Blue and white colors dominate rally circles.
Lauri Joona won the WRC3 class. Vesa Pöppönen / All Over Press
The past rally year has been a celebration for Finns. We got to celebrate the world championship again on Sunday, when Lauri Joona was number one in the WRC3 class.
The title was decided in a strict way. On Sunday in Spain, Joona competed against the Czech Republic Jan Černýa against, who was tied with the Finn. The championship team was also involved Sami Pajariwho drove a class higher in Catalonia and wished neither had won in the meantime.
A lot of luck was shared in the championship match. Černý led after Saturday by 2.5 seconds, but the driver was a minute late from the start station and received a decisive 10-second time penalty from the race organizers. This turned out to be expensive, because Joona did not give up his number one position on Sunday.
The driver of Sastamala was also lucky in another way. Joona had practically had to drive one special test with three tires, but it was canceled in time.
– It was a great relief that we didn’t have to drive that section. We would have lost 20 seconds, Joona commented on the WRC website.
– It was not an easy race when the weather conditions varied and asphalt is not exactly the strongest surface for us. Fortunately, through all the coincidences, we got to this situation and the championship party.
Joona’s car’s driver in Spain was Mikael Korhonen.
– Of course, our main goal was in the junior WRC class, but when we realized that we have a chance for the championship in this class, we focused on this, Joona adds.
Joona’s victory brightened a wonderful year in Finnish sports. The royal class of the rally is ventilated as well Kalle Rovanperän driver’s championship and the manufacturer’s championship of Toyota operating in Jyväskylä.
Reading sheet music in Pajar’s car Enni Mälkkonen won the karting championship in WRC3. Emil Lindholm already took the WRC2 Junior title, but can also soon take the championship of the entire WRC2 class in the final race of the season.
Reeta Hämäläinen and Emil Lindholm have celebrated in the WRC2 class. PDO