WRC
Rally Finland unveils refreshed route for landmark 2026 edition
Rally Finland will deliver a heavily revised and more compact challenge in 2026, with organisers confirming that nearly two-thirds of the special stages will be new for the rally’s 75th anniversary.
A total of 316.60 competitive kilometres are packed into a streamlined itinerary shaped by updated FIA regulations, which now require special stages to account for at least a quarter of the overall route. The result is a tighter geographical structure, shorter liaison sections and an emphasis on sporting quality across all four days.
Clerk of the Course Kai Tarkiainen said the focus remained firmly on renewal while preserving the essence of the fastest gravel rally on the calendar.
“We have a strong ambition not to run the same route two years in a row,” he explained. “In 2026, 66 per cent of the special stages are different compared to last year, and the rally must keep evolving to remain exciting for both drivers and spectators.”
The anniversary route blends sections inspired by Rally Finland’s long history with roads never before used in the FIA World Rally Championship, underlining what organisers describe as a balance between tradition and bold new ideas.
Friday 31 July
The most extensive changes come on Friday, which features the highest mileage of the rally and a striking number of first-time WRC roads. Nearly half of the day’s stages have never been used in the modern era.
Crews will tackle Laukaa in a new direction, Saarikas, the brand-new Sydänmaa test - combining parts of the former Sirkkamäki and Kalliokoski roads - as well as the entirely new Hoho stage. The day concludes, as tradition dictates, with the Harju super special stage in the heart of Jyväskylä.
“Some of these roads have never even seen a rally car in a local event,” said Deputy Clerk of the Course Kari Nuutinen. “Yet there is a strong historical feel throughout the day, which is exactly what an anniversary year should deliver.”
Tarkiainen highlighted Sydänmaa as a standout.
“It offers a wide variety of roads and is seriously fast, delivering pure, traditional Finnish WRC spirit,” he said.
Saturday 1 August
Saturday is built around a fast, rhythmical loop, with liaison distances shortened without sacrificing the character of Finland’s high-speed gravel.
The action begins near Jyväskylä in Parkkola before continuing through Päijälä and Västilä and finishing in Leustu, with each stage run twice.
“The aim was to break up long liaisons and make the day more pleasant for the crews while still preserving the classic Finnish roads,” Tarkiainen added.
Sunday 2 August
The rally concludes on Sunday with a single long stage run twice, following the format introduced successfully in 2025. The new Himos–Jämsä stage stretches to 30 kilometres, with the second pass serving as the Wolf Power Stage.
The test opens on fast public roads, narrows through technical private sections and finishes at the base of the Himos ski slopes, where a compact event village allows spectators to follow extended sections of the action before joining the finish-line celebrations.
