Motorsport: Tapper cleared for Rally of Finland

Mark Tapper has been given a clean bill of health for the upcoming Rally of Finland. Photo / Christine McKay

Auckland driver Mark Tapper will line up for this weekend's motor Rally of Finland after recovering from a broken wrist.

Tapper also strained a shoulder when he fell while cleaning windows in his home last month after returning from the Rally of Greece.

The Finland rally is the fourth world championship event for Tapper, who qualified to compete in several rounds of the production class world championship after winning last year's Asian section of the Pirelli Star Driver programme.

Tapper said his doctor had gone through all the proper processes with the surgeons and gained International Automobile Federation clearance to race this weekend.

"To me, the main thing is I'm still going to do Rally Finland," Tapper said.

"I'm realistic; I'm not going to be competitive with this fairly significant injury. But I just want to do the rally and keep doing the mileage."

The three-day rally beginning on Friday will take in 345km through the forests of Finland in the vicinity of Jyvaskyla, 270km north of Helsinki.

Against an entry field dominated by Nordic drivers who excel on the fast flowing roads, Tapper will start ahead of Ferrari's Formula One star, Kimi Raikkonen and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom who will pilot a Fiat.

Tapper and Judd will also contest September's Rally Australia before the final two events in the Pirelli Star Driver campaign in Spain and Britain, both in October.

- NZPA