History 1970s

1973 1000 Lakes Rally (Finland)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 23rd 1000 Lakes Rally

Date: August 3–5, 1973

Host Country: Finland

Surface: Gravel

Total Distance: 517.2 km (competitive)

Total Starters: 88 crews

Total Finishers: 41 crews

The 1973 1000 Lakes Rally, known today as Rally Finland, remained one of the fastest and most iconic gravel events in the world. Blazing through the forests around Jyväskylä, the rally featured fast straights, rhythmic jumps, and relentless elevation changes. Local legend Timo Mäkinen, paired with experienced co-driver Henry Liddon, showed flawless commitment and courage to earn a memorable home victory for Ford.

Route

Ouninpohja: Featuring massive jumps and blind crests, it demanded perfect timing and maximum bravery.
Laukaa and Lankamaa: Sweeping corners and fast transitions through pine forest required surgical throttle and steering control.
Night Loops: With dim lighting and blurred pace, dusk stages added a dangerous edge to the high-speed format.

The rally’s high-speed gravel stages raced through central Finland’s lake district, where every crest, compression, and corner came at near-flat-out pace.

Dry summer conditions meant minimal traction loss, encouraging wide-open throttle runs across most of the rally.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Timo Mäkinen & Henry Liddon · Ford Escort RS1600 Mk I
2nd Place
Hannu Mikkola & Atso Aho · Ford Escort RS1600 Mk I
3rd Place
Stig Blomqvist & Arne Hertz · Saab 96 V4

Mäkinen’s fearless style and total familiarity with Finnish gravel delivered Ford a dominant 1–2 result, reaffirming the Escort’s place as the weapon of choice on the sport’s fastest stages.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Jump Landings: Misjudging takeoff or landing angles often ended rallies in the ditch or on the roof.
  • Blind Crests: Memorization and split-second timing were key as drivers pushed into unseen corners at speed.
  • Flat-Out Precision: Maintaining maximum momentum while staying within narrow margins left no room for error.

The 1973 1000 Lakes Rally was a pure speed showcase, and Mäkinen’s emphatic win sealed his status as one of the kings of Finnish gravel rallying.

← Previous Event 1973 Rajd Polski (Poland)
Back to Events Index
1973 Österreichische Alpenfahrt (Austria) Next Event →

Watch rallies anywhere — bypass region blocks with NordVPN.

Fast servers for HD streams Servers in 60+ countries 30-day money-back

Unblock coverage — Save up to 77% + 3 months free

Sponsored link. Using our partner links helps support Compromised Internals at no extra cost to you.