Jani Paasonen in action with his Mitsubishi Carisma GT Group N

Finland is renowned for being the home of some of the world’s greatest rally drivers and, in line with its philosophy of nurturing young talent, Ralliart Finland can take pride in the knowledge that its support has gone a long way to producing some of the stars of today and those of the future.

Like many other companies in the family, Ralliart Finland sell the highly acclaimed Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution/Carisma GT and Galant rally cars to national and Baltic customers and is, in fact, the biggest distributor within Europe. However, its focus remains firmly set on supporting the country’s up-and-coming drivers, nurturing them for a future in the World Rally Championship.

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Tommi Makinen came from the Ralliart Finland ’school’ and is one of the major success stories. The Finn was one of team manager Pekka Koski’s contracted drivers in 1990 before going on to become FIA World Rally Champion with Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999. The list of names of Ralliart Finland’s drivers over the last ten years speaks for itself - Jouko Puhakka (1991-present), Jarmo Kytolehto (1992-1994), 1999 British Rally Champion Tapio Laukkanen (1993-1994), Harri Rovanpera (1996), Juha Kangas (1996-1998), Juuso Pykalisto (1997-present) and Jani Paasonen (1999-present).

Jouko Puhakka, Mitsubishi Carisma GT driver and Ralliart Finland member

By selling its base rally car to competitors and its own contracted drivers, Ralliart Finland thereby provides a level playing field for Mitsubishi drivers, ensuring it is in the hands of the driver to maximise not only the car’s potential, but indeed their own personal ability. Its support extends to financial assistance, spare parts and expert guidance from Ralliart Europe’s test driver Lasse Lampi, however Ralliart Finland recognises that the World Champion of the future is an ambassador for the sport and that all-round skills in PR, media and sponsorship are equally important. It is these things that make Ralliart Finland’s ’school for young drivers’ stand out.

"Our aim is to find and help young talent on their way up to the World Rally Championship", comments team manager Pekka Koski. "For us it is more clever to sell the base rally car and effectively see what the driver can do with it. In this way not only do they learn about the car by preparing it themselves, but they can see how competitive they are against other drivers in exactly the same machinery. If they are clever, they start to think how they can improve and develop. If not, then they are not the material for professional drivers and world champions of the future. It is also important they understand the value of working with the media and sponsors. This is very much part of our training and support programme".

From left to right: Jouko Puhakka, Juuso Pykalisto and Jani Paasonen - the three contracted drivers - together with Jouni Ampuja - Ralliart Finland junior team member

The Finnish Rally Championship is made up of seven events - three during the winter months and four in the summer - with the best six results counting towards the title. Neste Rally Finland, round nine of the FIA World Rally Championship, is not part of the series, however the importance of contesting this high-profile event is without question for the Finns.

Ralliart Finland currently has three contracted young drivers - Jouko Puhakka, Juuso Pykalisto and Jani Paasonen. While all three are entered into Rally Finland, Puhakka - who won Group N in this event last year by setting fastest times on all but one stage - is competing with the Russian Niisp Team this year. The young Finn, driving a Mitsubishi Carisma GT, is currently fifth in the Finnish Rally Championship.

His two greatest team rivals are however setting the pace and Jani Paasonen leads Group N by 15 points with two rounds remaining. The 25-year-old has come a long way since his first rally in 1995 and, since swapping to a Mitsubishi, has some enviable results to his credit. Third Group N driver in both World Rally Championship rounds in Sweden and Finland last year set the Finn up for a momentous victory in the category in the 2000 International Swedish Rally, and Paasonen has high hopes of repeating that in the latest specification Tommi Makinen Special Edition on his home round of the World Rally Championship later this month.

Juuso Pykalisto, another member of Ralliart Finland in his Mitsubishi Carisma GT Group N