Fake participants "join" world rally in Jyväskylä

Two unauthorized men in a car with Mitsubishi logos managed to join the real participants of the World Rally event in Jyväskylä, central Finland, local police said on Saturday.

The car had been camouflaged with tapes as a real participant.

The rally comprises segments on regular highways and special tests on rough gravel coated country roads.

Even though the men had not been allowed to enter the official depot areas, they had been able to join the official participants on the roads and special tests.

Members of a local motorist club at Korpilahti village had identified them as fakes and distributed picture of their car in social media. They were later apprehended by the police.

Police inspector Kari Aaltio told local a Finnish language newspaper Keskisuomalainen on Saturday that the men would be charged for aggravated endangering of road safety. It was not certain whether the men had driven on the special test segments at the same time as participants. They had used as high speeds as the real participants, local media said.

Local media claimed the men were from Poland, but police yet confirmed they are foreigners.

Police investigates additionally possible drug crimes and copyright breaches on account of using Mitsubishi logos.

As the rally was entering the final day on Sunday, Toyota had a three-driver lead.

Jyväskylä rally is one of the 14 part rallies in the world rally. The world events started with Monte Carlo in January and will end in Australia in November.