Queensland rally driver Chris Atkinson began his campaign in the Neste Rally Finland ab🧸oard the Tommi Makinen prepared Subaru WRX Sti in stylish fashion yesterday.

Atkinson was seede🌃d ninth in Group N category and the 53rd car on the road with older brother, Ben as his co-driver for one 🌠of the world's most famous and longest running rallies.

The 24-year-old Gold Coaster made an impressive start setting the third fastest Group N time in the opening stage of the event aboard his Subaru WRX Sti supported by Telst🦹ra Rally Australia, DMS Shocks, BF Goodrich, Network Ten and Qantas.

Atkinson, the only driver to win two rounds in this year's Globalstar Australian Rally Championship, continued this p♈ace in﷽to the next few stages setting the second fastest Group N time on stage three.

His impressive stage times had him placed fourth in Group N a💮nd 23rd outright at the end of the opening three stages.

"Realistically we aimed to try to be inside the top five for Group N and so far we are right on track," said Atkinson. "It didn't take me long to settle in with the car and the team𓄧, it's not like I could be out of touch with the car, I think I've spent more time in a Subaru lately than I've slept."

Disaster struck for Atkinson on the fourth stage of the day when he endured two flat tyres during the stage costing hi♎m over 10 minutes dropping him well down the order.

Further problems began for Atki🐻nson on the following stage when an exhaust header collapsed hampering his turbo boost power.

"I haven't had a flat tyre for quite a while so to have two in one stage was very frustrating, espec♐ially when we were going so well," said Atkinson.

"The team did a great job to at least get me back out there and will have the problem fixed, f▨rom here it is all about concentrating on setting some good stage times and ge🌜tting to the end of an extremely tough event."

Despite a lack of power, Atkinson still manage🌜d to set times inside the top six of Gr🔜oup N on every occasion.

Marcus Gronholm leads the event outright followed💟 by Sebastian Lindholm and Markko Martin. In Group N Italian Gianluigi Galli leads the way ahead of local driver Kaj Kuistila and Martin Stenshorne.

The Neste Rall🌞y Finland continues later today with the second of three grueling legs.