For the third consecutive year, Secto Rally Finland and AKK Sports Ltd have brought together key stakeholders from the FIA, WRC Promoter, the automotive industry, and beyond for Spark the Future 2025 – a high-level forum dedicated to the future of sustainable rallying. Held in Jyväskylä 31.7. during Finland’s iconic WRC week, the forum explored how innovation, collaboration, and regulation can steer motorsport into a greener tomorrow.
Moderator André Chaker set the tone with a compelling question: Can sustainability and rallying truly go hand in hand? The resounding answer throughout the day was yes – through shared responsibility and innovation.
Pioneering Solutions from Industry Leaders
The forum showcased concrete action and innovation:
- Matias Henkola, CEO of Secto Automotive, highlighted their ongoing support for sustainable rallying: from pushing efuels and low-fossil lubricants to backing the very first Spark the Future forum in 2023. “We brought Ouninpohja back in 2024 – sustainably,” Henkola noted.
- Lauri Perämäki (Cefmof), Makoto Nagata (Asahi Kasei Europe), and Tiago Sá (Caetano Bus, Portugal) outlined a groundbreaking hydrogen-based urban development project in Central Finland, including the first hydrogen station in Jyväskylä.
- A highlight announcement came from Yuichiro Haruna, CEO of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT: Rally legend Juha Kankkunen would drive the Harju stage in a hydrogen-powered GR Yaris Rally2 – a near-zero emissions demonstration of future rally tech.
- Erik Kanerva of Kempower presented the rapid advancements in EV charging infrastructure, underscoring the accelerating shift to electric mobility.
FIA and WRC: Regulation Meets Innovation
The FIA’s Chief Technical and Safety Officer, Xavier Mestelan Pinon, and Pernilla Solberg, President of the WRC Commission, detailed key technical elements of WRC27 regulations, aimed at reducing costs, increasing safety and boosting the number of competitors competing at the highest level of the sport by making it more accessible to young drivers. Updates included a new tubular chassis, double wishbone suspension, and Rally2-based powertrains and steering systems.
On the strategic side, and going “Beyond Rally”, Pierre Villez (FIA), Lassi Paju (AKK), Marc de Jong (WRC Promoter), and Burçu Cetinkaya (FIA Women in Motorsport) discussed progress on environmental accreditation, inclusivity, and turning sustainability policy into action in line with the WRC Sustainability Roadbook.
Global Perspectives and Local Commitment
Petteri Kilpinen, President of the Finnish Olympic Committee, reminded the audience that sport itself must remain sustainable:
“Our biggest threat is physical inactivity. We must organize sport and make the Olympic values part of everyday life.”
Rodrigo Maluff, Vice Minister of Commerce for Paraguay, confirmed his country’s commitment to hosting a sustainable WRC event – the first of its kind in South America. “We’re going full speed toward sustainability,” he declared.
A Human Touch from Richard Hammond
Closing the forum, Richard Hammond (ex Top Gear / Grand Tour) offered his signature mix of humor and insight. Reflecting on how the automobile evolved from primitive necessity to cutting-edge innovation, he emphasized that shared innovation and collaboration are key to humanity’s sustainable future. Referencing his own 2006 accident, Hammond left the audience with a hopeful message:
“It all comes down to luck, trust, and love.”
Motorsport must try and become part of the solution, otherwise it will be part of the problem. In Jyväskylä, the future of rallying is already accelerating toward a more sustainable tomorrow.
Media contact:
Terhi Heloaho, +358 40 6822 662, terhi.heloaho@autourheilu.fi
Photos:
Karoliina Vuorenmäki / AKK