Well, I'm going to tell you the story of a rally where cars spend more time in the air than on the ground. It's Finland, summer of 1951, and Pentti Barck has just had a completely crazy idea: to organize a car race on the gravel roads of his native country. What he doesn't know yet is that he has just created the most spectacular rally in the world , where cars literally fly 57 meters at 171 km/h. I'm not exaggerating, you'll see.

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So initially, this rally was simply called "Jyväskylän Suurajot" - the Jyväskylä Grand Prix for those who don't speak Finnish - and the first start took place on September 1, 1951. Pentti Barck was a passionate Finnish driver who wanted to create something unique in his country, and it must be said that he was quite successful.

But what really changed the game was that in 1954, the event was called the "1000 Lakes Rally" . Why this name? Because the race takes place in the heart of the Central Finnish Lake District, and I swear, when you see this region on a map, it looks like someone spilled a glass of water on it because there are so many lakes everywhere.

The "Flying Finns": When Finland becomes a factory of flying pilots

So, I have to tell you something completely crazy. This rally has become a real preserve of Nordic drivers , and especially Finns. Imagine: it took 39 editions - I said 39! - to see a non-Scandinavian driver win this race.

And the worst part is, we're not talking about a statistical coincidence here. The Finns were so comfortable on their own roads that they created a dynasty. The "Flying Finns," as they're nicknamed, weren't just a marketing moniker: Timo Mäkinen, Hannu Mikkola, Ari Vatanen, Juha Kankkunen, Tommi Mäkinen... All legends who learned to fly before they even knew how to drive, it seems.

But the absolute king of this race is Hannu Mikkola . This guy won the 1000 Lakes seven times - seven! - between 1968 and 1983. And mind you, he shares this record with Marcus Grönholm, but Mikkola has something extra: he became World Rally Champion in 1983 at the age of 41. That makes him the oldest driver to have ever won this title. Suffice to say that at 41, when most people start getting backaches when they get out of bed, he was still flying his car around the Finnish roads.

1973: Entry into the big leagues

In 1973, something important happened. The 1000 Lakes Rally was included in the newly formed World Rally Championship in its first season. This was the ultimate recognition: this Finnish race became one of the founding events of the WRC. Gone were the days when it was just a friendly local event; now it was serious international competition.

And I must say that by integrating the European Championship in 1959 and then the World Championship in 1973, the Finnish organizers proved that they knew how to do it. Because creating a race is one thing, but having it recognized at the world level is another.

You know what I love about this story? It's that the Finland was much more than just a people's car - it was a symbol of freedom and independence for an entire generation of French people . When it came out in 1972, no one imagined it would become one of the most iconic cars in France.

And you know what? This passion for cars reminds me why I love miniature rally cars. Because holding a small Lancia Delta HF Integrale or a 1/43 scale Ford Escort RS in your hands is a bit like experiencing that whole era all at once.

That's why I opened my shop BernardMiniatures.fr . I have more than 1500 miniatures in stock, mostly 1/43 scale, with quite a few rally cars from the 70s to the 90s. Well, I'm not a big site, so I often only have one or two pieces of each model, but that's also what makes it charming. I have Ford, of course, but also Lancia, Audi Quattro, Peugeot 205 T16, WRC cars, Group B cars... a bit of everything.

Delivery is free from 75€ in France, and I make sure to wrap everything well with bubble wrap because these little cars break easily.

Go take a look at bernardminiatures.fr if you're interested - and you'll see, I have some beautiful rally pieces that are definitely worth a look.

Now, let's talk a little more about what makes this race so special...

Ouninpohja: The special test where cars learn to fly

So, I have to tell you about Ouninpohja , the rally's most legendary special stage. It became the Power Stage in 2012, but every year, we wonder if it will be maintained because of safety issues. And frankly, when you see what happens there, you'll understand why.

Imagine gravel roads winding through fir trees, with strategically placed bumps for cars to take off. And when I say take off, I mean it. In 2003, Estonian Markko Märtin set the record for the longest jump in the WRC with a leap of 57 meters at 171 km/h . 57 meters! That's the length of half a football pitch, and he was in the air at that speed!

But wait, it gets even crazier. In 2005, Marcus Grönholm set an average speed record for a WRC event with an average speed of 122.86 km/h . On gravel roads! His Ford Focus RS was recorded driving flat out in 6th gear for 46 seconds straight at an average speed of 171 km/h. On dirt, with jumps everywhere.

The man with 33 participations: Timo Hantunen, obsessed with the 1000 Lakes

And then there's Timo Hantunen , a man who has literally dedicated his life to this race. This Finnish co-driver holds the absolute record for participations in the same WRC event with 33 starts spread over 38 years, between 1974 and 2012. Can you imagine? 38 years in the same race!

The craziest thing is that he finished 14th in his last participation at almost 63 years old. At 63! When most people that age avoid driving at night, he was still flying on the Finnish roads. In the end, he got 21 placings out of his 33 starts. Total respect.

1990: Carlos Sainz finally breaks Nordic hegemony

Okay, so now I'm going to tell you about a historic moment. 1990, Carlos Sainz . This Spaniard will achieve the impossible: become the first non-Scandinavian driver to win the 1000 Lakes after 39 editions of Nordic domination.

And I swear to you that this victory was not achieved in an armchair manner. Sainz won by just 19 seconds ahead of Ari Vatanen , in front of half a million Finnish spectators who had come to witness what they thought was yet another local victory. Imagine the faces of the Finns that day! They were there to celebrate one of their national heroes, and it was a Spaniard who snatched the victory from under their noses.

