The partnership between Rally Finland and Finnish Neste comes to an end, as Neste finishes as the title partner of the Finnish round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The partnership that has lasted for over 26 years has been a breeding ground for a number of mutual success stories. For the legendary Finnish motorsport event steeped in tradition, this new era brings about a renewal of the rally’s brand in the build-up to next year’s event.
“We hold our long-term co-operation with the rally organiser AKK, the FIA and the promoter of the World Rally Championship in high regard. There have been changes in the company’s (Neste) business during the past decade, and our ambition is to become a global leader in renewable and circular solutions. We have also renewed our brand strategy to support this goal and the Neste operations in our target areas. As part of this reform, we also looked at our sponsorship activities and ended up withdrawing from the Finnish round of the FIA World Rally Championship. In addition to the aforementioned parties, we would also like to extend our warm thanks to all the teams, the thousands of volunteers as well as the rally fans who have been creating unforgettable Neste Rally Finland experiences for all these years. We wish the best of success to Rally Finland in the future too,” says Neste’s Marketing Director Sirpa Tuomi.
“This is the end of an era, which we look back on together with a feeling of contentment and some nostalgia too. We have left permanent marks on both the Finnish sporting landscape and the collective memory of the nation, and together we have increased the value and significance of Rally Finland as well as improved the status of the event – both nationally and internationally. From time to time, continuous development and meeting the challenges of modern times require some major changes. We would like to thank Neste very warmly for everything, and continue to further develop ‘the crown jewel of Finnish motorsport’ together with our strong network of partners,” says the acting CEO of rally organiser AKK Sports, Markus Häkkinen.
In a concrete way, the new era can be seen in the Rally Finland communication materials during the remaining part of the year, when e.g. all the event channels will be updated with a new name. Next year’s event, taking place on 29 July – 1 August 2021, will mark the 70th anniversary of the rally driven on the gravel roads of Central Finland.
Further information:
Rally Finland / AKK Sports Ltd, Acting CEO, Markus Häkkinen, , +358 40 551 0289
