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Arctic Lapland Rally Brings F1 Drivers to Rovaniemi

January 13, 2020 Anna Ruohonen

Nothing stops Finns driving. No ice, nor snow, nor any extreme condition. Held every year at the end of January, Arctic Lapland Rally brings famous rally drivers to Rovaniemi to test how wheels work on icy surface. It’s a legendary rally race on snow and ice covered roads in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland.

Arctic Lapland Rally in Rovaniemi Lapland — Racing in Arctic Lapland Rally in 2015.

This weekend, on 16th-18th January 2020, Arctic Lapland Rally brings F1 Mercedes-driver Valtteri Bottas to the Arctic Circle.

Arctic Lapland Rally weekend is traditionally one of the most bustling weekends in Rovaniemi. If you’re in town, don’t skip these parties! No matter how cold weather gets, people spend hours standing outdoors watching rally cars on their special stages. The rally traditionally begins at Lordi’s Square in the heart of the city on Friday at 12. Friday’s race ends to Mäntyvaara special stage around 8 pm, but the party goes on through the night in Rovaniemi city.

On Saturday, the race continues in the morning and officially ends at podium in Lordi’s Square around 7 pm.

Finns do love motorsports. We even call our special and easily identifiable English accent “Rally English” due to the rally drivers’ and other sportsmen’s way of pronouncing English. In Rovaniemi, people are particularly talkative during the weekend, so do not hesitate to start a conversation – Finns do not talk much, but when we talk, we talk a lot.

Valtteri Bottas in Rovaniemi Lapland Finland — Valtteri Bottas just before his first Arctic Lapland Rally.

All Legendary F1 Drivers Have Participated

In Arctic Lapland Rally’s 54-year-long history also all other legendary Finnish F1 rally drivers have participated the race. Keke Rosberg, Jyrki Järvilehto, Mika Häkkinen, Kimi Räikkönen, Heikki Kovalainen and Mika Salo have all raced in Arctic Lapland Rally in Rovaniemi.

Rally passes are sold in Rally Shop at Hotel Pohjanhovi.

More info: www.arcticrally.fi

People watching rally in Mäntyvaara, Rovaniemi, 2015.

Arctic Lapland Rally’s schedule:

FRIDAY

START (LORDIAUKIO)

first competitor due 12.00 Free entrance!

SS 1 AITTAJÄRVI

first competitor due 12.43

SS 2 MÄNTYVAARA 1

first competitor due 13.56

SS 3 KAIHUAVAARA

first competitor due 16.29

SS 4 JYRHÄMÄJÄRVI

first competitor due 17.52

SS 5 MÄNTYVAARA 2

first competitor due 19.25

SATURDAY

SS 6 SIIKAKÄMÄ

first competitor due 9.53

SS 7 MÄNTYVAARA 3

first competitor due 11.36

SS 8 SARRIOJÄRVI

first competitor due 14.19

SS 9 UNTAMOVAARA

first competitor due 15.42

SS 10 NISKAVAARA

first competitor due 17.05

FINISH PODIUM LORDIAUKIO Free entrance!

first competitor due 19.20

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Arctic Lapland Rally Brings F1 Drivers to Rovaniemi

All Legendary F1 Drivers Have Participated

Arctic Lapland Rally’s schedule: