Teemu/Mikko score second place in Spain
In their debut WRC2 event in our i20 N Rally2, Finnish crew Teemu Suninen and Mikko Markkula have secured a podium result with a determined drive to second place in Spain.
The crew built up strong momentum over the 17-stage tarmac rally, gaining confidence with each run. They amassed three stage wins over the weekend, as they adapted quickly to the car, finishing the rally just 20.2 seconds from the WRC2 winner.
“This weekend has been all about getting familiar with the car,” said Teemu. “Overall, it was a good rally for us. We found pace in the fast sections and overcame some understeering issues in the slower parts; we made positive steps forward and we’ve come away with a second place, and a podium on our debut.”
Flipped fortunes
Our Customer Racing Junior Driver Jari and his co-driver Mikko (Lukka) fared less well after being beset by technical issues that ultimately forced them to retire from the event on Saturday afternoon.
“Unfortunately, this has been a weekend to forget for us,” said Jari. “We were never able to demonstrate the speed of the car or to be in the mix for good results. We tried to push whenever we could, as well as making some set-up changes to try and learn more about the car, but we couldn’t do much more.”
Feedback loops
Teemu/Mikko finished the event with a flourish, taking their third stage win in SS16 (Santa Marina) and scoring second place in the Power Stage (Riudecanyes) on Sunday. It was a positive end to their weekend of learning. “We have collected a lot of knowledge and feedback for the engineers, and I’ve really enjoyed showing our pace and the potential of this car,” added Teemu.
Our Team Principal Andrea was impressed with their debut. “Teemu has been with us for the first time in a competitive event, with very limited time in the car in testing, and his support during the rally has been amazing,” he said. “We have to extend our sincerest thanks to him because it’s a strong second position in WRC2 and another demonstration of the performance of our new car.”
Final Overall Classification WRC2 – Rally de España
1 E. Camilli / M. Vilmot Citroën C3 Rally2 2:44:01.2
2 T. Suninen / M. Markkula Hyundai i20 N Rally2 +20.2
3 E. Cais / J. Zakova Ford Fiesta R5 MkII +56.1
4 M. Østberg / T. Eriksen Citroën C3 Rally2 +1:51.8
5 S. Johnston / A. Kihurani Citroën C3 Rally2 +5:30.8
6 G. Linnemäe / J. Morgan Volkswagen Polo GTI +6:39.1
2021 WRC2 Championship for Drivers’ Standings
After round 11
1 A. Mikkelsen 126
2 M. Østberg 126
3 M. Bulacia 104
4 T. Suninen 93
5 J. Huttunen 78
6 N. Gryazin 77
7 E. Lappi 59
8 M. Prokop51
9 E. Camilli 51
10 A. Fourmaux 48
2021 FIA WRC2 Championship for Teams’ Standings
After round 11
1 Toksport WRT 211
2 Movisport 202
3 M-Sport Ford World Rally Team 146
4 Hyundai Motorsport N 73
5 Sainteloc Junior Team 27
All results remain subject to official FIA confirmation.