Progress at full throttle: Claire Schönborn truly impressed at the Rally Finland. After less than a year in a rally cockpit and only her fourth appearance in the World Rally Championship (WRC) season, the German native from Hunsrück improved continuously in the “mother of all rallies”. She narrowed the gap to her competitors in the Junior WRC significantly. With its fast tracks, blind crests, and extreme full-throttle sections, the Rally Finland is considered the ultimate challenge in the rally world. It is reverently known as the “Grand Prix on gravel.” Hardly any other event on the calendar demands more experience and precision. With every kilometre, Schönborn improved compared to the best drivers in the Junior WRC, gradually making up for her lack of experience. She had already laid the foundation before the start, working intensively on the pace note system, also receiving support from Finnish rally ace Teemu Suninen. During the recce sessions with her co-driver Michael Wenzel she added more details to the notes.

The repeating rain showers in Finland proved to be an additional challenge. Fine, compact, and hard Finnish gravel combined with the wet conditions has been unfamiliar terrain for Schönborn. She remained focused and delivered an overall remarkable debut on the high-speed tracks around Jyväskylä. Schönborn had good reason to cheer right from the start of the event: after all, she celebrated her birthday on the last day of July. The now 26-year-old treated herself to a strong performance at Rally Finland.

Quotes after the Rally Finland

“I am extremely happy; it was really breathtaking. To compete here at Rallye Finland is a dream come true. I’m quite proud to have mastered this challenge. The pace is extremely high, requiring a lot of precision and courage. The more experience you have, the better your chances. After a cautious start I’ve gradually made my way closer. All in all, I’m satisfied with my performance even though I still see a lot of room for improvement. We did really well in the fast sections which makes me very happy. On the other hand, I still need to improve in the technical sections. The main thing that helps with that is: drive, drive, drive. Pace notes are also a very important factor. With Michael Wenzel as my co-driver, I got the ideal and internationally experienced team mate at my side. I’m already looking forward to every further metre at rally speed and, especially, to our home event, the ADAC Central European Rally in October.”
Claire Schönborn

“Rally Finland is the ultimate challenge – not just for the drivers but also for us co-drivers. Everything has to be just right, especially the timing. We delivered an error-free Rally Finland. I think that Claire and I have found our rhythm better with every single kilometre. I am very impressed how quick and eager Claire is learning. Let’s not forget that she hasn’t even been in a rally car a year ago. She has finished each of her nine starts so far, including four WRC classics. She implements new knowledge extremely quickly. This was clearly evident here in Finland, both on the track and by looking at the constantly improving times.“
Michael Wenzel

The Rally Finland in progress

In Finland, Schönborn’s main focus was on three aspects: respect for the challenging route and the unique conditions, finding her rhythm, and delivering a flawless performance. The newcomer from the WRC Young Driver Team counted on insights gained from coaching sessions with Teemu Suninen. The Finnish rally ace had given her tips and tricks for taking the correct pace notes. Before the start, Schönborn was delighted to welcome a visit from “Girls on Track” and Burcu Çetinkaya. The chairwoman of the FIA Women in Motorsports Commission wished her well. The young participants from the “Girls on Track” program, which promotes girls in motorsport, surprised Schönborn with a birthday serenade. Another surprise: On Friday evening Schönborn met Marcus Grönholm, one of her first supporters, in the hotel lobby. The two-time World Rally Champion is still the record winner at the “Grand Prix on Gravel” with seven victories, making him the king among the “Flying Finns.” Grönholm was impressed by Schönborn’s improved performance and was well informed about her season so far.

About the rally: After a solid start and good times on Friday, the rally further intensified for the Schönborn/Wenzel duo. On Saturday alone, they covered 142.16 kilometers during special stages. The crowning finale of the 2025 Rally Finland was a real challenge: on Sunday, the legendary Ouninpohja special stage was tackled and was even run as a Power Stage in a second turn. High speeds and precise jumps from the rally aces delighted the tens of thousands of spectators lining the track. At the end of the rally, Schönborn finished 15th in her class with 25 starters. In the Junior World Championship classification, she finished ninth. The penultimate round of the 2025 Junior World Championship was won by Eamonn Kelly (Ireland). Kalle Rovanperä (Finland) celebrated the overall victory in the Rally Finland, ahead of his Toyota teammates Takamoto Katsuta (Japan) and Sébastien Ogier (France).

While the World Championship aces now face two overseas events in Paraguay and Chile, the Junior WRC is having a two-and-a-half-month break. The next stop is the Junior season finale in mid-October. By then Schönborn’s home event awaits: the ADAC Central European Rallye. The season finale will be held in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic – including title decisions.