But hey, it must be said that Sainz fully deserved this victory. The man had studied the Finnish roads like no one else, and he understood that to beat the Flying Finns on home soil, he had to be even more precise than them. Mission accomplished.

1993: Name change and new era

In 1993, another important turning point: the rally changed its name . The "1000 Lakes Rally" was over, replaced by the "Neste Rally Finland" at the request of the main sponsor. Then it became "Secto Rally Finland" from 2020. Well, we still call it the 1000 Lakes because it's more poetic, but officially it's over.

This name change is a bit of a symbol of the rally's evolution: from a friendly local race created by an enthusiast, it has become a sponsored international event where the financial stakes are enormous.

The Art of Flying a Car: Technique and Madness

Now I have to explain why this race is so special. The jumps at the 1000 Lakes are not accidents, it's a science . Pilots have to calculate their approach speed, takeoff angle, landing... All this at 150-170 km/h on roads where you and I would be driving at 40 km/h while praying to all the saints.

And the crazy thing is, these spectacular jumps aren't just for show for the cameras. Märtin made his 57-meter leap in the middle of an official competition . He wasn't showing off for the photographers, he was fighting for victory!

Cars are subjected to enormous stress during these jumps. Imagine a 1,200-kilogram car taking off at 170 km/h and landing a few meters further. The suspension, the brakes, the bodywork... Everything takes a toll. That's why tuners develop special configurations for this race, with reinforced suspensions and specific settings.

Grönholm: The Last Finnish King

And then there's Marcus Grönholm , the last great Finnish champion. With his seven 1000 Lakes victories (tied with Mikkola), he marked the end of an era. His riding was surgically precise, and his record average speed of 122.86 km/h in 2005 remains extraordinary to this day.

What fascinated me about Grönholm was his ability to remain calm even in the craziest situations. When his car took off for 40-50 meters, he kept his cool and was already preparing for the next turn. That's the DNA of the Flying Finns: this ability to transform madness into art.

The Legacy of the 1000 Lakes: More than a race, a way of life

You know what I love about the story of the 1000 Lakes? It's that this race created a unique driving school in the world . Finnish drivers don't drive like other people because they grew up driving on these impossible roads.

When you watch Tommi Mäkinen or Juha Kankkunen ride, you see this fluidity, this constant anticipation. They read the road like an open book because they learned on the most difficult roads in the world.

And even today, even though Finnish dominance has faded, this race remains the absolute benchmark in terms of spectacle . Because seeing a rally car fly 50 meters through a pine forest, frankly, there aren't many places in the world where you can see that.

The 80s-90s Revolution: When Technology Meets Finnish Madness

The 1980s and 1990s were the golden age of rallying, and the 1000 Lakes were at its epicenter. The arrival of Group B and then Group A cars transformed this race into an even more insane spectacle.

Imagine the Audi Quattros, the Lancia Delta S4s, the Ford RS200s... 500-hp monsters taking off over the Finnish hills. It was beautiful, it was terrifying, and it was absolutely magical. Drivers of the time will tell you that driving a Group B at the 1000 Lakes was like taming a flying dragon.

And then in the 90s, the arrival of the Japanese—Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution—changed the game again. These cars were made to fly, with their sophisticated all-wheel drive and turbocharged engines just waiting to roar through the Scandinavian forests.

Why the 1000 Lakes remains unique in the world

So what makes this race so special compared to the other rallies on the WRC calendar? First, it's the only event where pure speed is rewarded . At Monte Carlo, it's precision that counts. In Corsica, it's endurance. At the 1000 Lakes, it's who dares to go the fastest in the air.

Then there are the unique riding conditions . These Finnish gravel roads have a special grip that allows riders to maintain crazy speeds while maintaining control. This explains why the averages are so high.

And then there's this Finnish rally culture. In Finland, learning to drive fast on gravel is like learning to ride a bike anywhere else . Twelve-year-olds are already riding faster than us on these roads, so imagine what it's like when they become professional drivers.

Modern Evolution: Between Tradition and Security

Today, Rally Finland (as it is now officially called) continues to evolve. Safety issues have become central , especially for events like Ouninpohja where speeds reach stratospheric levels.

But the challenge remains the same: how to preserve the essence of this race—the spectacular jumps, the incredible speeds, the total commitment—while protecting the drivers and spectators? This is the challenge for modern organizers.

And I, as a classic car enthusiast, find it fascinating to see how this race continues to influence automotive development . Technologies tested on Finnish roads often end up in our everyday cars. Adaptive suspensions, advanced all-wheel drive, electronic control systems... Much of this comes from the testing laboratories that are the forests of Finland.

The Eternal Legacy of the Flying Finns

In the end, what will remain of this extraordinary story? Proof that with passion and an exceptional playground, you can create something unique . When Pentti Barck organized his first race in 1951, he surely had no idea that he had just created the most spectacular rally event in the world.

The Flying Finns have proven that excellence is born from repetition and passion . Hannu Mikkola with his seven victories, Grönholm with his crazy averages, Märtin with his legendary jump... All these achievements come from the fact that these guys have spent their lives perfecting their craft on the most demanding routes in the world.

And you know what I love most about this story? It's that this race continues to inspire . Even today, when a young driver wants to prove his worth, it's at the 1000 Lakes that he must shine. Because if you can be fast on these impossible roads, you can be fast anywhere.

So the next time you see images of cars flying through a Finnish forest, think of Pentti Barck and his crazy dream from 1951. Think of the Flying Finns who turned driving into an art. And think that sometimes the most beautiful stories are born from the simplest ideas : organizing a car race in a country full of lakes and impossible roads.

This is the spirit of 1000 Lakes. Transforming the impossible into a spectacle, and the spectacle into a legend .