantanen Jan Lönegren Motor Stars Honda Civic Type-R
+ No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant Car 14 Xavier Pons Carlos del Barrio Kronos Racing Citroën Xsara WRC 15 Daniel Carlsson Tomas Thorszelius MMSP LTD Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 16 Jan Kopecký Filip Schovánek Czech RT Škoda Kopecký Škoda Fabia WRC 18 Jussi Välimäki Jarkko Kalliolepo MMSP LTD Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 19 Kristian Sohlberg Risto Pietiläinen Red Devil Atolye Kazaz Subaru Impreza S11 WRC 05 20 Janne Tuohino Mikko Markkula PH Sport Citroën Xsara WRC 21 Jari-Matti Latvala Asko Sairanen Motoring Club Toyota Corolla WRC 22 Juho Hänninen Marko Sallinen MMSP LTD Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 24 Thomas Schie Göran Bergsten Thomas Schie Ford Focus RS WRC 04 25 Gianluigi Galli Giovanni Bernacchini Gianluigi Galli Peugeot 307 WRC 26 Jukka Ketomäki Kai Risberg Jukka Ketomäki Skoda Octavia WRC 27 Mads Østberg Ole Kristian Unnerud Adapta AS Subaru Impreza S9 WRC 03 79 Fabrizio de Sanctis Iuri Rosignoli Fabrizio de Sanctis Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 82 Igor Sokolov Vasily Mirkotan Syrus Rally Team Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 86 Mika Jokela Tapio Järvinen Mika Jokela Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII 87 Pekka Savela Pasi Lahtinen Pekka Savela Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 94 Tapio Vuokila Jari Jaakola Tapio Vuokila Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI
Itinerary All dates and times are EEST (UTC+3). Date No. Time span Stage name Distance 17 August — After 8:00 Laajavouri [Shakedown] 3.76 km SS1 After 20:00 Killeri 1 2.06 km 18 August 8:00 Service A, Jyväskylä SS2 After 9:21 Lankamaa 24.98 km SS3 After 10:09 Laukaa 11.82 km SS4 After 11:04 Ruuhimäki 7.57 km 11:58 Service B, Jyväskylä SS5 After 13:08 Vellipohja 1 36.39 km SS6 After 14:17 Mökkiperä 1 12.61 km 15:26 Service C, Jyväskylä SS7 After 16:36 Vellipohja 2 36.39 km SS8 After 17:45 Mökkiperä 2 12.61 km SS9 After 20:00 Killeri 2 2.06 km 20:27 Service D, Jyväskylä 19 August 6:00 Service E, Jyväskylä SS10 After 7:06 Vaheri 19.91 km SS11 After 8:20 Ouninpohja Lansi 1 13.98 km SS12 After 8:43 Ouninpohja Ita 1 16.55 km 10:28 Service F, Jyväskylä SS13 After 11:44 Urria 10.00 km SS14 After 13:07 Ouninpohja Lansi 2 13.98 km SS15 After 13:30 Ouninpohja Ita 2 13.98 km 15:15 Service G, Jyväskylä SS16 After 16:48 Moksi - Leutsu 40.96 km SS17 After 18:04 Himos 12.97 km 19:49 Service H, Jyväskylä 20 August 8:30 Service I, Jyväskylä SS18 After 9:14 Kuohu 1 7.80 km SS19 After 10:27 Jukojärvi 1 22.31 km SS20 After 11:45 Kuohu 2 7.80 km SS21 After 12:58 Jukojärvi 2 22.31 km 14:26 Service J, Jyväskylä Source:
Report Overall Summary The first stage of the event would be held on Thursday night, where Loeb would be fastest. Despite this, Loeb was unsure of his ability to keep the lead throughout the rest of the rally.
Loeb's fears of not being able to manage first were not unfounded; by mid-day on Friday, he would fall to fourth as his championship rival Gronholm took the lead. In the latter half of the day, Loeb would fight back and move back up to second position, trailing Gronholm by twelve seconds by the end of the day. Hirvonen would take up his typical position in third, with Petter Solberg in fourth. Atkinson would see overheating issues drop him down to seventh, while Stohl would lose his intercom in stage 5 and went off the road in stage 6. Sordo would lose time during the incoming rain towards the end of the day, as his windshield wipers were not working properly.
Saturday would be a dominant performance by Gronholm, who would soar into the lead after luckily escaping a collision with a rock. Loeb would not be as lucky, hitting the same rock and suffering a puncture. Petter Solberg would end his rally early in stage 11, going off the road and rolling multiple times. Sordo would also crash out of the leg going over a jump. By the end of the day, Gronholm would have over a minute in hand over his championship rival. Atkinson, meanwhile, continued to suffer from gear issues and a power steering failure.
Sunday would see no changes between any of the drivers in the top eight; Gronholm cruised to a win, leaving Loeb in second. Hirvonen was uncontested in third, with Henning Solberg beating his brother and finishing fourth. Privateer entry Gigi Galli would score an impressive fifth despite a twenty second time penalty.
Classification Position Driver Co-driver Entrant Car Time Points Event Class 1 1 3 Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen BP Ford World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 06 2:52:50.3 0.0 10 2 2 1 Sebastien Loeb Daniel Elena Kronos Citroën World Rally Team Citroën Xsara WRC 2:53:57.0 +1:06.7 8 3 3 4 Mikko Hirvonen Jarmo Lehtinen BP Ford World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 06 2:54:24.8 +1:34.5 6 4 4 8 Henning Solberg Cato Menkerud OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team Peugeot 307 WRC 2:56:48.1 +3:57.8 5 5 5 25 Gianluigi Galli Giovanni Bernacchini Gianluigi Galli Peugeot 307 WRC 2:58:30.2 +5:39.9 4 6 6 20 Janne Tuohino Mikko Markkula PH Sport Citroën Xsara WRC 2:58:55.3 +6:05.0 3 7 7 18 Jussi Välimäki Jarkko Kalliolepo MMSP LTD Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 2:59:45.7 +6:55.4 2 8 8 16 Jan Kopecký Filip Schovánek Czech RT Škoda Kopecký Škoda Fabia WRC 3:03:05.3 +10:15.0 1 9 9 7 Manfred Stohl Ilka Minor OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team Peugeot 307 WRC 3:06:18.3 +13:28.0 0 10 10 9 Matthew Wilson Michael Orr Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 04 3:07:37.7 +14:47.4 0 13 11 6 Chris Atkinson Glenn Macneall Subaru World Rally Team Impreza WRC 2006 3:11:50.9 +19:00.6 0 14 12 10 Kosti Katajamäki Timo Alanne Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 04 3:13:56.1 +21:05.8 0 17 13 21 Jari-Matti Latvala Asko Sairanen Motoring Club Toyota Corolla WRC 3:18:24.3 +25:34.0 0 58 14 94 Tapio Vuokila Jari Jaakola Tapio Vuokila Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 4:00:18.5 +1:07:28.2 0 60 15 79 Fabrizio de Sanctis Iuri Rosignoli Fabrizio de Sanctis Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 4:02:21.5 +1:09:31.2 0 Retired SS21 87 Pekka Savela Pasi Lahtinen Pekka Savela Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII Mechanical 0 Retired SS19 27 Mads Østberg Ole Kristian Unnerud Adapta AS Subaru Impreza S9 WRC 03 Gearbox 0 Retired SS14 2 Dani Sordo Marc Martí Kronos Citroën World Rally Team Citroën Xsara WRC Accident 0 Retired SS12 82 Igor Sokolov Vasily Mirkotan Syrus Rally Team Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Excluded 0 Retired SS11 5 Petter Solberg Phil Mills Subaru World Rally Team Impreza WRC 2006 Accident 0 Retired SS11 14 Xavier Pons Carlos del Barrio Kronos Racing Citroën Xsara WRC Accident 0 Retired SS11 86 Mika Jokela Tapio Järvinen Mika Jokela Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII Mechanical 0 Retired SS10 15 Daniel Carlsson Tomas Thorszelius MMSP LTD Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 Mechanical 0 Retired SS10 22 Juho Hänninen Marko Sallinen MMSP LTD Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 Excluded 0 Retired SS10 26 Jukka Ketomäki Kai Risberg Jukka Ketomäki Skoda Octavia WRC Mechanical 0 Retired SS7 19 Kristian Sohlberg Risto Pietiläinen Red Devil Atolye Kazaz Subaru Impreza S11 WRC 05 Mechanical 0 Retired SS2 24 Thomas Schie Göran Bergsten Thomas Schie Ford Focus RS WRC 04 Accident 0
Special Stages All dates and times are EEST (UTC+3). DayStageTimeNameLength (km)WinnerTimeRally leader 1(17/18 Aug) SS1 20:00 Killeri 1 2.00 Sébastien Loeb 1:21.4 Sébastien Loeb SS2 09:21 Lankamaa 24.97 Marcus Grönholm 11:59.7 Marcus Grönholm SS3 10:09 Laukaa 11.81 Marcus Grönholm 5:40.8 SS4 11:04 Ruuhimaki 7.57 Marcus Grönholm 3:57.2 SS5 13:08 Vellipohja 1 36.38 Sébastien Loeb 17:51.9 SS6 14:17 Mokkipera 1 12.60 Sébastien Loeb 6:11.2 SS7 16:36 Vellipohja 2 36.38 Marcus Grönholm 18:05.8 SS8 17:45 Mokkipera 2 12.60 Sébastien Loeb 6:20.1 SS9 20:00 Killeri 2 2.00 Marcus Grönholm 1:21.6 2(19 Aug) SS10 07:06 Vaheri 19.90 Marcus Grönholm 9:47.6 SS11 08:20 Ouninpohja Lansi 1 13.97 Sébastien Loeb 6:33.0 SS12 08:43 Ouninpohja Ita 1 16.54 Marcus Grönholm 7:51.7 SS13 11:44 Urria 10.00 Marcus Grönholm 4:40.8 SS14 13:07 Ouninpohja Lansi 2 13.97 Marcus Grönholm 6:30.7 SS15 13:30 Ouninpohja Ita 2 16.54 Marcus Grönholm 7:51.8 SS16 16:48 Moksi-Leustu 40.95 Marcus Grönholm 20:25.6 SS17 18:04 Himos 12.97 Marcus Grönholm 7:09.1 3(20 Aug) SS18 09:14 Kuohu 1 7.80 Mikko Hirvonen 3:42.4 SS19 10:27 Jukojarvi 1 22.30 Mikko Hirvonen 10:46.6 SS20 11:45 Kuohu 2 7.80 Mikko Hirvonen 3:42.6 SS21 12:58 Jukojarvi 2 22.30 Mikko Hirvonen 10:39.5
Championship Standings Drivers' Championship Manufacturers' ChampionshipMoveDriverPointsMoveManufacturerPoints 1 Sébastien Loeb 92 Kronos Citroën World Rally Team 122 2 Marcus Gronholm 61 BP Ford World Rally Team 107 3 Dani Sordo 41 Subaru World Rally Team 65 4 1 Mikko Hirvonen 27 OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team 50 5 1 Manfred Stohl 24 1 Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team 24
Junior WRC Classification