Over the years, the Arctic Lapland Rally has attracted the best rally drivers from Finland, many of whom have earned their place among Finnish Rally Champions. Here they have fought against each other amid the merciless wilderness of the north and after the rallies bonded together while sharing their unique tales of survival and success. And of course, proudly presented our famous winner’s reindeer antler’s for the world to see.
Starting from Teemu Asunmaa, a three-time Finnish Rally Champion, has shown his mastery of the Arctic stages with four victories, first in 2017 and then a back-to-back in 2020 and 2021, and once more in 2023. So far. Driving a Škoda Fabia R5 in 2017, Asunmaa proved his ability to handle the unforgiving icy roads and biting temperatures. His 2023 victory, piloting a Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo alongside Ville Mannisenmäki, demonstrated his continued dominance and consistency.
However few drivers have ruled both the Arctic Lapland Rally and the Finnish Rally Championship like Juha Salo. With six wins at the arctic under his belt, the 10-time Finnish Champion is also true master of this winter wonderland. From 2008 to 2016, Salo repeatedly showcased his ability to adapt to the ever-changing conditions, and claimed the victory those six times in 9 years. His 2016 win in a Peugeot 208 T16 R5 was particularly memorable, as after facing intense competition and brutal weather for the two days, he claimed the lead on the final stage after the leading Jarkko Nikara‘s car couldn’t take the beating of the 51 kilometre long Ristilampi special stage.
Mikko Heikkilä, claimed his first legendary reindeer antlers in 2024 after once again battling out for the lead for most of the event with Teemu Asunmaa. Behind the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Heikkilä delivered a performance that combined speed with unshakable focus determination to keep his rival behind him. With experience of already 6 starts on arctic roads, when including the participation to the WRC Arctic Rally Finland, and as the 2022 Finnish Champion, Heikkilä will be among top contenders for the win for years to come.
For Emil Lindholm, the 2021 Finnish Champion, Arctic Lapland Rally has been a place of significant achievement. His first victory came in 2019, driving a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. This win marked Lindholm as a rising star in the Finnish rallying scene. In 2022, he returned to claim another victory, this time in a Škoda Fabia R5 Evo with co-driver Reeta Hämäläinen. Both wins demonstrated Lindholm’s skill to handle the unique challenges of Arctic rallying, earning him respect as one of the country’s premier drivers at the time.
While the more numerous in Finnish Championships of this dad-son duo, Emil’s father Sebastian Lindholm, claimed his only Arctic Lapland Rally win back in 1995. With eight Finnish Championships to his name, claimed from 1990 to 2006, his legacy as a Finnish rallying icon remains unshaken.
Another two-time conqueror of both the Arctic Lapland Rally and Finnish championship is Janne Tuohino, whose antlers displayer are marked with the years 2003 and 2014. His first victory in a Ford Focus WRC demonstrated his ability on snowy special stages, while his victory nine years later in 2014 in a Ford Fiesta R5 highlights Tuohino’s long-term significance and unwavering expertise in the world of rallying.
The Arctic Lapland Rally has long been a learning ground for Finland’s top rally drivers to both icy roads and the touch of little less familiar environment altogether. Each victory is not just a personal achievement but a chapter in the history of this remarkable event and Finnish rallying. As these Finnish Rally Champions have shown, the Arctic Lapland Rally is more than just the two days of competition; it’s a crucible that forges legends.
Photos: Taneli Niinimäki & AKK