Three-time Rally Finland winner Jari-Matti Latvala said he could understand the thinking behind changes for 2018 that include cutting the iconic Ouninpohja stage. But he added that removing that stage had robbed the event of some of its character, especially losing the section where there is a massive jump for rally cars alongside the famous Yellow House.
"I think this was coming because the average speeds were so high last year,” the Finn said. “And some of the people were complaining about the manmade chicanes.
"So the organisers were forced to this a little bit. They are now going to use the smaller roads to slow the cars down and reduce the average speed, but for me they take out the best part of Ouninpohja – it's not going to be the same not going on the wide road past the Yellow House."
However, although the radical route revamp Ouninpohja will be absent in its usual form, the narrower section that follows the famous Kakaristo Junction will still feature.The move has been part of an effort to combat rising speeds the new-generation of World Rally Cars are capable of.
Organisers of the Jyvaskyla-based rally have moved to using smaller, narrower roads and that precludes the traditional wide, fast stretch on Ouninpohja. This year's itinerary is 60 per cent new compared to 2017, and includes the Moksi and Urria stages.
Moksi test is a longer version of the stage that last used the same name in 2000, while Urria – which returned to the Finland schedule in '17 after a five-year absence – will be slightly shorter than previously at 7.63 miles and feature different stage start and finish points.
Pihlajakoski is the only stage that will remain identical to 2017.
