Teemu Suninen took the top spot in the WRC2 class in Saturday morning’s special tests at the Finnish World Rally Championship.
Teemu Suninen is on a great pace. Vesa Pöppönen / All Over Press
Suninen whipped his Hyundai to the top of the class at both Lauka and Lankamaa special tests. The Suomalaiskiski arrived for maintenance in Jyväskylä with a lead of 6.3 seconds.
– I found a good driving rhythm right from the morning and was able to make a little difference. We’ll see how much speed there is in the afternoon. Let’s get what we get, Suninen planned.
– We have come at a pretty good marching speed. In a long run, you may not be able to push much harder.
The Finns have a four-way lead in Jyskälä’s second class: Mikko Heikkilä is second Emil Lindholm third and Sami Pajari sharing the fourth space with an Estonian Egon Kaur with. The top five can fit in 12.3 seconds.
– We have a really good championship going. This is how it should be, Suninen formulated.
Driving a Hyundai first-class car Oliver Solberg fell into a driving error right at the starting end of the special test in Lauka that opened the morning. Suninen and the other WRC2 class drivers could see how the Hyundai Rally1 car driven by Solberg had stopped in a pine tree.
– What a pity. I really felt sorry for him, Suninen said sarcastically about his teammate’s fate.
Suninen is competing for a place in the Hyundai factory team car, but at least for now Solberg has been able to keep his place despite his weak performances.
On Friday, seven more special stages will be run in the Finnish World Rally Championship.