Rising Finnish star Janne Tuohino joins the Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team for 2005 to contest the gravel rallies. The former Finnish Group N and overall champion has gained a reputation for explosive speed and during 2004 was only once outside the top seven on his six-round programme.

Janne is a product of the successful Finnish Federation coaching scheme. He contested a rallysprint in 1993 but his first ‘real’ rally came in January 1994 before his father bought him a Lancia Delta for the following season. Janne progressed to a Group N Mitsubishi and in 1999 claimed his country’s Group N title and in 2001 he switched to Toyota and won the overall title.

Last season Janne finished fourth in Sweden and fifth in Finland, two results that really caught the eye of the WRC manufacturers.