The FIA European Historic Rally Championship's new Gravel Championship reaches its halfway point this week as competitors head to Finland for Lahti Historic Rally, the third round of the five-event series. Following exciting battles and surprising twists in Portugal and Greece, the Championship now arrives in one of rallying's most iconic nations, where fast-flowing gravel roads and demanding stages promise another stern test for crews chasing FIA honours. With three events left in the Championship, Lahti represents a pivotal opportunity for title contenders to strengthen their campaigns before the series continues in Sweden just one week later.

A total of 55 crews are entered for the event, including a formidable contingent of Finnish drivers alongside many of Europe's leading historic rally specialists. Leading the field is former FIA World Rally Championship star and Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Principal Jari-Matti Latvala, who returns to the Lahti Historic Rally aboard his Toyota Celica ST185. The Finn has become one of the leading figures in historic rallying in recent seasons and will undoubtedly start among the favourites on home roads.

Latvala is joined by an exceptional Finnish line-up featuring Juuso Metsälä, Kari Kivenne, last year's Lahti Historic Rally winner Marko Uutela and several more experienced home competitors, ensuring fierce competition throughout the field. The international challenge is equally impressive, with crews travelling from over 10 different countries, who will all be looking to score valuable championship points before the Gravel Championship heads to Sweden the following weekend. 

The 2026 Lahti Historic Rally begins on Friday (21 August) morning from Lahti Harbour before concluding at the same location on Saturday (22 August) afternoon, after two demanding days of competition. Crews will tackle 14 special stages across Finland's renowned gravel roads, including two brand-new stages through the historic Hennala barracks area. The compact 1.5-kilometre stage will run on Friday evening and again on Saturday, giving fans the opportunity to experience the action close to the city without travelling to the forest stages. The combination of flowing high-speed roads, technical gravel sections and large local crowds has made Finland one of the most prestigious stops on the historic rally calendar, with the Lahti Historic Rally once again set to provide one of the highlights of the season.

The FIA EHRC Gravel Championship arrives in Finland with the title fight finely balanced after the opening two rounds. Belgium's Christophe Jacob currently leads the standings on 55 points, with San Marino's Nemo Mazza second on 44. Just 10 points further back, Jari-Matti Latvala sits third on 34 points, tied with Austria's Kris Rosenberger and Czech driver Oldřich Kovařík Jr. as the battle for the inaugural FIA EHRC Gravel Championship crown heads to one of the season's most demanding events. With only two events left after this weekend, Lahti could prove a defining weekend in the battle for the inaugural FIA EHRC Gravel Championship crown.