Rally Finland 2026 deemed too fast by Thierry Neuville as crashes mount

Rally Finland Thierry Neuville high speed WRC accidents safety debate

The 2026 Rally Finland was the second‑fastest round in World Rally Championship history, posting an average speed of 128.2 km/h and reaching 145–147 km/h on some sections. Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville, the 2024 world champion, said the event was “super, super fast and, honestly, it was too fast.”

A series of high‑profile accidents affected several top competitors, including Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans, Martins Sesks and Esapekka Lappi, who all suffered crashes or damage. Evans disagreed with Neuville’s assessment, stating that “if you say the rally is too fast, they’ll just add chicanes and it won’t change anything.”

Neuville himself damaged the left‑front suspension but managed to finish fifth, earning points despite the setbacks. The speed‑related incidents have sparked debate over safety and possible changes to the rally’s layout, with implications for the championship standings.

Entities

Elfyn Evans · Hyundai Motorsport · Jari Pajari · Mārtiņš Sesks · Rally Finland · Sebastien Ogier · Thierry Neuville

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Average speeds in some sections of the rally reached 145–147 km/h. es.motorsport.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Several top drivers, including Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans, crashed during the rally. es.motorsport.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Thierry Neuville said the rally was “too fast” and expressed safety concerns. autogear.pt · es.motorsport.com · www.autosport.pt
[● 2 SOURCES] The rally was the second‑fastest in WRC history, behind a record set the previous year. autogear.pt · es.motorsport.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The Rally Finland had an average speed of 128.2 km/h, making it the second‑fastest rally in WRC history. autogear.pt · www.autosport.pt
[○ 1 SOURCE] Neuville finished fifth, less than four minutes behind the winner, Pajari. www.autosport.pt
[○ 1 SOURCE] Elfyn Evans said the rally’s speed is part of the sport and adding chicanes would not help safety. es.motorsport.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Neuville’s Hyundai suffered front‑left suspension damage after hitting a stone. www.autosport.pt

Sources

Thierry Neuville Rally Finland: choque com velocidade excessiva [autogear.pt]

21 days ago

Rallye de Finlande : Mārtiņš Sesks quitte la Finlande avec des regrets après un week-end prometteur [sports.auto-moto.com]

22 days ago

Accidents en série au Rallye de Finlande : les pilotes WRC divisés sur la vitesse [fr.motorsport.com]

20 days ago

Para Neuville, el Rally de Finlandia fue "demasiado rápido"; sus rivales discrepan [es.motorsport.com]

21 days ago

Motorsport: Notícies i Passió per la Velocitat [formularapida.net]

21 days ago

WRC: Rali da Finlândia demasiado rápido para Thierry Neuville [www.autosport.pt]

22 days ago